Green River Aquatic Faunal Studies at Campbellsville University Alan W' Reed Richard Kessler

1
Green River Aquatic Faunal Studies at
Campbellsville UniversityAlan W. ReedRichard
Kessler
2
Green RiverKYs Crown Jewel of River Systems

• 70 species of states 103 freshwater mussel
  species
• 21 imperiled
• 7 endangered (federal)
• Unionidae Considered most endangered NA animal
  taxon
• 151 fish species
• 7 endemic
• 12 globally rare
• -Mammoth Cave Complex
• -One of the of the Most Biologically Rich Systems
  of the Ohio River Basin

3
The Green River Region threats of the present.

• Altered hydrological/thermal regime
• Intense row crop agriculture in bottomland
• Livestock utilize the Green River and its
  tributaries as primary water sources
• Unsustainable timber management
• Encroaching development brings permanent
  environmental degradation.
• Introduced species.

4
(No Transcript)
5
(No Transcript)
6
(No Transcript)
7
0.5 km downstream from
Tebbs Bend Bridge
8
(No Transcript)
9
(No Transcript)
10

• The mere presence of long-lived species of
  unionids is not an indicator of reproductive
  success! The crash may be years away.

Potamilus capax
11
A Synopsis of Historic Aquatic Faunal Studies at
Campbellsville University

• Etheostoma rafinesquei (Green River endemic) life
  history- Weddle
• Nothonotus ecology (E. maculatum, E. bellum) -
  Kessler
• Darter community ecology Kessler (UofL)/Weddle
  (CU)
• Icthyomyzon greeylei spawning observations and
  propogation- Weddle/Walker
• Mussel fauna of Rolling Fork River
  Reed/Weddle/Farmer
• Etheostoma maculatum reproduction in Russell
  Creek- Weddle/Kessler
• Regional mussel and fish collection
• Artificial stream

12
(No Transcript)
13
A Synopsis of Historic Aquatic Faunal Studies at
Campbellsville University

• Etheostoma rafinesquei (Green River endemic) life
  history- Weddle
• Nothonotus ecology (E. maculatum, E. bellum) -
  Kessler
• Darter community ecology Kessler (UofL)/Weddle
  (CU)
• Icthyomyzon greeylei spawning observations and
  propogation- Weddle/Walker
• Mussel fauna of Rolling Fork River
  Reed/Weddle/Farmer
• Etheostoma maculatum reproduction in Russell
  Creek- Weddle/Kessler
• Regional mussel and fish collection
• Artificial stream

14
(No Transcript)
15
(No Transcript)
16
A Synopsis of Historic Aquatic Faunal Studies at
Campbellsville University

• Etheostoma rafinesquei (Green River endemic) life
  history- Weddle
• Nothonotus ecology (E. maculatum, E. bellum) -
  Kessler
• Darter community ecology Kessler (UofL)/Weddle
  (CU)
• Icthyomyzon greeylei spawning observations and
  propogation- Weddle/Walker
• Mussel fauna of Rolling Fork River
  Reed/Weddle/Farmer
• Etheostoma maculatum reproduction in Russell
  Creek- Weddle/Kessler
• Regional mussel and fish collection
• Artificial stream

17
(No Transcript)
18
A Synopsis of Historic Aquatic Faunal Studies at
Campbellsville University

• Etheostoma rafinesquei (Green River endemic) life
  history- Weddle
• Nothonotus ecology (E. maculatum, E. bellum) -
  Kessler
• Darter community ecology Kessler (UofL)/Weddle
  (CU)
• Icthyomyzon greeylei spawning observations and
  propogation- Weddle/Walker
• Mussel fauna of Rolling Fork River
  Reed/Weddle/Farmer
• Etheostoma maculatum reproduction in Russell
  Creek- Weddle/Kessler
• Regional mussel and fish collection
• Artificial stream

19
Ichthyomyzon greeleyi Photo by Noel Burkhead
20
(No Transcript)
21
(No Transcript)
22
(No Transcript)
23
(No Transcript)
24
Gretchen Walker
25
A Synopsis of Historic Aquatic Faunal Studies at
Campbellsville University

• Etheostoma rafinesquei (Green River endemic) life
  history- Weddle
• Nothonotus ecology (E. maculatum, E. bellum) -
  Kessler
• Darter community ecology Kessler (UofL)/Weddle
  (CU)
• Icthyomyzon greeylei spawning observations and
  propogation- Weddle/Walker
• Mussel fauna of Rolling Fork River
  Reed/Weddle/Farmer
• Etheostoma maculatum reproduction in Russell
  Creek- Weddle/Kessler
• Regional mussel and fish collection
• Artificial stream

