Use of Otolith Elemental Signatures in Estimating Sources of Northern Pike Recruitment in the Yampa River, Colorado

摘要

Predation from nonnative northern pike, Esox lucius, has caused extensive problems for native fish assemblages in the Yampa River and evaluating potential control options for northern pike requires a clearer understanding of recruitment. If recruitment sources can be identified, then management efforts can focus on these areas to reduce reinvasion. We used otolith microchemistry to identify trace elemental signatures that could be used to identify sources of northern pike recruitment throughout the Yampa basin.