Historical ecology, land use associations, and species habitat associations of the vermilion darter (Etheostoma chermocki) in the upper Turkey Creek watershed, tributary of Locust Fork, Black Warrior River drainage, Alabama

The vermilion darter, Etheostoma chermocki, occupies an extremely restricted geographic range of 11.6 rkm and is currently imperiled; hence, information regarding its life history and species associations is vital for conservation efforts. My study investigated the historical ecology of the vermilion darter to examine its attributes and species associations within a historical context. My results were consistent with the hypothesis that the warrior darter (Etheostoma bellator), an inhabitant of the Black Warrior River system, Alabama, is the sister species of the vermilion darter. In addition, I investigated the association between fish communities and land use in the Turkey watershed. My findings indicated that the removal of the riparian zone adjacent to sampled units results in decreased fish diversity, richness, and density in the watershed. Finally, I examined the association between habitat variables and the density/abundance of the vermilion darter in Turkey Creek. From my analyses, riparian land use appears most important for determining the distribution of vermilion darters in the watershed. Other important predictors of vermilion darter abundance/density are water velocity, stream order, elevation, dominant and subdominant substrate, and stream width. The results obtained from the combined analysis of this study can be used to designate critical habitat for the vermilion darter and enable conservation efforts to focus on variables that ultimately determine species abundance and occurrence. Moreover, through historical ecology and phylogenetic systematics one can identify and utilize surrogate species to address ecological questions pertaining to closely related and imperiled species or species complexes. Thus, an understanding of the history of an organism, in addition to understanding contemporary associations between biota and the landscape, is necessary for successful implementation of a species recovery plan.