|
|
Description of Work This spring (2014) we will measure Asian carp eDNA over time at a Missouri River site downstream of multiple spawning areas before and during spawning. We will measure the amount of Asian carp eDNA in water samples. The amount of eDNA will be related to the numbers of eggs and larvae counted in matched samples (water samples taken at the same time and place). The time since the eDNA was released by the carp will be estimated and these results will be related to the average age of AC eggs and larvae in matched samples. We will also test for substances which interfere with the eDNA measurement techniques and can lead to false negatives. We will also be validating markers developed by USGS and...
|
Description of Work In separate studies, bighead carp and silver carp were raised in waters of varying hardness. Survival, correct development, and hatching success were monitored. Additionally, a search of the Asian literature (including Chinese-language literature) on water hardness in areas where Asian carp are native was performed. Relevance & Impact If soft water limits Asian carp hatching success, then this would mean that large areas of the Great Lakes and east and west coast drainages would not be at risk of Asian carp establishment. Key Findings Both bighead carp and silver carp developed normally and the eggs hatched normally in all water hardnesses tested, including very soft water. The Yangtze River,...
|
Description of Work Initial tests of a variety of chemical stimuli identified a strong response to the algal food attractant. Field testing of chemical stimulants based on algae will seek to identify potent mixtures based on persistence and duration of attraction. These studies will include consideration of component chemicals such as amino acids produced by algae that enhance the attractiveness of the stimulus, based on carp smell and taste senses. Means of providing a sustained release of the stimulant will be explored through tests of various media. Tests will be conducted to confirm the possibility that carp can be conditioned to feeding stations that can be used to facilitate their capture. Relevance & Impact...
|
Description of Work The USGS will communicate these results through coordinating site visits to demonstrate how technologies are applied. USGS will coordinate the communication approach across multiple projects to most efficiently demonstrate technologies and get the information to the stakeholders and managers. A demonstration of Asian carp control technologies occurred in August 2013 near Morris, Illinois at a backwater pond of the Illinois River. State and federal partners were invited to visit an application of the Integrated Pest Management approach to Asian carp control. Water guns, algal feeding attractant, acoustic fish tracking, and commercial fishing were implemented in a coordinated manner to reduce...
|
Description of Work Bighead, silver and grass carp larvae were raised in the laboratory. Larvae were observed during the hatching process. Recently hatched larvae were placed in 10 feet tall clear vertical containers where the carp were exposed to light for a similar amount of time during the day as they would experience in a river during the spawning period. Depth selection, swimming behavior, and swimming speed were observed in both day and night periods. Relevance & Impact Understanding the stage at which Asian carps begin swimming is critical to development of models that predict whether a river is adequate for reproduction by Asian carps. Knowledge of where and how Asian carp larvae arrive in nursery areas...
|
View more...
|
