Prioritizing Fish Reintroductions in Lower Abrams Creek, Great Smoky Mountains National Park Based on Ecological Benefit and Source Population Integrity.
Hurt C, Malone E, Kulp M. 2018. Prioritizing Fish Reintroductions in Lower Abrams Creek, Great Smoky Mountains National Park Based on Ecological Benefit and Source Population Integrity.
Field methods include the capture of fishes using backpack electrofishing using the same methodologies employed by Great Smoky Mountains National Park fish biologists. In particular, alternating current electricity generated by a backpack electrofisher will be used to capture fishes in three GSMNP basins: (1) Deep Creek, (2) Pigeon River, and (3) Little River. At each site where fishes are collected, the lower caudal fin lobe will be surgically removed from up to three targeted species: (1) Banded Sculpin (Cottus carolinae), (2) Mottled Sculpin (Cottus bairdi), and (3) Greenside Darter (Etheostoma blennoides). Tissue samples will be preserved in 1 ml microcenterfuge tubes containing DNA shield (a liquid designed to reduced DNA degradation during storage). Tissue samples will be transported to the research laboratory of Dr. Joshuah Perkin at Tennessee Technological University, digested, and DNA extracted before 96-well plates containing sampled are shipped for genotyping by sequencing at the Cornell University Institute of Biotechnology. Field methods will be employed to minimize mortality caused by electrofishing and tissue sample collection. Previous research has shown lower caudal fin lobe fin clips result in minimal mortality and fin ray regeneration will eventually proceed. All point data will be protected as sensitive data according to an existing data management plan between Dr. Joshuah Perkin and GSMNP staff (i.e., Matt Kulp and Kendra Straub).
- Type
- Generic Dataset
- Authors
- Hurt, Carla; Malone, Eric; Kulp, Matt
- Date of Issue
- 2018-07-17
- Units
- GRSM
- Keywords
- APHN, Appalachian Highlands Network, Great Smoky Mountains National Park, GRSM, Origin:External, SER, Southeast Region, StudyID:GRSM-01282
- Subjects
- Ecological Framework: Biological Integrity | Focal Species or Communities | Freshwater Communities , Ecological Framework: Biological Integrity | Focal Species or Communities | Fishes