This dataset includes information from ichthyoplankton sampling for silver carp and bighead carp collected from three main reaches in the Upper Mississippi River Basin, including the La Grange, Peoria, Starved Rock, and Marseilles reaches of the Illinois River, Pool 20 of Mississippi River, and the St. Croix River. Data include the number of bigheaded carp eggs and larvae identified using traditional manual sorting techniques, and genetic data derived from quantitative PCR (qPCR) and 4 bigheaded carp markers (SCTM4/5 and BHTM1/2) that were used to identify the amount of DNA in ichthyoplankton tow samples. These data provide information for natural resource agencies and managers who could use this qPCR screening tool to enhance traditional ichthyoplankton monitoring techniques and use the technique to quickly prioritize samples that have the highest likelihood of containing bigheaded carp eggs or larvae. Two worksheets are included in this file, including a meta-data sheet that describes the dataset, provides variable names, and associated units of measure.

This dataset includes information from ichthyoplankton sampling for silver carp and bighead carp collected from three main reaches in the Upper Mississippi River Basin, including the La Grange, Peoria, Starved Rock, and Marseilles reaches of the Illinois River, Pool 20 of Mississippi River, and the St. Croix River. Data include the number of bigheaded carp eggs and larvae identified using traditional manual sorting techniques, and genetic data derived from quantitative PCR (qPCR) and 4 bigheaded carp markers (SCTM4/5 and BHTM1/2) that were used to identify the amount of DNA in ichthyoplankton tow samples. These data provide information for natural resource agencies and managers who could use this qPCR screening tool to enhance traditional ichthyoplankton monitoring techniques and use the technique to quickly prioritize samples that have the highest likelihood of containing bigheaded carp eggs or larvae. Two worksheets are included in this file, including a meta-data sheet that describes the dataset, provides variable names, and associated units of measure.

Data set includes water Sr:Ca, Ba:Ca, and δ18O for the Mississippi River and tributaries, and otolith Sr:Ca, Ba:Ca, and δ18O data from bigheaded carp (Silver Carp and BIghead Carp) collected in navigation pools 16-19 of the Upper Mississippi River in 2016 to 2018. Bigheaded carp (Bighead Carp and Silver Carp) are invasive species in the US and have spread throughout most of the lower Mississippi River Basin. Population abundance upstream of Lock and Dam 19 (LD19) on the Upper Mississippi River (UMR) has likely been limited by the high-head dam at this location, which restricts all upstream fish passage to the lock chamber. To determine early-life environments of adult bigheaded carp captured upstream LD19 at the invasion front, in an area of intense management (Pools 16-19), we measured otolith (lapillus) stable isotope composition and elemental microchemistry of 146 Silver Carp (n = 77 females and n = 69 males) and 141 Bighead Carp (n = 76 females and n = 65 males). Otolith oxygen isotope ratios (δ18O) and elemental ratios (Sr:Ca and Ba:Ca) were compared to values of isotope and elemental ratios in water from putative early-life environments to assign early-life environment for each fish.

An eDNA-based sampling approach used by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service for bigheaded carp Hypophthalmichthys spp. in the upper Mississippi River and Great Lakes Basins that collects hundreds of water samples per event. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service detected a single positive sample for bighead carp _H. nobilis_ during the spring 2021 sampling event in the Kinnickinnic River within the Milwaukee River Basin, and detected a second single positive sample for bigheaded carp during the fall 2021 sampling event in the Milwaukee River. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service did not detect any bigheaded carp or bighead carp in previous years (2015 to 2020) or in either the spring or fall 2022 sampling events. These detections lacked perspective such as detection numbers for other species. We reanalyzed the 2021 and 2022 samples for four existing species of fish: two fairly common species (common carp Cyprinus carpio and gizzard shad Dorosoma cepedianum) and two fairly rare species (burbot Lota lota and grass carp Ctenopharyngodon idella). This dataset contains the eDNA-base detection and nondetection data from the 2021 and 2022 sampling events.

The invasive carp environmental DNA (eDNA) sample data was collected and processed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) and is used for the early detection and monitoring of invasive carp. The reportable eDNA detection summary data along with static maps are shared with the public along with a public facing ArcGIS Online Feature layer, Web Map, and Dashboard. For further information on data collection and processing please refer to the Quality Assurance Project Plan eDNA Monitoring of Bighead and Silver Carps (see files and links). Additional information on the Invasive carp eDNA program for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service can be found on the Whitney Genetics Lab Facility web page (see files and links). A positive eDNA detection result means there was invasive carp eDNA in the water body, which can be from live or dead fish, but it could have also been transported via boat, bird, or water current. A positive eDNA detection does not necessarily mean there were invasive carp present at the time samples were taken. For more information or questions, please contact the eDNA Program Coordinator, Nick Frohnauer at (nicholas_frohnauer@fws.gov). Complete ISO 19115 FGDC metadata can be found under the hosted view feature layer on the FWS AGOL platform.

