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12 <br />that eliminating cover components from nursery areas can increase intensity of predation <br />on sucker larvae, which could significantly influence sucker year class strength. <br />Results of this laboratory study raise serious concerns about the potential impact of <br />predation by fathead minnows on Lost River and shortnose sucker larvae in the wild. <br />However, before predation by fathead minnows can be positively identified as a serious <br />problem for the endangered suckers in Upper Klamath Lake, results of this study must be <br />validated in the field and the predatory impacts of fathead minnows quantified. Pending <br />completion of field validation studies, it may be prudent to begin managing sucker <br />nursery habitats for structural complexity. In the short term, maintaining water levels <br />that inundate emergent vegetation in shoreline areas through at least mid-July would <br />retain cover components in nursery areas. Long term efforts should focus on restoring <br />the lower Williamson River and the associated shorelines on Upper Klamath Lake to <br />some semblance of their original conditions. <br />Acknowledgements <br />I thank Dr. Doug Markle for suggesting that this work be done, and for his editorial <br />comments. I also thank Craig Bienz and Jake Kann for their suggestions and extensive <br />editorial comments. Bill Ehinger, Bud Ullman and Emily Dyke provided editorial <br />comments, and Dominic Herrera, Mike Moore, and Loren Schonchin helped with fish <br />collection, and fish and tank maintenance.