The brilliant red slash below the jaw, large red patches on the sides, and large black spots concentrated towards the tail of a Rio Grande Cutthroat Trout. Photo by Chris Johnson
BY ED MACKERROW
Chama Peak Land Alliance
Backyard Biodiversity Series
Welcome to Backyard Biodiversity, a series of educational articles brought to you in partnership with In Light of Nature, Chama Peak Land Alliance and the Los Alamos Reporter. By highlighting the unique and special nature of our area, and in the hopes that a small drop in the water will send out waves of opportunity, we hope that each of us can and will improve our backyard with biodiversity.
Our featured writer, Ed MacKerrow of In Light of Nature, is a nature photographer, scientist, and conservationist. He has a Ph.D. in Physics and specializes in studying complex adaptive social systems. He has provided scientific expertise to the US Government on various subjects, including forest ecology and wildlife conservation. Ed is the President of the Friends of the Nambe Badlands, dedicated to protecting sensitive BLM land in Northern New Mexico, a Board member of Katmai Conservancy for Katmai National Park in Alaska, and served as the Vice President of the Friends of the Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge. Ed is dedicated to environmental conservation and ethical practices in nature photography. He maintains a blog called “In Light of Nature,” which explores wildlife, conservation, and nature photography.
In the streams of Northern New Mexico, there is a struggle to preserve native species and ecosystem balance. The Rio Grande Cutthroat Trout, the state fish of New Mexico, is facing significant challenges to its survival. Once abundant in the Rocky Mountain Region, the native trout now occupies only 10% of its historical range in New Mexico.
The Rio Grande Cutthroat Trout (native to the Rio Grande, Pecos River, and Canadian River basins in northern New Mexico and southern Colorado) and the Gila Trout (native to the Gila River system in southwestern New Mexico and eastern Arizona) are the only two native trout in New Mexico.
Hybridization with Rainbow Trout, competition, predation with nonnative trout, and habitat destruction due to grazing, logging, and home building have contributed to the reduction of the range-wide distribution of the species. With the impacts of climate change contributing to wildfires and drought, Rio Grande populations are highly susceptible to these catastrophic events. Cooperative management efforts with tribes, states, other federal agencies, and non-government groups are implementing conservation activities such as nonnative species removal, chemical renovation, stocking native trout into rehabilitated/renovated streams, habitat improvement and protection to enhance Rio Grande Cutthroat Trout populations within its historic range.
According to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 13 core populations of the Rio Grande Cutthroat Trout are left in the wild, four of which are located in the Santa Fe National Forest. The survival of these core populations is crucial for the species, which is currently a candidate for listing. The Rio Grande Cutthroat Trout evolved to thrive in the cold, fast-flowing streams of Northern New Mexico.
The introduction of non-native Brown Trout and Rainbow Trout has dramatically altered the ecological balance. These introduced species are outcompeting the native cutthroat trout for several reasons:
Adaptability: Brown and Rainbow Trout can tolerate a wider range of water temperatures and habitat conditions.
Aggressive behavior: These introduced species are often more aggressive in competing for food and habitat.
Reproductive advantages: They may spawn at different times or have higher reproductive rates in some conditions.
Size advantage: Brown Trout, in particular, can grow larger, giving them an edge in predation and competition for resources. The recent rediscovery of the San Juan Cutthroat Trout—long thought extinct—adds to the situation’s complexity. This native species was found in small populations in the Southern San Juan Mountains of Colorado and Northern New Mexico. Its presence adds both hope and urgency to conservation efforts in the region.
Climate change and forest management are threatening native trout. More wildfires are leaving behind fire scars, leading to runoff that alters water quality and stream habitat. Warmer temperatures result in earlier spring runoffs and lower summer stream flows, stressing trout populations and shrinking suitable habitats.
Conservation efforts in Northern New Mexico include:
Habitat Restoration: Projects focus on improving stream conditions, reducing erosion, and enhancing spawning grounds.
Non-Native Species Management: Efforts to remove or control non-native trout in certain streams aim to give native species a chance to reclaim their historical habitats.
Reintroduction Programs: Carefully managed programs are working to reintroduce Rio Grande Cutthroat Trout to suitable habitats, with a strong emphasis on maintaining genetic diversity.
Forest Management: Improved forest management practices aim to reduce the risk of catastrophic wildfires and mitigate their impacts on stream ecosystems.
As we look to the future, the fate of the Rio Grande Cutthroat Trout and the newly San Juan Cutthroat Trout remains uncertain. Yet, the dedicated efforts to preserve these species offer hope not just for the trout but for the entire concept of biodiversity conservation in the face of global environmental change.
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Publish date : 2024-08-23 16:51:00
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