No Stone Unturned: Studying Bluehead Chubs at Virginia Tech

Abstract

The bluehead chub (Nocomis leptocephalus) is a common, medium-sized freshwater minnow found in streams across the southeastern United States. Each summer, mature male chubs construct mound nests out of thousands of pebbles using only their mouths, a behavior only thirteen known species are capable of. These mound nests attract other “nest associates,” of which there can be as many as a few hundred fishes representing up to a dozen species on any one nest at a time. Thus, bluehead chubs play an active role in the persistence of the aquatic ecosystems they inhabit. The Frimpong Lab at Virginia Tech seeks to understand the complex relationships between bluehead chubs and their environment. To do this, members of the lab investigate concepts such as symbiotic interactions, behavior, and adaptive responses of bluehead chubs. Further, the Frimpong Lab strongly advocates for the use of an arts-science connection to engage the local community and emphasize the importance of this fascinating species.