26
Simpsonaias ambigua
Epioblasma triquetra
Megalonaias nervosa
27
A Synopsis of Historic Aquatic Faunal Studies at
Campbellsville University

• Etheostoma rafinesquei (Green River endemic) life
  history- Weddle
• Nothonotus ecology (E. maculatum, E. bellum) -
  Kessler
• Darter community ecology Kessler (UofL)/Weddle
  (CU)
• Icthyomyzon greeylei spawning observations and
  propogation- Weddle/Walker
• Mussel fauna of Rolling Fork River
  Reed/Weddle/Farmer
• Etheostoma maculatum reproduction in Russell
  Creek- Weddle/Kessler
• Regional mussel and fish collection
• Artificial stream

28
(No Transcript)
29
(No Transcript)
30
A Synopsis of Historic Aquatic Faunal Studies at
Campbellsville University

• Etheostoma rafinesquei (Green River endemic) life
  history- Weddle
• Nothonotus ecology (E. maculatum, E. bellum) -
  Kessler
• Darter community ecology Kessler (UofL)/Weddle
  (CU)
• Icthyomyzon greeylei spawning observations and
  propogation- Weddle/Walker
• Mussel fauna of Rolling Fork River
  Reed/Weddle/Farmer
• Etheostoma maculatum reproduction in Russell
  Creek- Weddle/Kessler
• Regional fish and mussel collection
• Artificial stream

31
(No Transcript)
32
(No Transcript)
33
Ongoing Aquatic Faunal Research at Campbellsville
University

• Barbicambarus cornutus, bottlebrush crayfish,
  general studies- Kessler/Etherington
• Green River Ring pink (Obovaria retusa) search-
  Kessler/Reed (w/USFWS, et. al)
• Darter reproduction- Weddle and Laura Webb
• Spring macroinvert inventories- Mike Floyd/CHMF

34
The Green River Region ...as George Rogers Clark
would have seen it.
35
(No Transcript)
36
(No Transcript)
37
(No Transcript)
38
(No Transcript)
39
Ongoing Aquatic Faunal Research at Campbellsville
University

• Barbicambarus cornutus, bottlebrush crayfish,
  general studies- Kessler/Etherington
• Green River Ring pink (Obovaria retusa) search-
  Kessler/Reed (w/USFWS, et. al)
• Darter reproduction (E. maculatum and E.
  rafinesquei)- Weddle
• Spring macroinvert inventories- Mike Floyd/CHMF

40
U.S. Endangered Species Act LE, XN Listed
endangered, nonessential experimental population
(29Sep1989) U.S. Fish Wildlife Service Lead
Region R4 - Southeast IUCN Red List Category
CR - Critically endangered Comments on official
statuses Listed Endangered throughout its range.
Global Abundance 50 - 2500 individuals
41
O. retusa (female) found in Hart Co. by Jim
Layzer on 09 October 2001. Moved to Minor E.
Clark Hatchery. Found dead in raceway on 30 June
2004. Est. age 35-40 yrs.
73 mm long/70mm high/46mm wide at death.
42
O. Retusa (male one of two) From KDFWR.
Mortality of both likely due to old age.
Measurements at death 77mm/77 mm
43
O.S.U. Museum Specimens
44

• Fish host unknown

45

• Fish host unknown
• Could be Sturgeon or 5 darter species (based on
  other species of Obovaria)

46
Where is it now?
Green River probably offers the last hope.
47
Ring Pink - Scope of Work

• Females
• Pit Tagging
• Multiple Sites
• Documenting other species of
  concern
• Utilize sampling techniques similar to
  Montes group

Q. cylindrica
Q. cylindrica
C. stigaria
48
(No Transcript)
49
(No Transcript)
50
3
4
5
2
1
51
Future Research Considerations or Dream the
Impossible Dream

• Russell Creek fish inventory
• Long-term ecological monitoring of benthic fish
  communities and habitat in Green River and
  Russell Creek
• Villosa ortmanni, Kentucky creekshell, monitoring
  program on Russell Creek
• Hellbender (Cryptobranchus alleganiensis)

52
Tom Barnes
53
E. tippecanoe
Cyprogenia stegaria
54
Special thanks.