Habitat use and population structure of four native minnows (family Cyprinidae) in the upper Missouri and lower Yellowstone rivers, North Dakota (USA)

Abstract – In 1997 and 1998, sampling was conducted on the Missouri and Yellowstone rivers, North Dakota, to obtain information on the distribution, abundance, and habitat use of the flathead chub (Platygobio gracilis Richardson), sicklefin chub (Macrhybopsis meeki Jordan & Evermann), sturgeon chub (Macrhybopsis gelida Girard), and western silvery minnow (Hybognathus argyritis Girard), four declining fish species (family Cyprinidae) native to the Missouri River basin, USA. The study area consisted of four distinct river segments near the confluence of the Missouri and Yellowstone rivers – three moderately altered segments that were influenced by a main‐stem dam and one quasi‐natural segment. One moderately altered segment was located at the confluence of the two rivers (mixing‐zone segment (MZS)). The other two moderately altered segments were in the Missouri River adjacent to the MZS and extended up‐river (above‐confluence segment (ACS)) and down‐river (below‐confluence segment (BCS)) from this segment. The quasi‐natural segment (Yellowstone River segment (YRS)) extended up‐river from the MZS in the Yellowstone River. Catch rates with the trawl for sicklefin chub and sturgeon chub and catch rates with the bag seine for flathead chub and western silvery minnow were highest in the BCS and YRS. Most sicklefin and sturgeon chubs were captured in the deep, high‐velocity main channel habitat with the trawl (sicklefin chub, 97%; sturgeon chub, 85%), whereas most flathead chub and western silvery minnow were captured in the shallow, low‐velocity channel border habitat with the bag seine (flathead chub, 99%; western silvery minnow, 98%). Best‐fit regression models correctly predicted the presence or absence of sicklefin chub, flathead chub, and western silvery minnow more than 80% of the time. Sturgeon chub presence and absence were predicted correctly 55% of the time. Best‐fit regression models fit to fish number data for flathead chub, sicklefin chub, and sturgeon chub and fish catch‐per‐unit‐effort (CPUE) data for flathead chub also provided good fits, with R² values ranging from 0.32 to 0.55 (P < 0.0001). The higher density and catch of the four native minnows in the YRS and BCS suggest that these two segments are better habitat than the ACS and MZS.