Suitable habitat model for walleye (Sander vitreus) in Lake Erie: Implications for inter-jurisdictional harvest quota allocations

Shubha N. Pandit; Yingming Zhao; Jan J.H. Ciborowski; Ann Marie Gorman; Carey T. Knight

doi:10.1016/j.jglr.2013.09.011

Fish Habitat: Essential Fish Habitat and Rehabilitation

Fish Habitat: Essential Fish Habitat and Rehabilitation ◽

10.47886/9781888569124.ch27 ◽

1999 ◽

Keyword(s):

Lake Erie ◽

Habitat Management ◽

Fish Habitat ◽

Learning By Doing ◽

Suitable Habitat ◽

Physical Habitat ◽

Fish Stocks ◽

Habitat Features ◽

Fish Habitats

<em>Abstract.—</em> The quality and quantity of habitats determine ecosystem productivity. Hence, they determine the potential fish productivity that sustains the fish harvests extractable from freshwaters and seas. Efforts to conserve and protect fish habitats are frustrated by key unanswered questions: which habitat types and how much must be protected to ensure natural self-sustaining fish stocks? Minns and Bakelaar presented a prototype method for assessing suitable habitat supply for fish stocks in Lake Erie, an analysis that can be used to address conservation issues. Here, the method is refined and extended, taking the assessment of habitat supply for pike <em>Esox lucius </em> in the Long Point region of Lake Erie as a case study. As with the previous study, much emphasis is placed on “learning by doing.” Because available inventories of habitat features are coarse and incomplete, improved guidelines for estimating habitat supply are expected from these prototype studies. The habitat supply method previously presented by Minns and Bakelaar is elaborated in three ways here: (1) the basic physical habitat assessment is derived from a remote-sensing inventory database; (2) methods of quantifying the thermal regime and integrating it with other habitat elements are examined; (3) habitat supply estimates are used in a pike population model, and pike biomass and production are simulated for the Long Point region of Lake Erie and then compared with available records. The roles of error and uncertainty are examined for all elements in the estimation and application of suitable habitat supply values. There is potential for supply measurement and analysis to guide fish habitat management.

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The influence of larval growth rate on juvenile recruitment in Lake Erie walleye (Sander vitreus)

Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences ◽

10.1139/cjfas-2019-0059 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 77 (3) ◽

pp. 548-555

Author(s):

Cassandra J. May ◽

Stuart A. Ludsin ◽

David C. Glover ◽

Elizabeth A. Marschall

Keyword(s):

Lake Erie ◽

Larval Growth ◽

Late Summer ◽

Freshwater Fishes ◽

Fast Growth ◽

Sander Vitreus ◽

Selective Mortality ◽

Growth Selection ◽

Poor Recruitment ◽

The Relationship

Growth-selective mortality as larvae can influence recruitment in marine fishes. Its importance in freshwater fishes, however, remains speculative. We quantified growth trajectories within annual cohorts (2011–2013) of Lake Erie walleye (Sander vitreus) and their relationship with recruitment. We hypothesized that selection against slow or fast growth would be associated with high mortality and poor recruitment, whereas weak or nonexistent growth-selective mortality co-occurring with fast growth would be associated with good recruitment. We used otoliths to reconstruct growth rates during the first 15 days of life from larvae collected during spring and juvenile recruits (survivors) collected during late summer. We documented growth-selective mortality during 2011 and 2013, which exhibited poor recruitment as expected. During 2012, growth selection was absent, but growth was slow when compared to historical averages, resulting in poor recruitment. Growth was also considered slow in 2011 and 2013, due to multiple interacting conditions. Our study indicates that the relationship among larval growth, mortality, and future recruitment is complex, highlighting the need for continued research into how larval processes affect recruitment dynamics in freshwater fishes.

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Large-scale habitat model reveals a key role of large trees and protected areas in the metapopulation survival of the saproxylic specialist Cucujus cinnaberinus

Biodiversity and Conservation ◽

10.1007/s10531-019-01854-0 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 28 (14) ◽

pp. 3851-3871 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Michał Bełcik ◽

Jakub Goczał ◽

Michał Ciach

Keyword(s):

