Does anyone know why distribution of northern redbelly dace in the connecticut river valley is so broken?
Apparently they are common in the north. But below that they are found in a handfull of streams, apparently becoming less common the further south they go (or so I assume due to what i heard from their southernmost distribution).
Why are they not found throughout the connecticut river valley? I mean they had to be their once for their range to be that broken, everything i read suggests this is a natural distribution and not introductions.
Also why do some streams NOT have them at all. Apparently a tibutary of the cold river and the greenfield river in mass has them but not the ashuelot and west rivers that occured between the two.
Did something big disrupt their range? the connecticut river has faced alot of disruptions over the years from post glacial lake changes to man made damming, mill pollution, and introduced species.
broken distribution of redbellied dace in new england
Started by
Guest_FirstChAoS_*
, May 27 2010 02:26 PM
9 replies to this topic
#2
Guest_darter1_*
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Posted 27 May 2010 - 02:51 PM
Phoxinus eos is just one of those species. It has a very (VERY!) limited distribution in PA also. I think it is related to a habitat preference. And from what I have seen, they love cold headwaters with some marshy or boggy vegetation and undercut banks. I think their strong preference for these spring-fed areas may be a reason why they haven't accessed certain areas that seem appropriate. For example, if they have to move through low gradient sections with silty substrate downstream of good habitat they may be reluctant.
But I don't know for sure... just throwing out theories!!
But I don't know for sure... just throwing out theories!!
#5
Guest_Elijah_*
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Posted 28 May 2010 - 02:10 AM
The only two places where I have seen them in Vt were quiet ponds. One was behind my childhood home. These guys had amazing red, yellow and orange bellies. There were some of the most amazing pumpkinseeds I have ever seen there too! The other spot is across the road where I live now. These guys live in thick vegetation. They are not nearly as colorful and seem to only come with red bellies.I heard they can also occur in the marshy parts of streams as well.
#6
Guest_bumpylemon_*
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Posted 28 May 2010 - 06:27 AM
yeah where i caught them was a very quiet pond as wellThe only two places where I have seen them in Vt were quiet ponds. One was behind my childhood home. These guys had amazing red, yellow and orange bellies. There were some of the most amazing pumpkinseeds I have ever seen there too! The other spot is across the road where I live now. These guys live in thick vegetation. They are not nearly as colorful and seem to only come with red bellies.
#7
Guest_darter1_*
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Posted 28 May 2010 - 07:21 AM
yeah where i caught them was a very quiet pond as well
Were these quiet ponds glacial kettle ponds? If so, you would expect to see them there. If this is a quiet "farm pond" then they were probably introduced at some point.
The marshy habitat seems to be their favorite spots, I would imagine there are cold-water spring seeps into many of the marshlands they occupy.
#9
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Posted 28 May 2010 - 01:24 PM
I have no first hand knowledge but have to assume beavers play a role in providing the slow weedy ponds linked by cold water streams. They certainly would have evolved together in the same habitat, or should I say they adapted to the same habitat, possibly/probably at different times.
I'd be interested to know if beavers in the northern tier are as abundant as they are in central Ma and southern NH. Of course an all out trapping ban boosted the Ma population but the low demand for fur must have taken the pressure off even in the last traditional bastions of fur trapping.
Who knows, could be collateral benefit - more beaves, more NRBD?
The big rodents sure worked wonders for the great blue heron population. [drowned forest = groups of dead trees = nesting colonies]
I'd be interested to know if beavers in the northern tier are as abundant as they are in central Ma and southern NH. Of course an all out trapping ban boosted the Ma population but the low demand for fur must have taken the pressure off even in the last traditional bastions of fur trapping.
Who knows, could be collateral benefit - more beaves, more NRBD?
The big rodents sure worked wonders for the great blue heron population. [drowned forest = groups of dead trees = nesting colonies]
#10
Guest_fundulus_*
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Posted 28 May 2010 - 02:53 PM
I think you're on to something, Mike. Most people fail to appreciate the crucial role beavers play in shaping freshwater habitats. Their shifting mosaic of ponds directly affects plant communities, and of course would directly affect aquatic communities. If you visited eastern North America 400 years ago many streams would have looked very different because of the long-term presence and activities of beavers. I've had a pointed discussion several times with park managers who want to get rid of or exclude beavers because they "destroy" the habitat. The trouble is that these managers are basically managing their properties so that they look like strongly altered Civil War-era America rather than true wild lands. I suppose I should just shut up....
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