Masters Theses

Date of Award

5-2009

Degree Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Science

Major

Wildlife and Fisheries Science

Major Professor

J. Larry Wilson

Abstract

Coal Creek and its tributaries have historically suffered the effects of run-off from coal strip mining. Mining activity has ceased in the Coal Creek watershed and recovery in the stream was documented in 2004 when ecological indices based on fish and aquatic invertebrate samples from Coal Creek increased significantly. Although the Coal Creek watershed continues to support most of its native fish species, several common species are still missing and have been targeted for re-introduction. The species selected for initial re-introduction were the rainbow darter (Etheostoma caeruleum), Tennessee shiner (Notropis leuciodes), warpaint shiner (Luxilus coccogenis), and telescope shiner (N. telescopus). Other species that were collected opportunistically and re-introduced were the fantail darter (E. flabellare) and whitetail shiner (Cyprinella galactura). All fish were collected from two area streams, Indian Creek and Cove Creek, with similar habitat within the Clinch River drainage.From February 2007 through May 2008, two fantail darters, 509 rainbow darters, 308 Tennessee shiners, 247 warpaint shiners, 494 telescope shiners, and 47 whitetail shiners were released at six locations in Coal Creek. Rainbow darters were batch tagged with two colors of visible implant elastomer (VIE) before release at one or more of six re-introduction sites to assess the survival and reproduction of the relocated darter species. Four monitoring surveys, which were conducted late summer through late fall and which used seining, electroshocking, or a combination of the two methods, revealed representatives of three out of four re-introduced species. Surveys extended both upstream and downstream of all original sites to locate fish which may have moved from the immediate re-introduction site. Surveys were conducted in suitable habitat, and continued for three consecutive seine hauls or kick seines until no new species were collected.Five tagged rainbow darters, three untagged (second year) darters, and two young of the year darters were documented during kick seining and electroshocking efforts. Six young of the year telescope shiners were collected upstream of the Joe E. Day Bridge and 10 warpaint shiners were seined from small pools.

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