Wgu Rqbt5 Task 1

3/7/2014

Western Governors University : RQBT5: Sample final paper #2

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RQBT5: Sample final paper #2

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RQBT5: Sample final paper #2
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RECOVERY OF THE FOUR BIG-RIVER FISHES OF THE UPPER COLORADO RIVER BASIN

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Recovery of the Four Big-River Fishes of the Upper Colorado River Basin

Christi Meismer
Western Governor 's University

RECOVERY OF THE FOUR BIG-RIVER FISHES OF THE UPPER COLORADO RIVER BASIN

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In the upper Colorado River basin, four species of fish have been listed as federally endangered. In 1988, the Upper Colorado River Endangered Fish Recovery Program
(Program) was created through a distinctive agreement between a
The researchers found that while hundreds of thousands of these fish were removed, no reach scale benefits were found for native fish (Trammell et al. 2005).
However, one of the beneficial items from this research is that it could be

RECOVERY OF THE FOUR BIG-RIVER FISHES OF THE UPPER COLORADO RIVER BASIN

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possible to remove nonnatives just prior to the arrival of drifting native larvae. This information coupled with the effects of temperatures on growth identified by Bestgen
(2008), could allow native larvae to reach sizes where they will be safe from predation and thus survive at higher rates. In other areas of the basin, Utah Division of Wildlife
Resources (2010) biologists, found the highest numbers of young Colorado pikeminnow since 1991, likely a result of nonnative removal efforts. The ability of all life stages of native fishes to survive encounters with nonnative species will be important to overall survival, but also important to how stocking of hatchery-reared fish is managed.
Stocking of Hatchery Reared Fish