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Distribution, Abundance, and Habitat Characterization of the Saltmarsh Topminnow, Fundulus jenkinsi (Everman 1892)

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Abstract

The saltmarsh topminnow (Fundulus jenkinsi) is federally listed as a Species of Concern due to a its rarity, impacts from human activities, and lack of information on its biology and ecology. From 2007 through 2008, we used Breder traps to fish the marsh edge on a falling tide in four regions from Louisiana through the Florida panhandle during winter, spring, and summer periods. Out of 2,108 Breder traps deployed, 661 F. jenkinsi were collected as far east as Escambia Bay, Florida, with Weeks Bay, National Estuarine Research Reserve (NERR), Alabama, yielding the highest F. jenkinsi abundance. Principal component analysis (PCA) was used to ordinate physical–chemical data into two meaningful components: a geomorphic axis (water depth, bank slope, and plant stem density) and a seasonal/spatial axis of species occurrence (water temperature, salinity, and turbidity). PCA showed a higher mean catch-per-unit-effort (CPUE) in environments comprised of low to moderate stem density (<25 stems/0.25 m−2), depth (<25 cm), bank slope (<15°), turbidity (<30 NTU), and salinity (<16) coupled with spring and early summer water temperatures (>15°C). F. jenkinsi CPUE was significantly higher in Spartina cynosuroides marsh edge compared with five other habitat types, even though it was one of the least sampled habitats. This species appears to be collected more frequently and in higher CPUE in small dendritic creeks off of main channels than suggested by our previous work in main channel edge habitat. This suggests that small creeks are important vectors for marsh access and supports the value of the dendritic nature of salt marshes to marsh residents.

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Acknowledgments

This paper is based, in part, on an M.S. thesis by the senior author to the faculty of the University of Southern Mississippi in partial fulfillment of degree requirements. Numerous people assisted with logistics and/or field work, and all of their help is very much appreciated: C. Ellinwood, E. Lang, M. Lowe, J.M. Havrylkoff, P. Grammer, M. Andres, D. Ruple, R. DeMay, S. Phipps, L. Edminston, J. Wanat, F. Price, G. Thomassie, and R. Neil. We thank the NOAA Office of Protected Fisheries, Proactive Species Conservation Grant Program for providing funds for this project. This research was authorized by the USM Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee under number 07011101.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Coastal Sciences, The University of Southern Mississippi, 703 East Beach Drive, Ocean Springs, MS, 39564, USA

    John D. Lopez & Mark S. Peterson

  2. Grand Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve, 6005 Bayou Heron Road, Moss Point, MS, 39562, USA

    Jake Walker, Gretchen L. Grammer & Mark S. Woodrey

  3. Coastal Research and Extension, Mississippi State University, 1815 Popps Ferry Road, Biloxi, MS, 39531, USA

    Mark S. Woodrey

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  1. John D. Lopez
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Correspondence to Mark S. Peterson.

Appendix 1

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Table 4

Table 4 Summary of Mississippi Museum of Natural Science (MMNS) lot numbers for catalogued F. jenkinsi collected during this study
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Lopez, J.D., Peterson, M.S., Walker, J. et al. Distribution, Abundance, and Habitat Characterization of the Saltmarsh Topminnow, Fundulus jenkinsi (Everman 1892). Estuaries and Coasts 34, 148–158 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12237-010-9266-5

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