Predicting how stream fishes may respond to habitat restoration efforts is difficult, in part because of an incomplete understanding of how basic biological parameters such as growth and ontogenetic habitat shifts interact with flow regime and riverscape ecology. We assessed age-specific Guadalupe Bass Micropterus treculii habitat associations at three different spatial scales in the South Llano River, a spring-fed stream on the Edwards Plateau of central Texas, and the influence of habitat and flow regime on growth. We classified substrates using a low-cost side-scan sonar system. We used scale microstructure to determine age and to back-calculate size at age. Over 65% of captured Guadalupe Bass were age 2 or age 3, but individuals ranged from 0 to 7 y of age. Habitat associations overlapped considerably among age classes 1-31, but age-0 Guadalupe Bass tended to associate with greater proportions of pool and run mesohabitats with submerged aquatic vegetation. Although habitat metrics across multiple scales did not have a large effect on growth, river discharge was negatively correlated with growth rates. Understanding age-specific Guadalupe Bass habitat associations at multiple scales will increase the effectiveness of restoration efforts directed at the species by assisting in determining appropriate ecological requirements of each life-history stage and spatial scales for conservation actions.

Texas harbors 191 species of native freshwater fishes, 48% of which are considered imperiled. The primary cause of fish species imperilment in Texas is anthropogenic alteration of freshwater systems, which continues to occur at rates and scales that threaten the long-term resiliency of freshwater habitats, species, and ecosystems. Innovative conservation approaches are needed to restore and maintain functional watershed processes, restore freshwater habitats, and conserve native species while simultaneously supporting human needs, such as flood control, municipal and agricultural water supply, water quality protection, and water-based recreation. The need for an integrated and holistic approach to conservation of freshwater systems has been the impetus for development of the Texas Native Fish Conservation Areas Network (hereafter "Texas NFCAs Network"). The Texas NFCAs Network consists of springs, cienegas, creeks, rivers, and associated watersheds uniquely valued in preservation of Texas freshwater fish diversity. Twenty native fish conservation areas have been designated throughout the state. These were selected based on a spatial prioritization focused on identification of freshwater systems critically important to the long-term persistence of 91 freshwater fishes considered species of greatest conservation need. Through a shared vision of collaborative stewardship, conservation partnerships have formed among nongovernmental organizations, universities, and state and federal agencies to plan and deliver actions within the Texas NFCAs Network to restore and preserve native fishes and their habitats. Furthermore, the Texas NFCAs Network has increased awareness of the ecological, recreational, and economic values of Texas freshwater systems and helped increase interest and capacity of local landowners, communities, and recreational users (e.g., paddlers, anglers) to act as advocates and local stewards of these systems. By facilitating partnership development, coordinating broad-based conservation planning, and leveraging technical and financial resources toward strategic conservation investments, the Texas NFCAs Network has served as a catalyst for collaborative, science-based stewardship of native freshwater fishes and their habitats in Texas. The Texas NFCAs Network offers a successful case study in multispecies and watershed approaches to freshwater fish conservation transferrable to other states in the United States, with particular relevance to those states that, similar to Texas, consist predominately of privately owned landscapes.

With 95% of the land in Texas privately owned, conservation of the aquatic resources is particularly daunting and is exemplified by the fact that 48% of the 191 native freshwater fishes in Texas are now of conservation concern. Partnerships with private landowners is not only sensible, but often the only way to achieve long-term conservation goals. In the Chihuahuan Desert region of Texas, 55% of the native fishes are of conservation concern or already lost to extirpation or extinction. Although there are numerous contributing factors, habitat degradation and loss are the primary culprits. For decades, research and restoration have focused on some of the more imperiled species and their habitats. From reestablishing ciénegas, to landowner partnerships, to Conservation Agreements, much has been accomplished. Unfortunately, the challenges increase faster than our accomplishments. Our latest, and most promising, approach has been to develop six Native Fish Conservation Areas in the Chihuahuan Desert. These NFCAs represent an ecologically-focused conservation prioritization of watershed segments that serve as native fish “strongholds” and they function as priority areas for conservation investments to promote integrated, holistic conservation strategies that enable the long-term persistence of freshwater biodiversity. Current and future conservation of aquatic resources in Texas emphasizes a landscape-scale approach, working primarily with private landowners to provide conservation best management practices and support on-the-ground projects to maintain or restore habitats to sustain functional ecosystems.

