Physicochemical habitat data and multi-scale occupancy data for spring-associated fishes in Oklahoma streams
Abstract
Spring-associated fishes occupy thermally unique habitats in groundwater-dominated streams that are often of high quality. However, outside of water temperature, little else is known about the physicochemical habitat requirements for many of these species. With human effects on streams increasing, it is important to conservation and management to characterize spring habitats and the species that occupy them. Our study objective was to determine the physicochemical factors related to occupancy of four spring-associated species in the Arbuckle Uplift and Ozark Highlands ecoregions, Oklahoma USA. We used a hierarchal approach to identify habitat relationships at multiple spatial scales. We collected detection and non-detection data using both snorkeling and seining methods. We examined the physicochemical relationships related to detection and occupancy for four spring-associated fishes. Data were analyzed using occupancy modeling in a Bayesian framework. Our results indicated water depth and water clarity were important factors affecting detection of spring-associated fishes. Occupancy of our target species differed by ecoregion, with least darter being less common in the Ozark Highlands ecoregion and subadult smallmouth bass being more common in the Ozark Highlands. Interestingly, we found water temperature occupancy relationship for only least darter and southern redbelly dace, whereas redspot chub and smallmouth bass were more likely to occur at sites with deeper pool habitats of larger streams. We documented both spatial and temporal differences in occurrence probabilities at ecoregion, reach, and riffle-run-pool complex scale. Furthermore, our results indicate snorkeling was a superior sampling method compared to seining for detecting most fishes in clear warmwater streams even at relatively low visibilities. Lastly, we demonstrate the importance of using multi-scale studies when developing conservation plans for warmwater fishes.
README
Title
Data from: "Assessing the distribution and habitat needs of the Least Darter and sympatric species of the Ozark Highlands and Arbuckle Mountain ecoregions","The context dependency of fish-habitat associations in separated karst ecoregions"
Description
This data is associated with chapter one from the thesis "Assessing the distribution and habitat needs of the Least Darter and sympatric species of the Ozark Highlands and Arbuckle Mountain ecoregions"
and one manuscript "The context dependency of fish-habitat associations in separated karst ecoregions". The data consists of one XLSX file and one README file associated with the methodology and documentation to allow
for replication and verification of findings.
Abstract
Spring-associated fishes occupy thermally unique habitats in groundwater dominated streams that are often of high quality. However, outside of water temperature, little else is known about the physicochemical habitat
requirements for many of these species. With human effects on streams increasing, it is important to conservation and management to characterize spring habitats and the species that occupy them. Our study objective
was to determine the physicochemical factors related to occupancy of four spring-associated species in the Arbuckle Uplift and Ozark Highlands ecoregions, Oklahoma USA.We used a hierarchal approach to identify habitat
relationships at multiple spatial scales. We collected detection and non-detection data using both snorkeling and seining methods. We examined the physicochemical relationships related to detection and occupancy for
four spring-associated fishes. Data were analyzed using occupancy modeling in a Bayesian framework. Our results indicated water depth and water clarity were important factors affecting detection of spring-associated fishes.
Occupancy of our target species differed by ecoregion, with least darter being less common in the Ozark Highlands ecoregion and subadult smallmouth bass being more common in the Ozark Highlands. Interestingly, we found water
temperature occupancy relationship for only least darter and southern redbelly dace, whereas redspot chub and smallmouth bass were more likely to occur at sites with deeper pool habitats of larger streams.
We documented both spatial and temporal differences in occurrence probabilities at ecoregion, reach, and riffle-run-pool complex scale. Furthermore, our results indicate snorkeling was a superior sampling method compared to
seining for detecting most fishes in clear warmwater streams even at relatively low visibilities. Lastly, we demonstrate the importance of using multi-scale studies when developing conservation plans for warmwater fishes.
ID: Unique identifier given to each site (channel unit complex), first number and letter identify the reach the sample took place and the second number identifies what channel unit complex within that reach the sample occurred in.
