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Assessing Fish Diversity and Abundance Trends in Texas' Cypress Creeks

This study focuses on determining the fish species composition and abundance in Big, Little, and Black Cypress Creeks as part of the Texas Instream Flow Program. Utilizing data from various reputable natural history collections and monitoring agencies, including the Smithsonian and Texas Parks & Wildlife, the research highlights observed trends over time. Key findings indicate fluctuations in reproductive guilds, particularly a decrease in pelagophils and an increase in lithophils in Big Cypress Creek. Ongoing efforts will include further historical data searches and cross-stream comparisons.

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Assessing Fish Diversity and Abundance Trends in Texas' Cypress Creeks

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  1. Background • Texas Instream Flow Program • Determine fish species composition and abundances in Big, Little and Black Cypress creeks • Determine if changes through time have occurred within each

  2. Data Sources • Museum Collections • Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History • Texas Natural History Collection (University of Texas) • Tulane University Museum of Natural History • University of Kansas Museum of Natural History • Texas Cooperative Wildlife Collection (Texas A & M) • Passed Monitoring • Texas Game and Fish Commission • Texas Parks & Wildlife Department • Texas Commission for Environmental Quality • United States Geological Survey

  3. Data Analysis • Relative abundance data for representative samples • Division into guilds • Reproductive guild: Based on Balon’s Reproductive Guilds • Trophic guild: Based on Texas Parks & Wildlife Department’s Regionalized Index of Biotic Integrity (IBI)

  4. Results • Few representative samples found thus far • Little Cypress (N = 9), Big Cypress (N = 10), Black Cypress (N = 22) • However, present data suggest trends are present • Relative abundances Big Cypress Creek (Fig. 1) • Increasing and decreasing species • Reproductive guilds in Big Cypress Creek (Fig. 2) • Pelagophils (broadcast spawners) indicated a decrease • Lithophils (nest spawners) indicated an increase

  5. Big Cypress CreekVariations in Relative Abundance(Figure 1)

  6. Big Cypress CreekReproductive Guilds(Figure 2) • Pelagophils†: Obligate riverine species, broadcast-pawn buoyant eggs within current • Lithophils∞: Includes most Centrarchidae, spawn elliptical egg envelopes over rock or gravel nests

  7. The Next Step • Continue search for historic data • Cross stream comparison using most recent data? • Continue biological sampling • Big Cypress: United States Geological Survey • Black & Little Cypress: ??? • Suggestions

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