Native fish conservation areas in the Chihuahuan Desert of Texas were identified and designated as part of a statewide network of focal watersheds uniquely valued in preservation of Texas freshwater fish diversity. Native fish conservation areas represent a holistic, multispecies, and habitat-based approach to native fish conservation that encourages and facilitates coordination among landowners, nongovernmental organizations, state and federal agencies, universities, and local governments to achieve landscape scale conservation within focal watersheds. This approach to native fish conservation provides an effective method for addressing the common nature and magnitude of threats facing species and their habitats in freshwater systems. Desert fishes and their habitats are particularly susceptible to habitat alteration, especially anthropogenic land use and water consumption patterns, which continue to create conservation challenges. The strategic and science-based conservation strategies embodied by the native fish conservation areas approach represent an innovative path forward for addressing the conservation needs of native fishes and their habitats in the Chihuahuan Desert of Texas. In this chapter, we describe six native fish conservation areas designated within the Chihuahuan Desert of Texas and profile multiagency conservation planning and delivery that has substantially increased the scope and scale of conservation investments for restoration and protection of native fishes and their habitats in the region.

Aquatic biodiversity is threatened by anthropogenic activities operating across jurisdictional and conservation area boundaries. Strategic conservation planning for broad, multispecies and multijurisdictional landscapes benefits from data-driven approaches emphasizing persistence of priority species while accounting for human uses and stakeholder priorities. This study presents such an assessment for conservation of priority fishes of the U.S. Great Plains. Distribution models for 28 priority fishes were incorporated into a prioritization framework using the open-source software Zonation. A series of assessments were produced, including (1) identification of distinct conservation areas based on connectivity and compositional similarity of priority streams, (2) perspectives for fish habitat condition prioritized towards undisturbed habitat (indicating protection potential) and disturbed habitat (indicating restoration potential), (3) ranking species conservation values at local (state) and global scales, and (4) development of "bang-for-buck" perspectives emphasizing richness of species at state, basin, and study region scales. Assessment highlights include prioritizations primarily among unfragmented main-stem reaches, considerable state-boundary-based edge effects for rankings when using state based conservation values, and identification of eight distinct regions containing natural communities of priority taxa. Further, we integrate an assessment product into a tiered framework for conservation implementation that facilitates coordination among stakeholders across jurisdictions and increases efficiency of conservation efforts. This set of analyses thus provides varying perspectives to

Texas Parks and Wildlife Department through U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service State Wildlife Grant Program, grant TX T-106-1 (CFDA# 15.634)

content from an oral presentation July 15, 2017 at the annual Joint Meeting of Ichthyologists and Herpetologists in Austin, Texas, USA (http://conferences.k-state.edu/JMIH-Austin-2017/)

Paper presented July 15, 2017 at the annual Joint Meeting of Ichthyologists and Herpetologists in Austin, Texas, USA (http://conferences.k-state.edu/JMIH-Austin-2017/). The oral presentation of this content mentioned questions about the taxonomy and phylogenetic position of Prietella lundbergi and the only specimens attributed to P. lundbergi apart from the holotype. Since the presentation, we obtained high resolution CT scans of both the holotype and a specimen (TNHC 25767) from Cueva del Nacimiento del Rio Frio, not far north of the type locality. The anatomy revealed in those CT scans suggests that these specimens represent a single species, and that P. lundbergi is only remotely related to Prietella phreatophila, which would be consistent with results of Wilcox, T.P., F.J. Garcia de Leon, Dean A. Hendrickson, and D.M. Hillis. 2004. “Convergence among Cave Catfishes: Long-Branch Attraction and a Bayesian Relative Rates Test.” Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 31 (3): 1101–13. doi:10.1016/j.ympev.2003.11.006). Thus, further research is in progress by Hendrickson, Lundberg, Luckenbill and Arce that may result in taxonomic revision removing P. lundbergi from Prietella.

Poster presentation presented at the 2017 Texas Academy of Sciences annual meeting in Belton, Texas on March 4, 2017.

