Habitat Utilization and Movement of Fish as Determined by Raido-Telemetry

Abstract

Abstract The habitat utilization and movements of largenouth bass (Micropterus salmoides), yellow perch (Perca flavescens), bluegill (Lepomis macrochirus) and pumpkinseed (Lepomis gibbosus) were studied via radio telemetry. Habitat utilization was calculated as the percentages of a tracking day each fish occurred in each habitat, weighted by the proportionate area of each habitat. The five habitats were heavy macrophyte (H), primarily Myriophyllum sp.; light macrophyte (L), primarily Potamogeton sp.; sand (S); open water (O), having an approximate minimum depth of 6 m and no macrophytes; ecotone (E), which was defined as 1.5 m on each side of a boundary between macrophyte beds and sand or open water. Movement speeds were determined by calculating the distance between two tracked locations at five minute intervals. There was a significant difference (p < 0.05) in largemouth bass habitat utilization: E S H L O. There was also a significant difference (p < 0.05) in habitat utilization by bluegill H L S E O. There were individual variations in habitat utilization among all species. Movement speeds were variable in all habitats for each species. The averages were 20 body lengths/minute for bluegill, 14 body lengths/minute for pumpkinseed, 13.3 body lengths/minute for yellow perch, and 14 body lengths/minute for largemouth bass. All four species moved predominantly indirections nearly perpendicular to shore and outlying macrophyte beds which were parallel to shore.