Project period: 4 1 24-4 1 26PROJECT titled: bracing for the long term: a conceptual framework to facilitate coexistence with invasive carpsthe goal is to structure invasive carp management in the…

The U.S. Geological Survey's Cooperative Research Units (CFDA 15.812) program has awarded a $169,814.15 Cooperative Agreement to Mississippi State University (MSU) to develop a conceptual framework that defines how invasive carps may impact aquatic environments and biota in the Tennessee and Cumberland Rivers. The project, titled "Bracing for the Long Term: A Conceptual Framework to Facilitate Coexistence with Invasive Carps," will run from April 1, 2024 to April 1, 2026. The conceptual framework is intended to be a comprehensive tool for charting the context of this complex conservation issue, including the problem, processes, threats, impacts, strategies, and opportunities. This research will support natural resource managers in monitoring, management, research, and evaluation of interventions related to the proliferation of invasive carps in these river systems.

Project period: 4 1 24-4 1 26PROJECT titled: bracing for the long term: a conceptual framework to facilitate coexistence with invasive carpsthe goal is to structure invasive carp management in the tennessee cooperative fishery research unit (tncr). The university will develop a conceptual framework of how proliferation of invasive carps may affect tncr aquatic environments, fish assemblages, and recreational use of these impounded rivers. The conceptual framework will be a network of interlinked concepts that together provide a comprehensive understanding of the effects of carp. IT is intended to be a tool for charting the context of this complex conservation problem, including the problem itself, processes, threats, impacts, strategies, and opportunities. The conceptual framework will succinctly represent the presumed causal relationships among various factors that are believed to be impacted by expansion of bigheaded carps. The framework is expected to be a useful planning tool to help guide what actions may best influence the situation at a given site, what factors should be monitored to determine if those factors are changing with project implementation, what is not worth measuring, and which factors we need to focus on for future research. The model will explicitly link conservation strategy to the main threats, and to any indirect threats influencing direct threats. This conceptual framework can provide managers with the basis for monitoring, management, research, and evaluation of interventions. The framework will be accompanied by an extensive literature review. This research will develop a conceptual framework of how proliferation of invasive carps may affect (tncr) aquatic environments, fish assemblages, and recreational use of these impounded rivers.objective:to develop a conceptual framework that defines how invasive carps may impact aquatic environments and the biota in the tennessee and cumberland rivers, and to identify management actions for addressing the impacts.