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dc.contributor.authorCubbage, Taylor L.
dc.date.accessioned2022-12-20T18:07:38Z
dc.date.available2022-12-20T18:07:38Z
dc.date.issued2022-08
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/11122/13078
dc.descriptionThesis (M.S.) University of Alaska Fairbanks, 2022en_US
dc.description.abstractAlthough biological invasions are a leading threat to global biodiversity they provide opportunities to study factors that mediate invasion success from ecological and evolutionary perspectives and inform management efforts. The invasion of Northern Pike (Esox lucius) throughout southcentral Alaska has provided a useful case study, where invasive Northern Pike may benefit relative to native individuals due to high habitat suitability, abundant fish prey, and adaptive or plastic selective forces of invasion. Northern Pike continue to spread throughout the highly interconnected river and lake systems of southcentral Alaska; however, hypothesized differences in Northern Pike and native salmonid leaping abilities make selective vertical drop barriers a potential management option. Here, I build upon previous work by comparing physiological and morphological traits of invasive and native Northern Pike from river and lake habitats in Alaska that may influence their invasion success and leaping ability. Then, I used leaping experiments to determine how physical (abiotic) factors and individual biological traits influenced the maximum leaping ability of Northern Pike and developed a model to characterize these relationships. I found that invasive Northern Pike stomachs were two times more likely to contain energy-rich vertebrate diet items relative to native individuals, which was associated with two-fold faster growth rates, earlier ages-at-maturity, and 30% greater lipid content. Diet and physiological benefits were greater in lake habitats for invasive individuals, while native individuals experienced improved metrics in river habitats, potentially explained by thermal regimes, metabolic demands, and food availability. Leaping experiments proved that Northern Pike could ascend barrier heights four-times greater than previously assumed; pool depth, body size, and standardized growth rate also influenced individual leap success. Northern Pike leaping ability was significantly lower than salmonids. However, model predictions suggest that faster growth rates of invasive Northern Pike in Alaska may marginally enhance their leaping ability, and barriers should be tested in-situ before implementation. Insights into Northern Pike physiology and leaping behavior that result from this work can help managers determine if Northern Pike-selective barriers are a viable option in southcentral Alaska and elsewhere Northern Pike are invasive, and supports the importance of intraspecific variation in invasive species ecology and management.en_US
dc.description.sponsorshipU.S. Fish and Wildlife Serviceen_US
dc.description.tableofcontentsChapter 1: Physiological variation in native and invasive Alaskan Northern Pike (Esox lucius): implications for invasion ecology and management. Chapter 2: Factors affecting the leap success of Northern Pike (Esox lucius): implications for barrier design in invaded system. General conclusions -- Appendices.en_US
dc.language.isoen_USen_US
dc.subjectPikeen_US
dc.subjectEcologyen_US
dc.subjectSouthcentral Alaskaen_US
dc.subjectHabitaten_US
dc.subjectMorphologyen_US
dc.subjectDieten_US
dc.subjectNonindigenous aquatic pestsen_US
dc.subjectIntroduced fishesen_US
dc.subjectIntroduced freshwater organismsen_US
dc.subject.otherMaster of Science in Fisheriesen_US
dc.titleIntraspecific variation and the leaping ability of northern pike (Esox lucius): implications for invasion ecology and managementen_US
dc.typeThesisen_US
dc.type.degreemsen_US
dc.identifier.departmentDepartment of Fisheriesen_US
dc.contributor.chairFalke, Jeffrey
dc.contributor.committeeDunker, Kristine
dc.contributor.committeeKappenman, Kevin
dc.contributor.committeeWestley, Peter
refterms.dateFOA2022-12-20T18:07:39Z


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