Joshuah S. Perkin
Division of Biology
Kansas State University
116 Ackert Hall
Manhattan, Kansas 66506
Email: jperkin@ksu.edu
Phone: 785-532-6616
Education:
Kansas State University – August 2009 - Current
Doctor of Philosophy, Biology: Ecology and Evolutionary Biology
Major Advisor: Dr. Keith B. Gido
Dissertation Title: Riverscape fragmentation in dendritic stream networks: quantification, consequences, and implications to decline of native fish fauna.
Texas State University-San Marcos – May 2009
Master of Science, Aquatic Resources
Major Advisor: Dr. Timothy H. Bonner
Thesis Title: Historical composition and long-term trends of fish assemblages in two Texas rivers and movement and microhabitat associations of Guadalupe bass in the Pedernales and South Llano rivers.
Texas State University-San Marcos – August 2006
Bachelor of Science, Aquatic Biology
Advisor: Dr. Timothy H. Bonner
Undergraduate Research Title: Status, native distribution, and life history aspects of the chub shiner Notropis potteri.
Publications:
Perkin, J. S., and K. B. Gido. Accepted pending revisions. Fragmentation alters stream fish community structure in dendritic ecological networks. Ecological Applications.
Perkin, J. S., Z. R. Shattuck, and T. H. Bonner. 2012. Reproductive ecology of a relict ironcolor shiner (Notropis chalybaeus) population in the headwaters of the San Marcos River, Texas. American Currents 37(2):13-23.
Heard, T. C., J. S. Perkin, and T. H. Bonner. 2012. Intra-annual variation in fish communities and habitat associations in a Chihuahua Desert reach of the Rio Grande/Rio Bravo del Norte. Western North American Naturalist 72:1-15.
Perkin, J. S., Z. R. Shattuck, and T. H. Bonner. 2012. Life history aspects of a relict ironcolor shiner Notropis chalybaeus population in a novel spring environment. American Midland Naturalist 167:111-126.
Perkin, J. S., and K. B. Gido. 2011. Stream fragmentation thresholds for a reproductive guild of Great Plains fishes. Fisheries 36:371-383.
Perkin, J. S., and T. H. Bonner. 2011. Long-term changes in flow regime and fish assemblage composition in the Guadalupe and San Marcos rivers of Texas. River Research and Applications 27:566-579.
Perkin, J. S., K. B. Gido, E. Johnson, and V. M. Tabor. 2010. Consequences of stream fragmentation and climate change for rare Great Plains fishes. Report to USFWS Great Plains Landscape Conservation Cooperative Program. Available: http://www.greatplainslcc.org/PDFs/2010reports/Gido_GPLCC_final_report.pdf.
Perkin, J. S., Z. R. Shattuck, P. T. Bean, T. H. Bonner, E. Saraeva, and T. B. Hardy. 2010. Movement and microhabitat associations of Guadalupe bass in two Texas Rivers. North American Journal of Fisheries Management 30:31-45.
Perkin, J. S., C. S. Williams, and T. H. Bonner. 2009. Aspects of chub shiner Notropis potteri life history with comments on native distribution and conservation status. American Midland Naturalist 162:279-291.
Current Research:
Reproductive Ecology and Spatial Distribution of Imperiled Cyprinids in the Arkansas and Ninnescah Rivers of Kansas
Great Plains fishes belonging to the pelagic-spawning reproductive guild have shown massive declines during the past half-century. These declines have occurred in part because of fragmentation of large-order prairie streams by impoundments, diversion dams, and water withdrawals that result in stream desiccation. The nature of pelagic-spawning, in which drifting eggs and larvae require long-distances of stream for development, contributes to an stream obligate life-history strategy among Great Plains cyprinids belonging to this guild, and few unfragmented streams with intact assemblages of pelagic-spawning cyprinids remain. However, the relatively high level of connectivity in the Ninnescah River and adjoining Arkansas River of south-central Kansas maintains an intact pelagic-spawning fish assemblage and provides an opportunity to test hypotheses related to the spatial ecology associated with full expression of pelagic-spawning life-history. For my dissertation work I considered how reproductively mature silver chub (Macrhybopsis storeriana) and peppered chub (Macrhybopsis tetranema) were distributed longitudinally along the South Fork Ninnescah River, Ninnescah River proper, and Arkansas River between diversion dams in Wichita, Kansas and KAW Reservoir in Oklahoma. Preliminary results suggest size distributions and occurrence of reproductively mature females were skewed towards upstream reaches of both rivers during the summer, consistent with the species conducting upstream migrations for reproduction. Furthermore, no individuals were captured upstream of dams at the upstream extents of the study reach. This work will further contribute to our understanding of how spatial dynamics, riverine landscape ecology, and reproductive life-history of rare Great Plains fishes will ultimately aid in conservation of highly imperiled taxa.
