D. R. Bayne

Phytoplankton Communities in Channel Catfish Ponds

Phytoplankton communities of commercial catfish ponds in westcentral Alabama were usually dominated by green algae (Chlorophyta). Blue-green algae, which were usually the dominant forms of algae in channel catfish ponds at the Auburn University Research Unit (east-central Alabama), were seldom present in great abundance in the commercial fish ponds. The pond waters in west-central Alabama had total alkalinity values of 69-148 mg/liter as CaC03 while total alkalinity values were much lower (lO to 15 mg/ liter) in pond waters on the Fisheries Research Unit. Difference in total alkalinity...

Diet Overlap in Redbreast and Longear Sunfishes from Small Streams of East Central Alabama

A food habit study was conducted for the redbreast sunfish (Lepomis auritus) and the longear sunfish (Lepomis megalotis) occurring in small streams of the Coastal Plains and Piedmont Plateau physiographic provinces near Auburn, Alabama. Fish stomach analyses revealed that redbreast and longear are primarily insectivores. The bulk of the diet of both species in small streams was composed of aquatic and terrestrial insects. Crustaceans were also consumed by both species regularly. Ingestion of a wide variety of other organisms suggests opportunistic feeding in both species. Based on 24-hour...

Effects Of Water Level Fluctuations On The Littoral Macroinvertebrates Of West Point Reservoir

The water level of West Point Reservoir is lowered 3 m from October to May for flood control purposes, exposing about 2,900 ha oflittoral zone. The effects of water level fluctuations on the benthic organisms inhabiting this zone were determined from samples taken at 2 bottom contours; the contour exposed during winter drawdown and the contour just below the winter drawdown that remained permanently inundated. During May and July, fewer organisms (P < 0.05) were collected from the contour exposed during drawdown than from the contour never exposed. By August there were no differences (P...

The Effects Of Heated Water On Warmwater Fish In Earthen Raceways

Two-year studies were conducted in 3 earthen raceways (160 m x 6 m x 2 m). One raceway was maintained at ambient water temperature, I had a heated floating plume over 60% of the surface, and 1 was maintained at near heated water discharge temperature. Average water temperatures ranging up to 36.7 C were not lethal for any fish species tested. With the possible exception of threadfin shad (Dorosoma petenense) 110 difference in long-term survival of any species was detected, but when the entire population was considered as a whole, survival of fishes confined to the highest temperatures was...