Models of lake invasibility by Bythotrephes longimanus, a non-indigenous zooplankton

2011 ◽  
Vol 13 (11) ◽  
pp. 2459-2476 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alex Potapov ◽  
Jim Muirhead ◽  
Norman Yan ◽  
Subhash Lele ◽  
Mark Lewis
2004 ◽  
Vol 61 (11) ◽  
pp. 2111-2125 ◽  
Author(s):  
Richard P Barbiero ◽  
Marc L Tuchman

The crustacean zooplankton communities in Lakes Michigan and Huron and the central and eastern basins of Lake Erie have shown substantial, persistent changes since the invasion of the predatory cladoceran Bythotrephes in the mid-1980s. A number of cladoceran species have declined dramatically since the invasion, including Eubosmina coregoni, Holopedium gibberum, Daphnia retrocurva, Daphnia pulicaria, and Leptodora kindti, and overall species richness has decreased as a result. Copepods have been relatively unaffected, with the notable exception of Meso cyclops edax, which has virtually disappeared from the lakes. These species shifts have for the most part been consistent and equally pronounced across all three lakes. Responses of crustacean species to the Bythotrephes invasion do not appear to be solely a consequence of size, and it is likely that other factors, e.g., morphology, vertical distribution, or escape responses, are important determinants of vulnerability to predation. Our results indicate that invertebrate predators in general, and invasive ones in particular, can have pronounced, lasting effects on zooplankton community structure.


Author(s):  
Emma Bloomfield

Invasive predators are a large and growing threat to species diversity and human well-being. One of the reasons invasive predators have a negative impact is that native prey species do not possess appropriate anti-predator defenses. However, rapid evolution may allow prey species to respond adaptively to introduced predators. When this occurs the impacts of invasive predators are mitigated. An invasive predator that is of concern in North America is the spiny water flea, Bythotrephes longimanus. It disrupts freshwater ecosystems through voracious consumption of zooplankton. Declines in zooplankton abundance and richness reduce water quality and recreational fishing opportunities. However, a species of zooplankton, Daphnia mendotae has been found to adaptively respond to B. longimanus. This adaptation is diel vertical migration, the behavioral change of occupying a lower position in the water column during the day to reduce predation risk. Despite the ecological and economic implications of this behavior in response to B. longimanus, it has only been studied in a few lakes. This study investigated adaptive diel vertical migration in D. mendotae from multiple lakes. This was done by measuring the vertical position of D. mendotae in artificial water columns. It was hypothesized that D. mendotae from lakes that have been invaded by B. longimanus will exhibit diel vertical migration in the presence of B. longimanus. If this hypothesis is supported, rapid evolution of diel vertical migration can be established as a widespread response. This would strengthen understanding of rapid evolution and allow lakes more vulnerable to B.longimanus to be identified.


2009 ◽  
Vol 66 (3) ◽  
pp. 449-459 ◽  
Author(s):  
Joelle D. Young ◽  
Ellis R. Loew ◽  
Norman D. Yan

Since its introduction to Harp Lake, Ontario, Canada, summer abundance of the cladoceran zooplanktivore Bythotrephes longimanus has fluctuated substantially both among and within years. The principal planktivorous fish in Harp Lake is the cold-water Coregonus artedi (cisco). Previous studies hypothesized that Bythotrephes abundance was affected by the thickness of an ephemeral, dark, daytime refuge from cisco that potentially established at the bottom of the metalimnion. During summer of 2003, we estimated peak daytime refuge thickness by simulating light energy visible to cisco and found it was always negative and did not correlate with Bythotrephes death rates. Direct observations using gill-netting and acoustical methods suggested that cisco had frequent metalimnetic forays. Additionally, including years 2000–2004, the previous correlation between mean Bythotrephes abundance and refuge thickness no longer held. The refuge hypothesis appears to fail, as the amount of metalimnetic illumination was always above the level at which cisco reaction distance to prey is maximal. Selection of Bythotrephes by cisco instead appeared to increase once Bythotrephes became abundant, remaining consistent and nontrivial even after Bythotrephes population declined.


2008 ◽  
Vol 65 (8) ◽  
pp. 1692-1704 ◽  
Author(s):  
Meghan Elizabeth Brown

Bythotrephes longimanus (Onychopoda: Cercopagidae), an invasive zooplankter in North America, requires suitable habitat to satisfy its planktonic and resting stages, which occupy the pelagia and sediment of lakes, respectively. Thousands of resting eggs from hundreds of planktonic mothers were exposed to laboratory conditions that mimicked gradients observed in lake sediment (dissolved oxygen = 1.4–11.9 mg·L–1; pH = 3–11). Eggs hatched in all treatments, which confirms the utility of dormancy and the robustness of the resting egg in B. longimanus. However, hatching success and neonate condition were greatest when dormancy conditions were maintained at near-saturated dissolved oxygen and near-neutral pH; deviations from these conditions resulted in prolonged development, smaller neonates, and the failure of many eggs to hatch. In addition to the influence of environmental conditions, heavier mothers produced larger eggs that hatched more frequently and resulted in heavier neonates. These maternal effects are likely due to greater energy investment by healthier mothers. This study suggests that nature and nurture influence dormancy success, and the results underscore that both life-cycle stages of B. longimanus need to be considered to understand its range expansion.


2014 ◽  
Vol 71 (7) ◽  
pp. 1072-1086 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mark W. Rogers ◽  
David B. Bunnell ◽  
Charles P. Madenjian ◽  
David M. Warner

Ecosystems undergo dynamic changes owing to species invasions, fisheries management decisions, landscape modifications, and nutrient inputs. At Lake Michigan, new invaders (e.g., dreissenid mussels (Dreissena spp.), spiny water flea (Bythotrephes longimanus), round goby (Neogobius melanostomus)) have proliferated and altered energy transfer pathways, while nutrient concentrations and stocking rates to support fisheries have changed. We developed an ecosystem model to describe food web structure in 1987 and ran simulations through 2008 to evaluate changes in biomass of functional groups, predator consumption, and effects of recently invading species. Keystone functional groups from 1987 were identified as Mysis, burbot (Lota lota), phytoplankton, alewife (Alosa pseudoharengus), nonpredatory cladocerans, and Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha). Simulations predicted biomass reductions across all trophic levels and predicted biomasses fit observed trends for most functional groups. The effects of invasive species (e.g., dreissenid grazing) increased across simulation years, but were difficult to disentangle from other changes (e.g., declining offshore nutrient concentrations). In total, our model effectively represented recent changes to the Lake Michigan ecosystem and provides an ecosystem-based tool for exploring future resource management scenarios.


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