Do on/off shore structures fragment beaches for shiners?

Abstract

Habitat fragmentation is a serious biological issue that has gone largely unaddressed in lake ecosystems. This study focuses on on/offshore beach structures and how they affect the along-shore movements of Luxilus cornutus and Notropis hudsonius, the common and spottail shiners. Distribution and behavior of the fishes, with regard to fences of varying lengths, were concentrated on as prime areas of concern. Although shiners moved around fences, there were significant distirbution and behavioral changes.