Ecoregion: Ecoregion in which the reach occurred, either Arbuckle Uplift or Ozark Highlands
Reach: Unique identifier for each reach
Stream: Name of stream the reach occurred in according to National Hydrography Dataset Plus Version 2 and/or DeLorme atlas of Oklahoma
Date_y.1: Date of 1st survey
Date_y.2: Date of 2nd survey
Date_y.3: Date of 3rd survey
Date_y.4: Date of 4th survey
Time_y.1: Time it took to complete 1st survey. Measure in hours and minutes (1.15 is one hour and fifteen minutes)
Time_y.2: Time it took to complete 2nd survey. Measure in hours and minutes (1.15 is one hour and fifteen minutes)
Time_y.3: Time it took to complete 3rd survey. Measure in hours and minutes (1.15 is one hour and fifteen minutes)
Time_y.4: Time it took to complete 4th survey. Measure in hours and minutes (1.15 is one hour and fifteen minutes)
Species: List of species documented and recorded as present or absent in the next columns (y.n). Species codes can be found on the next tab labeled "Species Codes". Species are the target species (i.e., Spring-associates) and other darter species encountered
y.1: Detection of species during 1st survey
y.2: Detection of species during 2nd survey
y.3: Detection of species during 3rd survey
y.4: Detection of species during 4th survey
CW.1: Percent of total area covered by coarse wood (>10 cm) for 1st survey for each site used for detection. Assessed visually.
CW.2: Percent of total area covered by coarse wood (>10 cm) for 2nd survey for each site used for detection. Assessed visually.
CW.3: Percent of total area covered by coarse wood (>10 cm) for 3rd survey for each site used for detection. Assessed visually.
CW.4: Percent of total area covered by coarse wood (>10 cm) for 4th survey for each site used for detection. Assessed visually.
CS.1: Percent of total area covered by coarse substrate for 1st survey for each site used for detection. Assessed visually.
CS.2: Percent of total area covered by coarse substrate for 2nd survey for each site used for detection. Assessed visually.
CS.3: Percent of total area covered by coarse substrate for 3rd survey for each site used for detection. Assessed visually.
CS.4: Percent of total area covered by coarse substrate for 4th survey for each site used for detection. Assessed visually.
Vegetation.1: Percent of total area covered by aquatic vegetation for 1st survey for each site used for detection. Assessed visually.
Vegetation.2: Percent of total area covered by aquatic vegetation for 2nd survey for each site used for detection. Assessed visually.
Vegetation.3: Percent of total area covered by aquatic vegetation for 3rd survey for each site used for detection. Assessed visually.
Vegetation.4: Percent of total area covered by aquatic vegetation for 4th survey for each site used for detection. Assessed visually.
Velocity.1: Average water column velocity (m/s) for a site measured along three transects and averaged for the site for 1st survey and used for detection. Assessed using a Marsh-McBirney Flo-Mate
Velocity.2: Average water column velocity (m/s) for a site measured along three transects and averaged for the site for 2nd survey and used for detection. Assessed using a Marsh-McBirney Flo-Mate
Velocity.3: Average water column velocity (m/s) for a site measured along three transects and averaged for the site for 3rd survey and used for detection. Assessed using a Marsh-McBirney Flo-Mate
Velocity.4: Average water column velocity (m/s) for a site measured along three transects and averaged for the site for 4th survey and used for detection. Assessed using a Marsh-McBirney Flo-Mate
Depth.1: Average water depth (m) for a site measured along three transects and averaged for the site for 1st survey and used for detection. Assessed using a metal wading rod.
Depth.2: Average water depth (m) for a site measured along three transects and averaged for the site for 2nd survey and used for detection. Assessed using a metal wading rod.
Depth.3: Average water depth (m) for a site measured along three transects and averaged for the site for 3rd survey and used for detection. Assessed using a metal wading rod.
Depth.4: Average water depth (m) for a site measured along three transects and averaged for the site for 4th survey and used for detection. Assessed using a metal wading rod.
