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<br />laboratory investigations, it may be Possible to isolate aspects of <br />the early life history or biology of selected fishes that are <br />particularly influenced by environmental conditions (e.g., flows and <br />water temperature) and that are difficult to assess by field studies <br />alone. This_information can be used for facilitating interpretation <br />of data on abundance, distribution, and habitat requirements of <br />young fish and refining flow recommendations. <br /> <br />Dell verabl es <br />~nnual reports will be submitted at the end of the fiscal year. <br /> <br />1993 Budqet <br />-Labor $57,500 <br />-Travel 4,000 <br />-Equipment 6,500 <br /> <br />-Total <br /> <br />$68.000 <br /> <br />Study #10 An evaluation of fish predation in backwater habitats in the <br />Green River. <br /> <br />Oescriotion of work <br />A new-start study in FY 1992 under the lead of the Service. The <br />main purpose of the study is to determine if competitive interaction <br />between introduced and native fishes is a significant factor <br />contributing to decline of endangered fishes. The study will <br />examine fish competition in Colorado squawfish nursery habitats by <br />determining if fish predation on benthic and planktonic organisms in <br />backwaters has an impact on the structure and function of <br />invertebrate communities. Specific objectives of the study include: <br /> <br />.1. Determine invertebrate densities, changes in backwater <br />community structure, and production estimates for the dominant <br />invertebrate species. <br /> <br />2. Evaluate relationships between river flows and standing crops <br />of food organisms. <br /> <br />3. Evaluate the role of fishes in structuring invertebrate <br />cOlllllunities. <br /> <br />4. Evaluate resource competition by fishes in backwater habitats. <br /> <br />5. Design -studies to evaluate exploitative and interference <br />competition as needed. <br /> <br />Methods <br />This is a joint project between the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service <br />and Brigham Young University. Dr. Dennis Shiozawa is retained as a <br />FWS Faculty Fellow, and graduate students will be used for most of <br />the field collections. The FWS experiment station at Ouray. UT will <br /> <br />Flaming Gorge Studies <br /> <br />29 <br />