A Size-Based Test of Species-Energy Theory in Stream Ecosystems

All field data will be collected by the PI and a team of four college students. Two full working days will be scheduled to perform a complete fish, invertebrate, and physical habitat survey at each of the three sites. Fish surveys will begin by securing block nets at the upstream and downstream margins of an approximately 200 meter sampling reach (creating a closed population). Backpack electrofishing and the Zippin multiple-pass depletion method will then be used to sample fishes and to estimate fish densities. In each of three successive passes, a sampling crew will move from the downstream to upstream end of the reach, collecting all stunned fishes with dip nets. Captured fishes will then be identified, weighed, and released downstream of the closed study reach. All collected fishes will be released, with the exception of a small subset to be used for stable isotope analysis. Specifically, I request permission to preserve (on dry ice) a subsample of up to 50 whole fishes, inclusive of the most highly represented taxonomic groups (e.g., minnows, darters, suckers) and distributed over 3-5 size classes (x10 individuals per size class) for dietary analysis/stable isotope analysis. Ten benthic macroinvertebrates samples, distributed among riffle, run, and sandy substrates, will be collected at each site with a fixed-area (0.086 m2) Hess (kick net type) sampler. If depositional, silty substrates are extensive at a site, five additional samples will be collected with a pole-mounted grab sampler. All invertebrate samples will be preserved in ethanol and returned to the lab for identification. Physicochemical habitat data, including stream channel morphology and gradient, substrate composition, bank stability, presence of woody debris, canopy cover extent, riparian vegetation type, water temperature, dissolved oxygen, conductivity, pH, and suspended sediment, will be collected with standard field instruments and methods.

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