COMMUNITY STRUCTURE AND FUNCTIONAL DIVERSITY OF IMPERILED GREAT PLAINS FISHES: IMPLICATIONS FOR CONSERVATION OF TWO ENDANGERED SHINERS (SHARPNOSE SHINER NOTROPIS OXYRHYNCHUS AND SMALLEYE SHINER NOTROPIS BUCCULA) IN THE UPPER BRAZOS RIVER, TEXAS

<p>Anthropogenic practices such as groundwater pumping, land use change, and the implementation of dams have caused significant change in freshwater ecosystems, especially in the Great Plains of North America where pelagic broadcast spawning fish species are declining due to the loss of the natural flow regime and river fragmentation. Uncovering the abiotic and biotic drivers across spatial and temporal scales influencing fish assemblages across the Great Plains is required to inform effective management strategies. Here, I investigated ecological drivers influencing fish assemblages containing two federally endangered minnow species: the Sharpnose Shiner <em>Notropis oxyrhynchus</em> and Smalleye Shiner <em>Notropis buccula</em> in the upper Brazos River, Texas. Species taxonomic and functional diversity was positively influenced by downstream gradients in water chemistry and stream morphology. Populations of the endangered shiners were restricted to stream sites with greater habitat connectivity and continuous stream flow which are required for key habitat requirements for successful recruitment.</p>

Name thesis:degree_name

Master of Science - Biology

Level thesis:degree_level

Thesis

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Biology

Year dc:date.available

2025

Author dc:creator

• Nimee, Chase

Contributors dc:contributor

• Carmen G. Montaña

• Great Plains
• upper Brazos River
• imperiled species
• abiotic drivers
• fluvial gradient
• prairie fish
• environmental filtering

Repository record dc:identifier

https://scholarworks.sfasu.edu/etds/598

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:scholarworks.sfasu.edu:etds-1657