THE LAUREL DACE, CHROSOMUS SAYLORI, IS A FEDERALLY ENDANGERED SPECIES ENDEMIC TO FIRST AND SECOND ORDER COBBLE AND BOULDER STREAMS ON WALDEN RIDGE IN EAST TENNESSEE. THE SPECIES WAS LISTED IN 2011 AND CRITICAL HABITAT WAS DESIGNATED IN 2012. AT THIS TIME, THE LAUREL DACES KNOWN RANGE INCLUDED EIGHT STREAMS IN FOUR SYSTEMS(SODDY CREEK, SALE CREEK, PINEY RIVER, AND GRASSY COVE SYSTEMS) IN BLEDSOE, CUMBERLAND, RHEA, AND SEQUATCHIE COUNTIES, TENNESSEE. THE TENNESSEE AQUARIUM HAS BEEN WORKING ON THE RECOVERY OF LAUREL DACE SINCE 2013. THE LONG-TERM GOAL OF THIS STUDY IS TO PREVENT THE EXTINCTION OF THE FEDERALLY ENDANGERED LAUREL DACE. THIS WILL BE ACCOMPLISHED BY THE FORMATION OF AN ADVISORY GROUP TO DEVELOP AND IMPLEMENT ARK POPULATION PROTOCOLS FOR BOTH YOUNGS AND BUMBEE CREEK POPULATIONS OF LAUREL DACE. THE OUTCOMES FROM THIS STUDY WILL BE USED TO PREVENT EXTINCTION OF LAUREL DACE BY DEVELOPING AND IMPLEMENTING ARK POPULATION PROTOCOLS.
Posted 12/16/24, 12:00 AM