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ESR 16:211-224 (2012)  -  DOI: https://doi.org/10.3354/esr00399

Theme Section: Endangered river fish: threats and conservation options

Heterogeneous detection probabilities for imperiled Missouri River fishes: implications for large-river monitoring programs

Joshua T. Schloesser1,6,*, Craig P. Paukert2,7, Wyatt J. Doyle3, Tracy D. Hill3, Kirk D. Steffensen4, Vince H. Travnichek5

1Kansas Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit, Division of Biology, Kansas State University, Manhattan, Kansas 66506, USA
2U.S. Geological Survey, Kansas Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit, Division of Biology, Kansas State University, Manhattan, Kansas 66506, USA
3U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Columbia Fish and Wildlife Conservation Office, Columbia, Missouri 65203, USA
4Nebraska Game and Parks Commission, Lincoln, Nebraska 68503, USA
5Missouri Department of Conservation, St. Joseph, Missouri 64507, USA
6Present address: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Ashland Fish and Wildlife Conservation Office, Ashland, Wisconsin 54806, USA 7Present address: U.S. Geological Survey, Missouri Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit, Department of Fisheries and Wildlife Sciences, University of Missouri, Columbia, Missouri 65211, USA
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ABSTRACT: Occupancy modeling was used to determine (1) if detection probabilities ( p) for 7 regionally imperiled Missouri River fishes (Scaphirhynchus albus, Scaphirhynchus platorynchus, Cycleptus elongatus, Sander canadensis, Macrhybopsis aestivalis, Macrhybopsis gelida, and Macrhybopsis meeki) differed among gear types (i.e. stationary gill nets, drifted trammel nets, and otter trawls), and (2) how detection probabilities were affected by habitat (i.e. pool, bar, and open water), longitudinal position (five 189 to 367 rkm long segments), sampling year (2003 to 2006), and season (July 1 to October 30 and October 31 to June 30). Adult, large-bodied fishes were best detected with gill nets ( p: 0.02–0.74), but most juvenile large-bodied and all small-bodied species were best detected with otter trawls ( p: 0.02–0.58). Trammel nets may be a redundant sampling gear for imperiled fishes in the lower Missouri River because most species had greater detection probabilities with gill nets or otter trawls. Detection probabilities varied with river segment for S. platorynchus, C. elongatus, and all small-bodied fishes, suggesting that changes in habitat influenced gear efficiency or abundance changes among river segments. Detection probabilities varied by habitat for adult S. albus and S. canadensis, year for juvenile S. albus, C. elongatus, and S. canadensis, and season for adult S. albus. Concentrating sampling effort on gears with the greatest detection probabilities may increase species detections to better monitor a population’s response to environmental change and the effects of management actions on large-river fishes.


KEY WORDS: Detection probabilities · Large rivers · Missouri River · Gear evaluation


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Cite this article as: Schloesser JT, Paukert CP, Doyle WJ, Hill TD, Steffensen KD, Travnichek VH (2012) Heterogeneous detection probabilities for imperiled Missouri River fishes: implications for large-river monitoring programs. Endang Species Res 16:211-224. https://doi.org/10.3354/esr00399

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Published in ESR Vol. 16, No. 3. Online publication date: March 22, 2012
Print ISSN: 1863-5407; Online ISSN: 1613-4796
Copyright © 2012 Inter-Research.
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