An Inventory of Urban Fish Communities in Lubbock, Texas

Shavlik, C. E. (c7sce@ttacs.ttu.edu) and K. L. Pope (kpope@ttu.edu), Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX 79409, 806-742-1981, 806-742-2280 (FAX)

Twenty-three city park lakes were electrofished in June 1999 to assess the fish communities. Catch per unit effort (CPUE), size structure (proportional stock density), and condition (relative weight) were used to characterize fish populations. Fifteen species were collected; the most prevalent species were common carp Cyprinus carpio (21 lakes) and bluegill Lepomis macrochirus (19 lakes). Principal components analysis on CPUE of eight fish species was used for preliminary data exploration. Principal component 1 separated traditionally desirable (e.g., largemouth bass Micropterus salmoides , bluegill, and gizzard shad Dorosoma cepedianum) and undesirable species (e.g., goldfish Carassius auratus, white crappie Pomoxis annularis, green sunfish Lepomis cyanellus, and common carp) for water less than 45.4 hectares. Principal component 5 distinguished between trophic levels (piscivores: white crappie, green sunfish, and largemouth bass; plantivores/insectivores: common carp, gizzard shad, black bullhead Ictalurus melas, and goldfish). A positive relationship (Spearman rank correlation: r=0.65; P=0.002) existed between largemouth bass and bluegill CPUE, suggesting that abiotic factors (e.g., habitat quality) are more important that biotic (e.g., predator-prey interactions) factors. In addition, gizzard shad and green sunfish were rarely (5 of 20 lakes) found in the same water bodies and when they were present together, green sunfish CPUE was low (i.e., <6/hr).

Copyright © 1999
Texas Chapter of the American Fisheries Society
Last modified: 03/03/04 04:15:38 PM