Okaloosa darters

Ecology and conservation of endangered Okaloosa darters

Goal of research

The central focus of this research project is to obtain population abundance and distribution data needed to best inform decisions being made about management and conservation of endangered Okaloosae darters (Etheostoma okaloosae).

Overview and key findings

Collaborators

Howard Jelks, US Geological Survey
Bob Dorazio, US Geological Survey

Sources of funding

US Department of Defense
US Fish & Wildlife Service

Publications

Champagne*, C., J. D. Austin, H. L. Jelks, and F. Jordan. 2008. Effects of fin clipping on survival and position-holding behavior of Brown Darters, Etheostoma edwini. In press in Copeia.

Dorazio, R. M., B. Mukherjee, L. Zhang, M. Ghosh, H. L. Jelks, and F. Jordan. 2008. Modeling unobserved sources of heterogeneity in animal abundance using a Dirichlet process prior. Biometrics 64:635-644. Published online August 2007.

Jordan, F., H. L. Jelks, S. Bortone, and R. M. Dorazio. 2008. Comparison of visual survey and seining methods for a benthic stream fish. Environmental Biology of Fishes 81:313-319. Published online January 2007.

Dorazio, R., H. L. Jelks, and F. Jordan. 2005. Improving removal-based estimates of abundance by sampling a population of spatially distinct subpopulations. Biometrics 61:1093-1101.

Pictures


Here's some fine darter habitat. Okaloosa darters prefer the slower margins of streams where there is abundant cover.	Jane (the Data Vixen) and Howard (the Slavedriver) bask near the stream's edge as Frank collects important data.

Howard marking the position of an Okaloosa darter.	A section of stream with darter positions marked.

After marking darter positions, we measure current velocity, depth, and other microhabitat characteristics.	Many streams have dense beds of aquatic vegetation and other forms of cover. These sites often support large numbers of darters

Beaver dams cause local reductions in darter abundance. However, braided channels form after a beaver dam is abandoned and create extensive new habitat for darters to recolonize	The landscape surrounding darter streams is damaged in some areas due to past clay mining activities. The Air Force has an active ecosystem management program and is making excellent progress in their efforts to restore damaged stream habitats.