Life History and Population Status of burrhead chub (Macrhybopsis marconis) in Three Western Gulf Slope Drainages of Texas
Burrhead chub (Macrhybopsis marconis) is endemic to Western Gulf Slope drainages of Texas and reproductive ecology and conservation status of the species are poorly understood. In 2007-2008 we (Joe Gerken, Zach Shattuck, Tim Bonner, and myself) collected of burrhead chub monthly from a stable population in the lower Guadalupe River of Texas to describe aspects of reproductive life history including population structure, longevity, age at maturity, clutch production (i.e., single or multiple), and reproductive season timing and length. We also reviewed historical collections of burrhead chub in three Western Gulf Slope drainages (San Antonio, Guadalupe, Colorado) to describe population status of the species throughout its distribution. Results suggest burrhead chub in the lower Guadalupe River live 2.5 years, reach reproductive maturity at ~40 mm total length (age 1), and spawn multiple clutches during a seven month period ranging March-October. Review of historical collections and literature revealed populations in lower portions of the San Antonio, Guadalupe, and Colorado basins have remained stable through time. However, populations in fragmented upper sections of each river basin have either declined or become extirpated. Stream fragmentation was coincident with decline of the species and we found accounts of fragmentation associated with burrhead chub declines dating back to 1955. These findings support previous works relating the decline of species belonging to the Macrhybopsis genus to stream fragmentation and suggest maintenance of connectivity is likely required for long-term persistence of the Texas-endemic burrhead chub.
Long-Term Changes in Water Quality and Fish Assemblage Composition in the Trinity River of Texas
Degradation of water quality including anthropogenic nutrient enrichment threatens ecosystem goods and services provided by streams. However, despite detrimental effects such as harmful algae blooms, anoxic environments, and fish and invertebrate kills, streams have the potential to recover from water quality disturbances once sources of pollution are mitigated. The Trinity River of Texas has a history of nutrient contamination stemming from the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex (DFWM) and the stream was termed a “Mythological River of Death” by the Texas Department of Health in 1925. We (Nate Dammeyer, Tim Bonner, and myself) quantified temporal fish assemblage changes in three mainstem reaches of the Trinity River in relation to improvements in water quality following passage of the Federal Clean Water Act of 1972, including reductions in the concentrations of ammonia, biochemical oxygen demand, and phosphorus. We hypothesized shifts in water chemistry parameters would cause an increase in overall fish species richness as well as occurrence of species intolerant to pollution. During 1968-2008 nutrient concentrations declined through time and with longitudinal distance from the DFWM, despite only subtle changes in flow regime. After controlling for the total number of individuals collected, rarified fish species richness increased through time immediately downstream of the DFWM (Reach 1; 1970-1971: S = 14; 1987-1989: S = 20; 1994-2008: S = 28), further downstream (Reach 2; 1970-1971: S = 18; 1987-1989: S = 20; 1994-2008: S = 22), and abundance of species intolerant to pollution increased through time. Furthest downstream (Reach 3), species richness increased (1970-1971: S = 45; 1994-2008: S = 54) likely in response to construction of a mainstem impoundment in 1969 and invasion by lacustrine species. Results suggest improvements to water quality in the form of reductions in nutrient concentration allowed for recovery of the lotic fish assemblage, but recovery was limited to species that maintained populations capable of recolonization.