Clarity.1: Horizontal water clarity (m) for the reach and then applied to each site for 1st survey and used for detection
Clarity.2: Horizontal water clarity (m) for the reach and then applied to each site for 2nd survey and used for detection
Clarity.3: Horizontal water clarity (m) for the reach and then applied to each site for 3rd survey and used for detection
Clarity.4: Horizontal water clarity (m) for the reach and then applied to each site for 4th survey and used for detection
gear.1: Sampling method used for 1st survey (Snorkel or Seine) and used for detection
gear.2: Sampling method used for 2nd survey (Snorkel or Seine) and used for detection
gear.3: Sampling method used for 3rd survey (Snorkel or Seine) and used for detection
gear.4: Sampling method used for 4th survey (Snorkel or Seine) and used for detection
Temp.1: Temperature (°C) at the time of the 1st survey measured with a digital thermometer at the downstream most end of a site and used for detection
Temp.2: Temperature (°C) at the time of the 2nd survey measured with a digital thermometer at the downstream most end of a site and used for detection
Temp.3: Temperature (°C) at the time of the 3rd survey measured with a digital thermometer at the downstream most end of a site and used for detection
Temp.4: Temperature (°C) at the time of the 4th survey measured with a digital thermometer at the downstream most end of a site and used for detection
Fine_Substrate: Percent coverage of total area at a site by fine substrate (silt or sand) used for occupancy
Area_Pool: Total area (m2) of the pool at a site used for occupancy
Area_Run: Total area (m2) of the run at a site used for occupancy
Area_Riffle: Total area (m2) of the riffle at a site used for occupancy
Area_BW: Total area (m2) of the backwater at a site used for occupancy
Pool_Depth: Depth (cm) of the deepest portion of a pool at a site used for calculation of residual pool depth
Riffle_Crest: Depth (cm) of the shallowest portion of the riffle at a site used for calculation of residual pool depth
RPD: Subtraction of riffle crest from pool depth to calculate residual pool depth (RPD, cm) for a site absent of flow and used for occupancy
Seepage_Up: Discharge (m/s3 ) at the upstream most location of a site and used to calculate seepage run
Seepage_Down: Discharge (m/s3 ) at the downstream most location of a site and used to calculate seepage run
Seepage_Difference: Difference between upstream discharge (m/s3) and downstream discharge (m/s3) at the upstream most location of a site and used to calculate seepage run which is a measure of loss or gaining of water to a section of stream and used for occupancy
Gaining/Losing: Binary variable to represent either a site being a gaining portion (1) or losing portion (2).
Discharge: The volume of water passing a given transect of stream measure in m/s3 and used for the occupancy of the reach
2_Week_Temp: Average 2 week temperature (°C) measured at a deep spot in a pool within the reach typically the downstream most pool and used for occupancy of the reach
Drainage_Area: The accumulation of upstream land area draining to the specific reach measure in km2 and used for occupancy of the reach
Disturbance_Index_250M: Landuse disturbance index for the 250 meters directly upstream and adjacent to the reach
Disturbance_Index_Catch: Landuse disturbance index for the segment shed of a stream upstream and adjacent to the reach
Disturbance_Index_Sub: Landuse disturbance index for the drainage area of a reach (HUC 10)
Prop_Pool: Proportion of pool area for a site compared to total area of a site
Prop_Run: Proportion of run area for a site compared to total area of a site
Prop_Riffle: Proportion of riffle area for a site compared to total area of a site
Prop_BW: Proportion of backwater area for a site compared to total area of a site
BW_Pres: Presence (2) or absence (1) of backwater at a site
Total_Area: Total area (m2) of a site calculated by summing all mesohabitat areas
Velocity_OCC: Average water column velocity (m/s) used for occupancy by averaging the first and second visits average water column velocity for each site
Vegetation_OCC: Percent coverage of aquatic vegetation used for occupancy by averaging the first and second visits aquatic vegetation for each site
CW_OCC: Percent coverage of coarse wood (> 10 cm) used for occupancy by averaging the first and second visits percent coverage of coarse wood for each site
Prop_AG: Proportion of agriculture within each segmentshed calculated using the National Land Cover Dataset
Species Codes
Code Common Name Scientific Name
LD Least Darter Etheostoma microperca
SRBD Southern Redbelly Dace Chrosomus erythrogaster
RSC Redspot Chub Nocomis asper
OTD Orangethroat Darter Etheostoma spectabile
SMB_JUV Smallmouth Bass sub-adult Micropterus dolomieu
SMB_AD Smallmouth Bass adult Micropterus dolomieu
DD Dusky Darter Percina sciera
CHD Channel Darter Percina copelandi
OBD Orangebelly Darter Etheostoma cyanorum
LP Logperch Percina caprodes
GSD Greenside Darter Etheostoma blennioides
BND Banded Darter Etheostoma zonale
SBD Sunburst Darter Etheostoma mihileze
FNTL Fantail Darter Etheostoma flabellare
ARD Arkansas Darter Etheostoma cragini
SHD Slenderhead Darter Percina phoxocephala