Abstract
Sampling was conducted on the Missouri and Yellowstone rivers, North Dakota to obtain information on the distribution, abundance and habitat use of the sturgeon chub (Macrhybopsis gelida) and sicklefin chub (M. meeki)(Family Cyprinidae), two declining benthic fish species native to the Missouri River basin. The study area consisted of three distinct river segments, the Missouri River near Williston, the Missouri River near Bismarck (below Garrison Dam), and the Yellowstone River near its confluence with the Missouri River. Both species of chub were collected, mainly with a benthic trawl, throughout 94% of the range sampled in the Williston and Yellowstone segments. Sicklefin and sturgeon chubs were the second and third most abundant cyprinids, respectively, collected from the Williston and Yellowstone segments. Best-fit regression models indicated that the presence of sturgeon chubs increased with decreasing depth, increasing velocity and decreasing water clarity, and that the presence of sicklefin chubs increased with increasing depth, decreasing velocity and decreasing water clarity. In contrast, no chubs of either species were collected in trawls from the Bismarck segment. This segment had significantly deeper, faster, and clearer water than both the Williston and Yellowstone segments.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Allen, J.D.,1995.Stream Ecology:Structure and Function of Running Waters.Chapman and Hall, New York,388 pp.
Baxter, G.T. & J.R. Simon,1970.Wyoming Fishes.Wyoming Game and Fish Department Bulletin 4.Cheyenne:168 pp.
Bramblett, R.G.,1996.Habitats and movements of pallid and shovelnose sturgeon in the Yellowstone and Missouri rivers, Montana and North Dakota.Doctoral Dissertation.Mon-tana State University, Bozeman:210 pp.
Burr, B.M. & M.L. Warren.Jr.,1986.A Distributional Atlas of Kentucky Fishes.Kentucky Nature Preserve Commission. Scienti c and Technical Series No.4,Frankfort:398 pp.
Cross, F.B. & R.E. Moss,1987.Historic changes in sh communities and aquatic habitats in plains streams of Kansas.In Matthews, W.J. & D.C. Heins (eds),Commu-nity and Evolutionary Ecology of North American Stream Fishes.University of Oklahoma Press, Norman:155–165.
Davis, B.J. & R.J. Miller,1967.Brain patterns in minnows of the genus Hybopsis in relation to feeding habits and habitat. Copeia 1967:1–39.
Everett, S.R.,1999.Life history and ecology of three native benthic shes in the Missouri and Yellowstone rivers.Mas-ter 's Thesis,University of Idaho, Moscow:69 pp.
Gelwicks, G.T.,K.Graham, D.Galat & G.D. Novinger,1996. Status survey for sickle n chub,sturgeon chub,and athead chub in the Missouri River,Missouri.Final Report.Mis-souri Department of Conservation, Columbia:22 pp.
Grisak, G.G.,1996.The status and distribution of the sickle n chub in the middle Missouri River,Montana.Master 's Thesis.Montana State University, Bozeman:77 pp.
Herzog, D.P.,1997.Long term resource monitoring program (LTRMP)sheries.In Gutreuter,S.,E.W. Burkhardt, M.Stopyro, A.Bartels, E.Krmer, M.C. Bowler, F.A. Cronin, D.W. Soergel, M.D. Petersen, D.P. Herzog, K.S. Irons, T.M. O 'Hara, K.D. Blodgett & P.T. Raibley (eds),1995 Annual Status Report:A Summary of Fish Data in Six Reaches of the Upper Mississippi River System.U.S.Geo-logical Survey,Environmental Management Technical Center,LTRMP 97-P009.Onalaska, Wisconsin:178–216.
Hesse, L.W.,1987.Taming the wild Missouri River:what has it cost?Fisheries 12:2–9.
Hesse, L.W.,1994.The status of Nebraska shes in the Mis-souri River,5.Selected chubs and minnows (Cyprindae): sickle n chub (Macrhybopsis meeki ),sturgeon chub (M. gelida ),silver chub (M.aestivalis ),.athead chub (Platygobio gracilis ),plains minnow (Hybognathus placitus ),and western silvery minnow (H.argyritis ).Transactions of the Nebraska Academy of Science 21:99–108.
