LAUSR

Stream fish movement in response to changing resource availability and habitat needs is important for fish growth, survival, and reproduction. We used radio telemetry to evaluate individual movements, daily movement rates, home ranges, and habitat-use characteristics of adult (278-464 mm TL) Neosho Smallmouth Bass Micropterus dolomieu velox in three Ozark Highlands streams from June 2016 to February 2018. We quantified variation in movement and habitat use among seasons and streams and examined relations with select environmental cues (i.e., temperature and discharge), fish size, and sex. Maximum movement distances were an order of magnitude greater in the larger Elk River (17.0 km) and Buffalo Creek (12.9 km) than in the smaller Sycamore Creek (1.71 km), were similar in both upstream and downstream directions, and typically occurred during the spring. Most movement rates were ≤ 10 m/day in all streams and seasons, except for Elk River during spring. Ranking of linear mixed-effects models using AICc supported that movement rates were much greater in spring and increased with stream size. Spring movement rate increased with discharge and water temperature; only weak relationships were apparent during other seasons. Increased variation in water temperature had a small negative effect on movement rate. Home range size was highly variable among individuals, ranging 45-15,061 m (median: 773 m), and was not related to fish size, sex, season, or stream. Although some fish moved between rivers, our tagged fish did not use reservoir or associated interface habitat. Water temperatures used by our tagged fish followed seasonal patterns but indicated the use of thermal refugia during summer and winter. Deeper-water habitats were used in Buffalo Creek and in winter across all study streams, whereas greater velocities used in the Elk River likely reflect the increased use of run habitats. Use of pool habitats predominated among tagged fish, particularly in smaller streams. Our results indicate considerable heterogeneity in movement and habitat use within and among lotic populations of Neosho Smallmouth Bass. These findings suggest that population-specific management may be appropriate and highlight the importance of natural flow conditions (i.e., spring high flows) and connected habitats for this endemic sport fish, particularly in smaller streams. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.