Seasonal movements and demographics of the endangered White River Spinedace to inform restoration and translocation

Objective

Translocation is a tool being explored to restart extirpated populations or facilitate new populations of endangered spring-­dependent fish populations. Our objective was to provide information on habitat requirements for endangered White River Spinedace Lepidomeda albivallis during all seasons of the year and the population demographics that are necessary to plan conservation translocations of this species

Methods

We tagged and released White River Spinedace with passive integrated transponders during four twice-a-year events. Fish were subsequently recaptured or detected on six passive antennas placed throughout the Flag Springs Complex, Nevada. We evaluated movement data to understand seasonal habitat use patterns, used a Barker model to estimate monthly survival rates, adjusted counts to account for capture probability and estimate abundance, and applied reverse-time mark–recapture models to estimate recruitment to 70 mm total length.

Results

White River Spinedace were more active but used similar habitats during spawning seasons than during nonspawning seasons. Median life expectancy was about 5 months after tagging, and only 1% of adult White River Spinedace survived 3–4 years posttagging. The estimated population size in the Flag Springs Complex during our sampling period (November 2020 to June 2022) was fewer than a thousand White River Spinedace, and this estimate has been steady or slightly increasing.

Conclusions

Complex spring habitats with water temperatures ranging about 13°C to 21°C that are free from piscivorous fish are appropriate for White River Spinedace. The White River Spinedace population at Flag Springs is small but stable or increasing in size.