Understanding the Impact of Invasive Brown Trout on Native Himalayan Fish

This was one of the major goals I pursued during my Ph.D. A century long invasion of the Brown trout (Salmo trutta) went unnoticed and myself and my team of colleagues ventured into this unknown territory, ultimately finding answers that surprised us all. Snow trout (Schizothorax richardsonii), an endemic fish species of the Himalaya, showed strong resilience to invasion by life history plasticity. Comparing watersheds with and without brown trout, we found that over 4 years of data revealed the snow trout to breed early, lay more number of eggs, reduced its egg size, and also matured at an age much younger. These traits though look promising for the snow trout, come at major costs of trade offs.

We used ecological field data and innovative statistical models to evaluate competition, habitat overlaps, and conservation challenges in high-altitude Himalayan streams.

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📌 Key Contribution: This work guides invasion management strategies and provides baseline data critical for conserving native freshwater biodiversity in the Indian Himalayas.