Effects of Non-native Darters on the Chesapeake Logperch

The primary goals of most recovery plans for endangered fishes are restoration of extirpated populations, downgrading their status, or removing them from the threatened or endangered lists (Shute et al. 2005). Our goal is to restore extirpated populations and evaluate existing populations to prevent this species from becoming federally listed. Before such a reintroduction project can be initiated, we need to obtain information on required habitat parameters and life history data for the Chesapeake Logperch. The purpose of this project is to obtain these data for populations in Pennsylvania. With the accumulation of these data, we will be able to propose a Conservation Action Plan for the Chesapeake Logperch. In addition to the accumulation of life history data, we expect this project to produce a knowledge reservoir/roadmap for the potential recovery of this species Due to the synonymy of this species with P. caprodes and its limited distribution and status, little research has been conducted on the Chesapeake Logperch. We have collected it over cobble, rubble, silt, sand, and detritus, and from areas with coarse woody debris (Stauffer et al. 2016), but no rigorous habitat assessments have been performed to determine habitat preferences. We assume that, like most other logperches, this species is a habitat generalist, but research will be required to confirm or refute that assumption. We will quantify habitat use of the Chesapeake Logperch. For this study, we will survey localities above Conowingo Dam and two localities in the Octoraro Creek drainage. We will follow previously used methods (Stauffer et al. 1996).

WRCP

WRCP-19594

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2019

2021

05/24/2021

Pennsylvania State University

J. R. Stauffer, Jr. and Sara J. Mueller