Search for Sculpin:
What is the relationship between sculpin
abundance and water quality in streams in
northwestern Michigan?
Kendra Antonides – Calvin College
Overview
• Background: Sculpin as indicator species that
are understudied; they are at risk due to
development
• Question: What is the relation between the
number of sculpin in a stream and its quality?
• Experiment: Locate sculpin in four streams
and measure abiotic factors
• Results & Conclusions: Relation of sculpin
abundance to abiotic factors in streams
Background
Background
• What’s a sculpin?
– A cold water fish of the northern hemisphere with
a broad and flat head and spiny fins
– Several subspecies live in Michigan. Two include
the slimy (Cottus cognatus) and mottled (Cottus
bairdi) which are fairly indistinguishable
Mottled
Slimy
Background
• The U.S. Forest Service
designated sculpins as an
indicator species
• There is a lack of studies on
sculpin range
– (Eckdahl et al. 2001).
Background
• Sculpins are threatened due to human
encroachment and physical or chemical
stream alterations
(Hayes 2003, Bunnell 2008, Zaroban 2010.)
• This study investigated the distribution
of sculpin in Kalkaska, Antrim and
Crawford Counties, Michigan.
Overview
• Background: Sculpin as indicator species that
are understudied; they are at risk due to
development
• Question: What is the relation between the
number of sculpin in a stream and its quality?
• Experiment: Locate sculpin in four streams and
measure abiotic factors
• Results & Conclusions: Relation of sculpin
abundance to abiotic factors in streams
Hypothesis
I hypothesized that sculpin presence will be
negatively correlated to temperature
Overview
• Background: Sculpin as indicator species that
are understudied; they are at risk due to
development
• Question: What is the relation between the
number of sculpin in a stream and its quality?
• Experiment: Locate sculpin in four streams
and measure abiotic factors
• Results & Conclusions: Relation of sculpin
abundance to abiotic factors in streams
Methods
I collected data in the
Manistee, Au Sable,
Rapid and Cedar Rivers
in Kalkaska, Crawford
and Antrim Counties,
Michigan.
Methods
Methods
Rapid River
Manistee River
Cedar River
Au Sable River
Methods
• We sampled the sites three times with
three days between visits
• We searched for and counted all sculpin
caught with a minnow seine
• Standard search time of 30 minutes per
site
Methods
• We collected data on dissolved oxygen
(% and mg/L), biological oxygen demand,
pH, and air and water temperature.
• Statistical tests included: Pearson and
Spearman’s correlation matrix, and
principal component analysis.
Methods
Methods
Overview
• Background: Sculpin as indicator species that
are understudied; they are at risk due to
development
• Question: What is the relation between the
number of sculpin in a stream and its quality?
• Experiment: Locate sculpin in four streams and
measure abiotic factors
• Results & Conclusions: Relation of sculpin
abundance to abiotic factors in streams
Number of Sculpin
Results
25
20
15
10
5
0
River and Site
Water Temp (°C) and # of Sculpin
Results
(r = – 0.307, P = 0.462)
25
20
Sculpin
H20 temp
15
10
5
0
River
Results
23
22
21
20
19
18
17
16
15
H20 temp
(r = – 0.307, P = 0.462)
0
5
10
15
Sculpin
20
25
Results
Stream Order
3.5
r = –0.553, P = 0.151
3
2.5
2
1.5
1
0
5
10
15
Sculpin
20
25
Conclusions
Principal component analysis revealed all factors
weighted equally in describing sculpin habitat
selection.
Conclusions
My hypothesis of a negative correlation of
sculpin abundance to stream temperature is not
supported
Acknowledgements
I thank Au Sable Institute, Dan Ippolito, Rob
Keys, David Mahan, Sam Riffell, Chris Riley, and
Fred Van Dyke; Joel Betts, Nathan Hadley,
Christian Hayes, David Petry, Kelsey Piepkorn,
and Casey Shoaff
Questions?