Copy of the oral presentation made by the first author to the January 2016 meeting of the Texas Chapter of American Fisheries Society in Kerrville, Texas. Presentation is provided in several file formats. Data mapped in the presentation are also included in kml format (Google Earth).

presented at the 2017 meeting of the Texas Academy of Science at Mary Hardin Baylor University, Belton, Texas

The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department has initiated an innovative approach to fish and wildlife conservation in Texas. By working with alliances of landowners, we provide a holistic approach to technical guidance and help to secure funding for restoration and conservation actions throughout targeted watersheds. Although we have projects in many locations in the state, our most successful utilizes the state fish of Texas as an iconic symbol that provides a positive, high-profile image depicting the need for, and benefits of, watershed conservation. We chose the Llano River Watershed to begin implementation of the Guadalupe Bass Restoration Initiative and, to date, have 17 conservation and restoration initiatives in the watershed that encompass 21,370 ha and 56 km of rivers and streams. Projects focus on actions that restore riparian areas, reduce soil erosion and runoff, increase infiltration and aquifer recharge, improve water quality, and enhance habitat for both aquatic and terrestrial species. Through the initiative, we promote awareness and stewardship of fish and wildlife habitats, share best management practices, organize community involvement in local habitat conservation projects, provide technical guidance and planning assistance, and help leverage available resources. Additionally, in 2011 and 2012, we stocked more than 280,000 genetically pure Guadalupe Bass Micropterus treculii in the South Llano River to reverse the trend of hybridization with the nonnative Smallmouth Bass M. dolomieu. We also supported studies on fish community and habitat analysis in the Llano River Watershed and partnered with private landowners to develop a watershed conservation plan. We are now in the process of developing a habitat conservation demonstration area (CDA) that extends over a 7-km segment of the Llano River, The CDA will provide fishing, paddling and hiking opportunities, promote sustainable public use of the river, and highlight restoration actions through educational kiosks placed along paddling and upland hiking trails.

Rivers and streams of the southern United States contain more than 1,800 aquatic species, 500 of which are regionally endemic. At present, 34% of the fish species and 90% of the mussel species in peril nationwide are found in these systems. Declines in these imperiled species are due to many factors, including hydrologic alteration, degraded water quality, loss of instream and watershed connectivity, physical habitat degradation, and the negative effects of nonindigenous species (e.g., predation on, competition with, and hybridization with native forms). In addition, this situation is exacerbated through human population growth, competing water demands, land-use changes, and other interrelated issues. If unchecked, these issues will likely continue to contribute to the imperilment and loss of native species in the region. Of the nine described species and subspecies of black bass, six are endemic to the southern United States: Guadalupe Bass Micropterus treculii, Shoal Bass M cataractae, Redeye Bass M. coosae, Florida Bass M floridanus, Alabama Bass M henshalli, and Suwannee Bass M notius. In addition, undescribed species and subspecies also exist and all are in need of conservation measures to prevent them from becoming imperiled. In an effort to focus and coordinate actions to support the long-term persistence of endemic black bass populations, local, state, and federal agencies, universities, nongovernmental organizations, and corporations from across the region joined with the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation to form the Native Black Bass Initiative (NBBI). The NBBI provides regional conservation strategies, objectives, and targets to restore and preserve functional processes in those watersheds that support natural habitat conditions and sustainable populations of endemic black bass and other native fishes of the region. Initial actions implemented through the NBBI focus on addressing the conservation needs of Guadalupe Bass in streams of the Edwards Plateau ecoregion of Texas, Redeye Bass in the Savannah River watershed of Georgia and South Carolina, and Shoal Bass populations in the Apalachicola River watershed of Alabama, Florida, and Georgia.

Texas Parks and Wildlife Department has initiated an innovative approach to fish and wildlife conservation in Texas. By working with alliances of landowners, we provide a holistic approach to technical guidance and help to secure funding for restoration and conservation actions throughout targeted watersheds. Although we have projects in many locations in the state, our most successful utilizes the State Fish of Texas ( Micropterus treculii ) as an iconic symbol that provides a positive, high-profile image of the need and benefits of conservation. We chose the Llano River Watershed to initiate the Guadalupe Bass Restoration Initiative and to date, have 16 restoration projects underway in the watershed that encompass 21,000 hectares and 56 kilometers of rivers and streams. Projects focus on actions that restore riparian areas, reduce soil erosion and runoff, increase infiltration and aquifer recharge, improve water quality and enhance habitat for both aquatic and terrestrial species. Through the initiative, we promote awareness and stewardship of fish and wildlife habitats, share Best Management Practices, organize community involvement in local habitat conservation projects provide technical guidance and planning assistance, and help leverage available resources. Additionally, in 2011 and 2012, we stocked over 275,000 genetically-pure Guadalupe bass in the South Llano River to reverse the trend of hybridization with the non-native smallmouth bass. We also supported studies on fish community and habitat analysis in the Llano River Watershed and partnered with landowners to develop a Watershed Conservation Plan. We are now in the process of developing a Habitat Conservation Demonstration Area (CDA) that extends over an eight-kilometer segment of the Llano River. The CDA will provide fishing, paddling and hiking opportunities, promote sustainable public use of the river, and highlight restoration actions through educational kiosks placed along paddling and upland hiking trails.

