Assessment of reproductive requirements in habitat conservation efforts: a case study on blackside dace (Chrosomus cumberlandensis), a federally listed threatened species

Species conservation efforts often fail to consider specific-species reproductive requirements. This omission is understandable given that collection of such data must focus on individual taxa and is potentially disruptive. However, spawning requirements remain a vital component in long-term conservation efforts. Using blackside dace (Chrosomus cumberlandensis), a federally listed threatened species, we demonstrate how reproductive habitat can be unobtrusively quantified to improve restoration efforts. Reproductive habitat characteristics are unquantified for blackside dace. However, these fish spawn in certain areas, suggesting they have specific reproductive microhabitat requirements. The physical habitat of nests and surrounding areas was characterized by assessing depth, stream flow, and physical structure, which were correlated with nest activity. Flow and depth were the most influential factors in determining nest location and nest activity, respectively, and nest activity was positively correlated with substrate size. These data are a critical component for ongoing habitat restoration and captive breeding efforts for this species, providing the foundation for recreating essential reproductive habitat. Our study emphasizes the importance of understanding a species' reproductive habitat requirements and ecology to aid habitat restoration efforts for threatened species.