Abstract (from Transactions of the American Fisheries Society): Density-dependent (DD) and density-independent (DI) effects play an important role in shaping fish growth rates, an attribute that correlates with many life history traits in fishes. Consequently, understanding the extent to which DD and DI effects influence growth rates is valuable for fisheries assessments because it can inform managers about how populations may respond as environmental conditions continue to change (e.g., threats from climate change). We used a Rio Grande Cutthroat Trout Oncorhynchus clarkii virginalis (RGCT) capture–mark–recapture data set collected over 2 years along a temperature and density gradient in northern New Mexico streams to test the extent [...]