We examined allelic variation at nuclear-encoded microsatellites and sequences of mitochondrial (mt)DNA in 10 geographic samples representing 6 nominal species of the cyprinid genus Dionda. Species of Dionda are found in springs and spring-fed headwaters in the southwestern United States and Mexico and are of particular interest to conservation and management, in part because of their limited distribution and habitat specificity, and in part as indicator species of habitat quality. All 10 samples examined appear to be discrete, demographically independent populations, with greater observed FST values between or among samples within species (0.123–0.280) than threshold values above which demographic independence is indicated. All 10 exhibited microsatellite and mtDNA variation comparable to or lower than that found in other cyprinids considered to be threatened or endangered; across microsatellites, average number of alleles across populations ranged from of 2.09 to 9.76, allelic richness from 2.24 to 8.45, and gene diversity from 0.0211 to 0.606; for mtDNA, the number of haplotypes across populations ranged from 1 to 14. Estimates of historical and present-day genetic demography indicated that all 10 populations have experienced order-of-magnitude declines in effective population size, with lower bounds of time intervals for the declines in 9 of the populations ranging from 6 to 65 years. Estimates of average long-term effective population size (536 in Dionda argentosa from San Felipe Creek to 2335 in D. texensis) and effective number of breeders (22 in D. flavipinnis from Fessenden Spring to 555 in D. diaboli from Devils River) also indicated recent declines in effective size, and at least 5 of the populations appear to have undergone recent, severe bottlenecks (mean Mc range 0.806–0.848, P value range 0.000–0.0350). The observation that all 10 populations are demographically independent indicates that local extirpations likely would not be replaced by new migrants and that loss of any of the populations would represent loss of a unique genetic entity. Conservation recommendations for each of the populations are briefly discussed.

The Pecos gambusia (Gambusia nobilis) is an endangered poeciliid native to western Texas and eastern New Mexico. The decline of G. nobilis in Texas is likely the result of habitat alteration and introduction of potentially invasive congeners (e.g., the introduced largespring gambusia, Gambusia geiseri). In the East Sandia Cienega, observers have noted mating between G. geiseri and G. nobilis. Because potential hybridization between native and introduced species could have detrimental effects on reproductive fitness, we compare mean brood size, gonadosomatic indices, and standard length of both G. geiseri and G. nobilis as a first step in assessing the impacts of G. geiseri introduction in this area.

Abstract Sequences of the mitochondrial (mt) NADH dehydrogenase subunit 5 gene (ND5) were acquired to assess genetic diversity and female effective population size (Nef) of two forms of Cyprinella (C. lepida and C. sp. cf lepida) and two species of Dionda (D. serena and D. texensis) in headwaters of three rivers in the upper Nueces River basin in central Texas. As documented in prior studies, two divergent clades of haplotypes of mtDNA were found in both genera: one in the Frio and Sabinal rivers, representing C. lepida and D. serena; one in the Nueces River, representing C. sp. cf lepida and D. texensis. Levels of variation in mtDNA from C. lepida in the Sabinal River and D. serena in the Frio and Sabinal rivers were comparable to or considerably lower than values documented for populations of several threatened or endangered cyprinids. Estimates of Nef for C. lepida in the Frio River and C. sp. cf lepida in the Nueces River were low, suggesting that adaptive genetic variation through time may be compromised. Of all populations sampled, only D. texensis in the Nueces River appears at present to be genetically stable demographically. An unexpected finding was two individuals resembling C. lepida in the Frio River with a haplotype referable to C. sp. cf lepida; the origin of these individuals is unknown. Two other individuals resembling C. lepida but with haplotypes of mtDNA referable to C. venusta were found in the Frio River and presumably represent relatively recent hybrids. Results of our study indicate that C. lepida, C. sp. cf lepida, and D. serena in the upper Nueces River basin, especially in the Sabinal River drainage, are at appreciable genetic risk.