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springtime, remaining sedentary in deep water during daytime and moving into <br />shallow, near-shore habitats during darkness (Marsh and Mueller 2000). <br />Association of stream-dwelling chubs with deep pools, undercut banks and <br />shadows in well known, and use physical structure or even turbidity as daytime <br />cover has been reported for several members of the genus Gila in Arizona <br />streams and rivers (Minckley 1973, Bio/West 1994). This behavior may serve to <br />avoid sight-feeding predators in addition to supporting other life functions <br />including feeding and reproduction. <br />Apparent daytime occupation of cover by large bonytail and apparent relegation <br />of smaller fish to open water may have important implications for bonytail <br />management because availability of suitable cover may in part determine habitat <br />carrying capacity. If all available cover is being used and relegation to open <br />water of fish that are denied access to suitable cover results in increased <br />exposure to predators or other mortality factors, then cover becomes a limiting <br />factor at the population level. It might be possible to experimentally investigate <br />the significance of this and other phenomena on bonytail and other native <br />species' population parameters, but suitable field sites to perform such work, <br />replicates of the Cibola HLP, for example, do not currently exist. Regardless, <br />provision of adequate cover should be considered in the selection or design of <br />bonytail management areas such as those used for grow-out, refugium, or long- <br />term population maintenance (e.g. Minckley et al. 2003) <br />Acknowledgements <br />Gordon Mueller, U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) contributed substantially to the <br />design and implementation of this project. Jeanette Carpenter (USGS), Darren <br />Thornbrugh, Robert Colvin and C.O. Minckley (U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, <br />USFWS), Joe Milosovitch (California Department of Fish and Game} and J.D. <br />Schooley and Michael R. Schwemm (Arizona State University, ASU) provided <br />additional field assistance. Schwemm and B.R. Kesner (ASU) evaluated point <br />sample data, Schooley performed preliminary analysis of directional data, and <br />Thornbrugh implemented the ArcView project to visualize the directional data. <br />Ken Bovee (USGS) provided the map presented as Figure 1. This work was <br />performed under ASU Animal Use and Care Protocol No. 05-767R. Appropriate <br />Arizona, California, and USFWS permits authorized collections. U.S. Geological <br />Survey Biological Resources Division provided funding through Cooperative <br />Agreement No. OOCRAG004 Project Award No. 0004CS003 to Arizona State <br />University. Gordon Mueller served as the USGS Project Officer. <br />Literature Cited <br />BioNVest. 1994. Life history and ecology of the humpback chub (Gila cypha) in <br />the Colorado River, Grand Canyon. Final Report, U.S. Bureau of Reclamation <br />Contract No. O-CS-40-09110.- Bio/West, Inc., Logan, Utah. 168 pages + <br />appendices. <br />7 <br />