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16 <br />Field investigations took two differing approaches to acquiring data. <br />The first is a systematic assessment of the fish population and associated <br />habitats in the entire river system; the second is a very in depth <br />investigation of the habitat/life history requirements of the humpback <br />chub and Colorado squawfish. <br />The broader investigations are intended to look at fish populations and <br />associated habitats throughout the river system. The very intensive <br />studies are to examine such biological factors as spawning requirements, <br />food habits, movement, interspecific relationships and other facets of <br />these fishes' life histories. xi <br />This division of effort was accomplished in 1979 by developing essentially <br />three separate field crews. Two crews, one at Vernal and one at Grand <br />Junction, conducted the general surveys designed to identify the variety`- <br />of habitats present throughout the system anCdescribe their resident <br />fish fauna. Information on fish distribution, habitat preferences, age- . <br />growth rates, food habits, interspecific cohabitation and migration <br />patterns were collected by these crews. <br />A third crew stationed at Vernal, worked primarily on the Green River <br />but worked throughout the system, studying populations of the endangered - - - <br />species already known or located by the other field crews. They concentrated <br />on determining microhabitat preferences, population size, migration <br />patterns and other life history characteristics.