Factors Influencing the Size Structure of Brook Trout Populations in Beaver Ponds in Wyoming
- 1 February 1992
- journal article
- Published by Oxford University Press (OUP) in North American Journal of Fisheries Management
- Vol. 12 (1) , 118-124
- https://doi.org/10.1577/1548-8675(1992)012<0118:fitsso>2.3.co;2
Abstract
We examined relations between habitat features and the density and population size structure of brook trout Salvelinus fontinalis in 25 beaver ponds in southeastern Wyoming. Ponds with low densities of brook trout contained primarily large fish (200–275 mm total length) in good condition (mean relative weight, Wr , > 100) and had a proportional stock density (PSD), defined as the proportion of quality-length brook trout (≥ 200 mm total length) among fish of stock length (≥ 125 mm total length), that typically exceeded 75%. Ponds with high densities of brook trout were dominated by small fish (125–175 mm) in poor condition (Wr < 90). These populations contained few quality-length trout (PSD < 10%). Measures of population size structure were positively correlated with mean pond depth, surface area, volume, and late-summer water temperature, but they were negatively correlated with the extent of water-level fluctuation and a measure of recruitment potential. Multiple-regression analysis indicated th...Keywords
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