Hope Phillips (1999)
Hope Phillips (1999)- Evaluation of population estimation by removal sampling in King's Creek (Mentor: Christopher Guy)
Population estimation is an integral part of fisheries science. Electro-fishing using the depletion removal method is one of the most common techniques used to obtain population. The objectives of this study were 1) to determine if fish density and catch-per-unit-effort (CPUE) from a single-pass electro-fishing event is correlated with the population density estimates obtained from the depletion removal method and 2) describe relationships among habitat variables and probability of capture from electro-fishing in Kings Creek. The study was conducted on Kings Creek, within Konza Prairie Research Natural Area in the Flint Hills region of eastern Kansas. Two species of fish, southern redbelly dace (Phoxinus erythrogaster) and central stoneroller (Campostoma anomalum) were analyzed. Significant correlations were found between CPUE and estimated density (fish/m2) and first pass catch density and estimated density (r2 = 0.42, p = 0.03; r2 = 0.85, p = 0.0001, respectively) for southern redbelly dace. estimated density r2 = 0.30, p= 0.1). There were no high correlations between any of the measured habitat parameters and probability of capture for either species. These results suggest that it would be effective and time efficient to use the first pass catch density estimates to estimate southern redbelly dace populations in Kings Creek. More research is needed for the other species in Kings Creek.