The invasive carp environmental DNA (eDNA) sample data was collected and processed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) and is used for the early detection and monitoring of invasive carp. The reportable eDNA detection summary data along with static maps are shared with the public along with a public facing ArcGIS Online Feature layer, Web Map, and Dashboard. For further information on data collection and processing please refer to the Quality Assurance Project Plan eDNA Monitoring of Bighead and Silver Carps (see files and links). Additional information on the Invasive carp eDNA program for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service can be found on the Whitney Genetics Lab Facility web page (see files and links). A positive eDNA detection result means there was invasive carp eDNA in the water body, which can be from live or dead fish, but it could have also been transported via boat, bird, or water current. A positive eDNA detection does not necessarily mean there were invasive carp present at the time samples were taken. For more information or questions, please contact the eDNA Program Coordinator, Nick Frohnauer at (nicholas_frohnauer@fws.gov). Complete ISO 19115 FGDC metadata can be found under the hosted view feature layer on the FWS AGOL platform.

The invasive carp environmental DNA (eDNA) sample data was collected and processed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) and is used for the early detection and monitoring of invasive carp. The reportable eDNA detection summary data along with static maps are shared with the public along with a public facing ArcGIS Online Feature layer, Web Map, and Dashboard. For further information on data collection and processing please refer to the Quality Assurance Project Plan eDNA Monitoring of Bighead and Silver Carps (see files and links). Additional information on the Invasive carp eDNA program for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service can be found on the Whitney Genetics Lab Facility web page (see files and links). A positive eDNA detection result means there was invasive carp eDNA in the water body, which can be from live or dead fish, but it could have also been transported via boat, bird, or water current. A positive eDNA detection does not necessarily mean there were invasive carp present at the time samples were taken. For more information or questions, please contact the eDNA Program Coordinator, Nick Frohnauer at (nicholas_frohnauer@fws.gov). Complete ISO 19115 FGDC metadata can be found under the hosted view feature layer on the FWS AGOL platform.

In the Lamine, Moreau, and Little Chariton rivers, light traps were used to capture larval bigheaded carps moving into tributaries. Traps were set on a weekly basis in each river, at roughly 1-kilometer intervals up to 7 km upstream. Ichthyoplankton tows were done in locations near the confluence of each tributary with the Missouri River, and within the Missouri River itself. Data includes identification of larval fish, size, and developmental information of subsampled invasive carp species. Flow readings were taken at up to five points across the channel with a Marsh-McBirney flow meter, and water quality was measured at the surface with a YSI ProPlus before retrieval of light traps.

In the Lamine, Moreau, and Little Chariton rivers, light traps were used to capture larval bigheaded carps moving into tributaries. Traps were set on a weekly basis in each river, at roughly 1-kilometer intervals up to 7 km upstream. Ichthyoplankton tows were done in locations near the confluence of each tributary with the Missouri River, and within the Missouri River itself. Data includes identification of larval fish, size, and developmental information of subsampled invasive carp species. Flow readings were taken at up to five points across the channel with a Marsh-McBirney flow meter, and water quality was measured at the surface with a YSI ProPlus before retrieval of light traps.

A total of 83 Grass Carp and 92 Silver Carp were collected monthly from stocked ponds at Columbia Environmental Research Center. Length, weight, and collection date were recorded. The dorsal-fin rays and lapilli otoliths were collected from these specimens for the purpose of aging. An additional set of dorsal-fin rays and lapilli otoliths from Grass Carp collected in Truman Reservoir (GNIS 758286) on 20170820 and from Silver Carp collected in Mallard Lake (38.7013, -90.4949) on 20171102 were included to decrease bias. Annuli counts on all structures were completed by two experienced readers for the purpose of validating the first annulus. Two experienced readers measured all the structures collected from research ponds for the purpose of determining when annuli emerge. These results were used to determine when a fish would be considered age 1 for the purpose of this study. Measurements from the center of a structure to the edge and from the beginning of an annulus to the edge were completed. Percentage of structures aged correctly was calculated based off presence or absence of a known annulus on a structure rather than basing age off calendar date and considering fish to be age 1 after January 1. Formation of false annuli was observed consistently among both lapilli otoliths and dorsal-fin rays. The false annuli appeared to form during the capture event of the Silver Carp that were stocked into research ponds and used for this study. The presence of these false annuli effected precision of age estimates as they were frequently mis-labeled as annuli. Marginal increment analysis was utilized to validate the formation of false annuli.