Factors Affecting Recruitment of Endangered Desert Pupfish
Authors: Burg, G. Chris*, Heuton, Matt, MeKenna, Ken, Puentedura, Georgina, Urbina, Natalia, Hillyard, Stanley, Breukelen, Frank
Year: 2015 (xlvii)
Abstract
Inhabitants of isolated springs in Western North American Desert regions, the endangered desert pupfish, are exposed to a range of temperatures and oxygen levels. In recent years the populations of desert pupfish has seen dramatic decline. Reasons for this decline are unclear. It has been hypothesized that the decline is due to reduced recruitment into the population. The present study was initiated to examine: 1) the role of substrate in egg deposition and survival, 2) predation of larvae after hatching, 3) metabolic stress in the native habitat during egg incubation (low oxygen environment). These experiments were possible due to a population of refuge Cyprinodon diabolis, established at Point of Rocks, Ash Meadows National Wildlife Refuge, Nevada. Because of concern that refuge C. diabolis may have hybridized with Cyprinodon nevadensis mionectes, they were removed and maintained by the US Fish and Wildlife Service at 28Á‚°C. These refuge fish were made available to our laboratory for the above studies. Parallel experiments were conducted with C. n. mionectes.