REPRODUCTIVE ECOLOGY OF REDBREAST SUNFISH LEPOMIS-AURITUS IN A VIRGINIA STREAM

In North Anna River, Virginia, redbreast sunfish Lepomis auritus began spawning in late May, 1992, when water temperatures exceeded 20-degre es-C. Spawning occurred in pool habitat with low velocities (<0.10 m/s ) and water deeper than 0.5 m, consistent with previous reports. Nest densities declined into the summer and variation in nest density was e xplained by a single predictor (log degree-days). All nests constructe d in May were destroyed by high flow, whereas 30 of 51 nests built lat er were successful in producing swim-up fry. Overall nest success was 33%. Multivariate separation (MANOVA) with 21 habitat-related variable s was not significant, suggesting that reproductive success during per iods of stable flow was not related to variables measured and may be i nfluenced by biotic factors, such as predation.