Spatial Heterogeneity in Abundance of Age-0 Largemouth Bass among Reservoir Embayments

Abstract Abundances of age-0 largemouth bass Micropterus salmoides in reservoirs usually are assessed on an annual, lakewide basis. This scale obscures patterns that may be important in explaining variations in abundance. We hypothesized that abundances of age-0 largemouth bass differ consistently among reservoir embayments and that among-embayment variation might exceed annual variation. We collected age-0 largemouth bass annually from four embayments of B. Everett Jordan Lake, North Carolina, from 1989 to 1995. Two of the embayments consistently exhibited higher abundances. Variation in abundances among embayments averaged 4.2-fold from lowest to highest, compared to a 2. I -fold variation in lakewide abundances among years. Significant differences in abundances among years occurred only in the bays where abundances were low, and they were not associated with annual differences in reservoir water levels. Recognizing the existence of significant among-embayment differences in age-0 largemouth bass abunda...