University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

Changes in the Fish Community at The Nature Conservancy's Merwin Preserve at Spunky Bottoms

Solomon, Levi E.; Pendleton, Richard M.; Casper, Andrew F.; Grider, Nathan T.; Hilsabeck, Rob B.

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https://hdl.handle.net/2142/55152

Description

Title
Changes in the Fish Community at The Nature Conservancy's Merwin Preserve at Spunky Bottoms
Author(s)
  • Solomon, Levi E.
  • Pendleton, Richard M.
  • Casper, Andrew F.
  • Grider, Nathan T.
  • Hilsabeck, Rob B.
Issue Date
2014-09-24
Keyword(s)
  • fisheries
  • floodplain
  • wetlands
  • long term monitoring
  • drought
  • IDNR Division of Fisheries The Nature Conservancy
Geographic Coverage
Merwin Preserve at Spunky Bottoms, Brown County, Illinois
Abstract
The fish community at the Merwin Preserve has undergone several changes over the 15 years of this study, several coinciding with low water levels observed in 2005 and drought events in 2007, 2012, and 2013. The fish community quickly progressed into a sport fish dominated system with abundant native fishes, however all fish populations declined in the mid to late 2000’s, coinciding with low water of 2005 and drought of 2007. As fish communities began to recover, the community shifted to a Common Carp and Bigmouth Buffalo dominated system with drastically reduced sport fish populations in 2012 and 2013. These shifts coincided with additional drought events during those two years. Presently, after the breaching of the levee by 2013 record flooding throughout the Illinois River, the Merwin Preserve is a semi-connected backwater of the Illinois River dominated by Common Carp and Bigmouth Buffalo.
Publisher
Illinois Natural History Survey
Series/Report Name or Number
Technical Report INHS 2014 (31)
Type of Resource
text
Language
en
Permalink
http://hdl.handle.net/2142/55152
Sponsor(s)/Grant Number(s)
  • IDNR Division of Fisheries
  • The Nature Conservancy
Copyright and License Information
This document is a product of the Illinois Natural History Survey, and has been selected and made available by the Illinois Natural History Survey and the University Library, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. It is intended solely for noncommercial research and educational use, and proper attribution is requested.

Owning Collections

Technical Reports - Illinois Natural History Survey PRIMARY
Reports produced by INHS staff, usually as deliverables for assessment projects funded by federal or state agencies or non-governmental organizations.