Development and efficiency of less intrusive survey methodologies for Santa Ana sucker (Pantosteus santaanae) monitoring

The Santa Ana Sucker (Pantosteus santaanae) is a federally threatened species endemic to the Santa Ana, San Gabriel, and Los Angeles Rivers in southern California. Seasonal limitations on conventional sampling and inconsistencies in survey methodologies have led to an incomplete understanding of Santa Ana Sucker population dynamics. Therefore, alternative sampling methods that are not limited by these constraints are needed to help fill important knowledge gaps in Santa Ana Sucker biology and life history. This data release documents controlled experiments conducted within an artificial stream (greenbelt) to test the efficacy of stationary cameras, active cameras, and Passive Integrated Transponder (PIT) tagging survey methodologies for detecting Santa Ana Sucker. The goal of this study is to develop less intrusive surveying methodology to quantify Santa Ana Sucker population structure.