Dennis R. DeVries

Understanding the ability of fishes to tolerate low dissolved oxygen (DO) is important not only to our understanding of the ecology of aquatic systems, but also for flow management in regulated lotic systems. Historical flow management guidelines have been based on critical oxygen concen- trations and incipient lethal levels from just a few species, and data on nongame fish species are lacking. Here we quantify respiration rate, critical DO concentration at routine metabolic rate, and regulatory capacity across temperatures for five nongame fish species. Oxygen consumption patterns rep-...

Pond enhancements such as adding pelleted feed or stocking threadfin shad (Dorosoma petenense) are sometimes used in the management of pond fisheries, but their relative impacts on growth and reproduction at multiple levels of the food web are not often fully evaluated. We used stable isotope analysis to indicate the contribution of pelleted feed to bluegill (Lepomis macrochirus) reproduction and growth, and ultimately to largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides) growth in the presence and absence of threadfin shad via two different approaches: a pond experiment and sampling of established...

Largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides) is a popular recreational sport fish in estuarine environments like the Mobile-Tensaw Delta. However, catch rates of large largemouth bass are often low in these coastal systems. Larger largemouth bass (≥2,268 g) are sometimes thought to move upstream to less saline locations when salinity increases. We combined three approaches to explore movement of adult largemouth bass in relation to salinity and angler displacement: external tagging, acoustic telemetry, and fish releases at tournaments. Movement patterns were more varied at downstream sites than...

We conducted a mail survey to evaluate the demographics, attitudes, and practices of Alabama licensed freshwater anglers. The survey consisted of 36 questions that largely paralleled the most recent (1987) previous angler survey conducted by Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources. Of the 2000 surveys mailed to randomly-selected licensed anglers, 31% (628) were returned before the stated deadline. Responses were similar to those in the last statewide survey. Tournament anglers represented only about 5% of respondents. The most sought freshwater fish species by respondents...

We sampled 3 species of catfish (blue catfish Ictalurus furcatus, channel catfish I. punctatus, and flathead catfish Pylodictis olivaris) from 3 different habitat types (tailrace, main channel, tributary) in 4 river systems in Alabama to quantify their relative distribution, age structure, growth, and habitat use. Blue and flathead catfish were more abundant than channel catfish in all systems, and flathead catfish were both most numerous and had the greatest average length in 3 of the 4 systems. Blue and flathead catfish had similar age distributions containing both juveniles and adults,...