Megan K. Schall
Timothy Wertz
Geoffrey D. Smith
Vicki S. Blazer
Tyler Wagner
2019
<p><span>Smallmouth bass, </span><i>Micropterus dolomieu</i><span> Lacepède, movement dynamics were investigated in a connected mainstem river-tributary system. Smallmouth bass moved large distances annually (</span><i>n</i><span> = 84 fish, average = 24.6 ± 25.9 km, range = 0.03 to 118 km) and had three peak movement periods (pre-spawn, post-spawn and overwintering). Movement into and out of tributaries was common, but the movement between mainstem river and tributary habitats varied among tagging locations and season. In general, a large proportion of fish that were tagged in tributaries moved out of the tributaries after spawning (22/30 fish). Because of the importance of fish movement patterns on population dynamics, the observed individual variability in movement, quantified using a hierarchical model, and the potential for long-distance movements are important considerations for smallmouth bass conservation and management. In addition, mainstem river-tributary connectivity appears to play an important role for smallmouth bass during key life history events.</span></p>
application/pdf
10.1111/fme.12369
en
Wiley
Movement dynamics of smallmouth bass (Micropterus dolomieu) in a large river-tributary system
article