Hesse, L.W. & G.E. Mestl,1993.An alternative hydrograph for the Missouri River based on the precontrol condition.North American Journal of Fisheries Management 13:360–366.
Hesse, L.W. & W.Sheets,1993.The Missouri River hydro-system.Fisheries 18:5–14.
Hesse, L.W.,G.R. Chaffin & J.Brabander,1989a.Missouri River mitigation:a system approach.Fisheries 14:11–15.
Hesse, L.W.,J.C. Schmulbach, J.M. Carr, K.D.Keenlyne, D.G. Unkenholz, J.W. Robinson & G.E. Mestl,1989b. Missouri River shery resources in relation to past,present, and future stresses.In Dodge D.P.(ed.),Proceedings of the International Large River Symposium.Canadian Special Publication of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences 106, Ottawa, Ontario,Canada:352–371.
Jobling,M.,1981.Temperature tolerance and the nal pre-ferendum:rapid methods for the assessment of optimum growth temperatures.Journal of Fish Biology 19:439–455.
Johnson, D.E.,1998.Applied Multivariate Methods for Data Analysis.Duxbury Press,Paci c Grove, California:642 pp.
Klutho, M.A.,1983.Seasonal,daily,and spatial variation of shoreline shes in the Mississippi River at Grand Tower, Illinois.Master 's Thesis.Southern Illinois University, Car-bondale:84 pp.
Orth, D.J.,1989.Aquatic habitat measurements.In Neilsen, L.A. & D.L. Johnson (eds),Fisheries Techniques.American Fisheries Society, Bethesda,Maryland:61–94.
Ott, R.L.,1993.An Introduction to Statistical Methods and Data Analysis.4th edn.Duxbury Press, Cincinnati,Ohio: 1051 pp.
Pfflieger, W.L.,1975.The Fishes of Missouri.Missouri Department of Conservation, Jefferson City:343 pp.
Power, G.J.,J.C. Henderickson, J.D. Lee & F.Ryckman, 1994.Missouri River system shery reference and opera-tional management document.North Dakota Game and Fish Department Division Report 10, Bismarck:72 pp.
Reigh, R.C. & D.S. Elsen,1979.Status of the sturgeon chub (Hybopsis gelida )and sickle n chub (Hybopsis meeki )in North Dakota.Prairie Naturalist 11:49–52.
Ricker, W.E.,1979.Growth rates and models.In Hoar, W.S., D.J. Randall & J.R. Brett (eds),Fish Physiology.Academic Press, New York:677–743.
Stewart, D.D.,1981.The biology of the sturgeon chub (Hyb-opsis gelida Girard)in Wyoming.Master of Science Thesis, University of Wyoming, Laramie:54 pp.
U.S.G.S.(United States Geological Survey),1998.http://wa-ter.usgs.gov/data.html.
Vannote, R.L. & B.W. Sweeney,1980.Geographic analysis of thermal equilibria:A conceptual model for evaluating the effect of natural and modified thermal regimes on aquatic insect communities.American Naturalist 115:667–695.
Welker, T.L.,2000.Ecology and Structure of Fish Communities in the Missouri and Lower Yellowstone Rivers.Doc-toral Dissertation,University of Idaho, Moscow:232 pp.
Werdon, S.J.,1993a.Status report on sickle n chub (Mac-rhybopsis meeki ),a candidate endangered species.Report of the U.S.Fish and Wildlife Service, Bismarck,North Dakota: 41 pp.
Werdon, S.J.,1993b.Status report on sturgeon chub (Mac-rhybopsis gelida ),a candidate endangered species.Report of the U.S.Fish and Wildlife Service, Bismarck,North Dakota: 58 pp.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Everett, S.R., Scarnecchia, D.L. & Fred Ryckman, L. Distribution and Habitat Use of Sturgeon Chubs (Macrhybopsis Gelida) and Sick-Lefin Chubs (M. Meeki) in the Missouri and Yellowstone Rivers, North Dakota. Hydrobiologia 527, 183–193 (2004). https://doi.org/10.1023/B:HYDR.0000043300.69401.66
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/B:HYDR.0000043300.69401.66