Year: 2006
Type: report
Abstract: We examined the difference in the number of fish between two created wetlands, one that was planted and one left to colonize naturally. Minnow traps were used to sample the fish populations in the three basins located in each wetland. Green sunfish was the primary fish in the two created wetlands with a few other species present in low numbers. The population of green sunfish in the planted Wetland 1 (W1) was higher than that seen in the naturally colonized Wetland 2 (W2), likely because of the difference in plant species composition between the two wetlands. Significantly more green sunfish were caught per trap hour in W2 than in W1 (p = 0.013, t = -2.73). The difference in trapping success between the two wetlands was likely due to sampling bias. Seasonal changes in water level has a large effect on green sunfish population dynamics in the two wetlands as the population estimate for 2005 with constant water level was three to five times higher than 2003 or 2004 when the water levels were allowed to fluctuate. Common carp population saw a drastic increase during the second year of the water fluctuation study but no carp were detected in 2005 when water levels were kept constant. There were a total of six fish species captured in the two wetlands with four species being caught in each wetland
Authors: Justin L. Brown, Kyle Loper, William J. Mitsch
Language: English
Subfield: Nature and Landscape Conservation
Field: Environmental Science
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W947106960