The effects of stocking invasive rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) on assemblage structure and microhabitat use of native fishes in a southern Appalachian stream
Elkins, Duncan C.
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We examined the impacts of stocking with rainbow trout on the native fish community of Betty Creek, Georgia, USA, at the level of the assemblage (population, biomass, species richness, diversity) and the individual (microhabitat use). Our study encompassed the years from 2003-2008 and used a replicated BACI design with two pairs of control and introduction sites. We performed 7 introductions and described 4 microhabitat shifts that were significant at the 90% level and 11 more that were consistent with these but not significant. The persistence of these effects appeared to be related to the number of trout that remained in the site after the introductions, but this relationship was non-significant. We supplemented these results with experiments in a model stream using warpaint shiners and rainbow trout. Trout affected some aspects of the social behavior and space use of the warpaint shiners, and cased them to use larger home ranges and experience higher current velocities.