Nebraskaland

December Nebraskaland 2020

NEBRASKAland Magazine is dedicated to outstanding photography and informative writing with an engaging mix of articles and photos highlighting Nebraska’s outdoor activities, parklands, wildlife, history and people.

Issue link: http://mag.outdoornebraska.gov/i/1314007

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12 Nebraskaland • December 2020 IN THE FIELD By Melissa Panella THREATENED AND ENDANGERED: THE NORTHERN REDBELLY DACE The northern redbelly dace (Chrosomus eos) has a name that sounds fitting for the holidays. This little minnow is among the most colorful in the state and appears festive in its attire of glitzy red belly and olive-colored back. Northern redbelly dace frolic in small, cool-water streams located mostly in Nebraska's Sandhills. In Nebraska, northern redbelly dace have been limited to the relatively small headwater tributaries of the Niobrara, Loup and Platte rivers. They use cool, clear streams with slow- moving water, which are spring-fed from the Sandhills and are shaded by logs and brush. Most cool-water streams range in temperature between approximately 62 and 72 degrees Fahrenheit. Northern redbelly dace also are found in the quiet waters of marshes or ponds built by beavers. They eat algae, plant material, zooplankton, invertebrates and occasionally other small fish. Northern redbelly dace do not seem to have the ability to move from one river basin into another, so they are dependent on high-quality conditions and availability of natural resources where they currently live. The northern redbelly dace is listed as a threatened species in Nebraska, because there are few places that satisfy this minnow's specific habitat needs. Changes like channel modification, culverts and water-control structures can affect the spring-fed streams this species relies upon and lead to population declines. Populations of northern redbelly dace are vulnerable to threats in several other states as well. The good news is that northern redbelly dace can successfully be conserved in Nebraska. Their populations can be sustained as long as the creeks they inhabit are kept in good condition and not overrun with predatory or exotic fish. It is also important not to collect this small minnow as a bait fish. With a bit of care, northern redbelly dace can continue to enliven Nebraska's cool-water streams with their bright, jolly colors. PHOTO COURTESY OF SOUTH DAKOTA GAME, FISH, AND PARKS

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