Abstract
Invasive species are a leading cause for native species declines, yet it remains unclear whether maintenance of high native densities influence native persistence in freshwater systems. We designed complementary laboratory and field experiments to test whether high native cutthroat trout (Oncorhynchus clarkii) densities affect competition with invasive brown trout (Salmo trutta). We manipulated density of native cutthroat trout while holding brown trout density constant. Interspecific aggressive interactions towards native cutthroat trout were 66% fewer in the highest cutthroat trout density treatment compared to the lowest density treatment. At high densities of conspecifics, cutthroat trout, sympatric with brown trout, lost 33–81% less weight and demonstrated 1.5 times greater survival in both experiments than at low conspecific densities. Cutthroat trout held at low densities in laboratory experiments experienced greater stress-related disease virulence and negative effects of harassment, apparently owing to more frequent aggressive interactions with brown trout. These results support the hypothesis that reduced per capita effects of invaders on native fish at high densities buffers native species from negative effects of invaders, reducing the potential for invasive fish to displace high density native fish populations.
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The data that support the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.
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Acknowledgements
We thank Jared Baker (posthumous), Tracy Bowerman, Wes Gordon, Nick Heredia, Kyle Hillman, Paul Holden, Stephen Klobucar, Noah Kuhns, Peter MacKinnon, Christy Meredith, Sam Mckay, Hannah Moore, Bryce Rolholt, Tim Walsworth, Lisa Winters, and Todd Wright for assistance in the field and laboratory. We thank Gary Thiede, Paul Burnett, Clay Perschon, Craig Schaugaard, Paul Thompson, Craig Walker, Chris Wilson and the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources Fisheries Experiment Station (UDWR), and Paul Chase for providing assistance and support. Previous drafts of this manuscript were greatly improved by comments from Jeff Falke, Kurt Fausch, Brett Roper, Garrett Hopper, Peter Adler, Jason Dunham, and two anonymous reviewers. Any use of trade, firm, or product names is for descriptive purposes only and does not imply endorsement by the U. S. Government. This study was performed under the auspices of the USU IACUC Protocol Number 1390 and state COR Permit Number 2COLL5415.
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Primary funding was provided by the U. S. Geological Survey (Cooperative Agreement No. G10AC00507) and UDWR Endangered Species Mitigation and Blue Ribbon Fishery Funds. Additional funding was provided by the U. S. Forest Service, U. S. Geological Survey, Utah Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit at Utah State University (in-kind; USU), the Intermountain Center for River Rehabilitation and Restoration at USU, and Cache Anglers Chapter of Trout Unlimited.
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WCS and PB designed and conducted the experiments. CAP analyzed the data and drafted the manuscript with input from WCS and PB.
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Pennock, C.A., Carl Saunders, W. & Budy, P. High densities of conspecifics buffer native fish from negative interactions with an ecologically similar invasive. Biol Invasions 24, 1283–1297 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10530-021-02725-y
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10530-021-02725-y