Protected Areas ◽

Large Scale ◽

Habitat Model ◽

Suitable Habitat ◽

Ecosystem Structure ◽

Secondary Forests ◽

Large Trees ◽

Saproxylic Beetle ◽

Ecological Continuity ◽

Habitat Specialists

Abstract Deforestation for agricultural purposes and logging over centuries has resulted in a significant loss of forest cover and the deep structural and functional simplification of persistent European woodlands, which has led to a large-scale decline in biodiversity. Despite recent reforestation efforts in many regions of Europe, populations of numerous forest species remain unrecovered. Due to the loss of ecological continuity and the simplification of the ecosystem structure and functionality, the value of secondary forests in sustaining habitat specialists is being questioned. Here, we build a large-scale habitat suitability model to predict the current potential of forests to host populations of the flagship European saproxylic beetle Cucujus cinnaberinus. Our maximum entropy model revealed that the distribution of suitable habitats strongly corresponds to the occurrence of large and well-preserved forest complexes that are characterized by an ecological continuity of the stands. Among the analysed environmental variables, the mean tree diameter and distance to protected areas were the most important suitable habitat contributors. The optimum habitats were identified almost exclusively within some parts of the Carpathians and the northeastern part of the country, particularly in the Białowieża Forest, which include the best preserved European forests. Although a large number of small habitat patches was revealed across the country, these patches were highly scattered and had low predicted suitability. This study demonstrates that most woodlands are unsuitable for C. cinnaberinus, which points to the limited value of secondary forests for habitat specialists. Our findings emphasize the importance of large and intact forests with undisrupted ecological continuity as key areas for the persistence of the rare saproxylic beetle, which provokes questions about the effectiveness of reforestation as a tool for the conservation of forest habitat specialists.

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Demographic structure, genetic diversity and habitat distribution of the endangered, Australian rainforest tree Macadamia jansenii help facilitate an introduction program

Australian Journal of Botany ◽

10.1071/bt10132 ◽

2011 ◽

Vol 59 (3) ◽

pp. 215 ◽

Cited By ~ 17

Author(s):

Alison Shapcott ◽

Michael Powell

Keyword(s):

Genetic Diversity ◽

Wild Population ◽

Local Area ◽

Habitat Model ◽

Population Census ◽

Suitable Habitat ◽

Niche Modelling ◽

Potential Habitat ◽

Habitat Analysis ◽

Model Combining

Macadamia jansenii is endemic to south-east Queensland, Australia, and is currently known from a single population 180 km north of the nearest wild population of its congener, the edible Macadamia integrifolia. A recently developed Macadamia recovery plan identified that this population was under significant threat and recommended a reintroduction program to safeguard against chance extinction of the single wild population. This study undertook demographic population census surveys, genetic analysis, habitat analysis and niche modelling to determine the potential long-term viability for the species, and to guide search and reintroduction programs. We expanded the known population size of the species to ~60 individuals (1 m and taller) spread over a 900-m distance along a single creek clumped into three subpopulations. There was moderate genetic diversity in the species and the subpopulations showed little genetic differentiation. We developed a potential habitat model combining abiotic variables and vegetation associations, and mapped areas of potentially suitable habitat for M. jansenii within its local area. These maps are being used to target searches for other populations and to guide the location of introduction populations.

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Does hypoxia reduce habitat quality for Lake Erie walleye (Sander vitreus)? A bioenergetics perspective

Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences ◽

10.1139/f2011-018 ◽

2011 ◽

Vol 68 (5) ◽

pp. 857-879 ◽

Cited By ~ 30

Author(s):

Stephen B. Brandt ◽

Marco Costantini ◽

Sarah Kolesar ◽

Stuart A. Ludsin ◽

Doran M. Mason ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Habitat Quality ◽

Lake Erie ◽

Prey Availability ◽

Spatial Arrangement ◽

Spatially Explicit ◽

Sander Vitreus ◽

Light Conditions ◽

The Impact ◽

Favorable Temperature ◽

East West

In Lake Erie, the duration and extent of hypoxia (dissolved oxygen (DO) ≤ 2 mg·L–1) has increased in recent years, yet little is known on the corresponding impact on its fish, particularly the highly valued walleye ( Sander vitreus ) fishery. Here, we quantified the impact of hypoxia on walleye habitat quality, using a spatially explicit growth rate potential (GRP) modeling approach, which integrates the spatial arrangement of biological (prey availability) and environmental (DO, temperature, irradiance) measures. Data were collected along two types of transects: 60 km north–south transects (each sampled once during day and night) and 5 km east–west transects (sampled every 4 h for 24 h) during August (pre-hypoxia), September (peak-hypoxia), and October (post-hypoxia) 2005. Overall, the average monthly amount of high quality habitat (GRP > 0 g·g–1·day–1) for walleye declined slightly with hypoxia (<2.0%); however, hypoxia appeared to enhance habitat quality by concentrating prey in favorable temperature, DO, and light conditions. In September, percentages of walleye growth rates were at the upper end of the range, much more so than during August or October. Although an understanding of walleye distributions, foraging, and growth in relation to hypoxia is needed, our results do not suggest that hypoxia is negatively influencing walleye through reduced habitat quality.

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Sensitivity of a shark nursery habitat to a changing climate

Marine Ecology Progress Series ◽

10.3354/meps13483 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 652 ◽

pp. 123-136

Author(s):

DP Crear ◽

RJ Latour ◽

MAM Friedrichs ◽

P St-Laurent ◽

KC Weng

Keyword(s):

Climate Change ◽

Chesapeake Bay ◽

Foraging Ecology ◽

Life Stage ◽

Nursery Habitat ◽

Habitat Model ◽

Suitable Habitat ◽

Sandbar Shark ◽

Carcharhinus Plumbeus ◽

Nursery Habitats

Nursery area habitats such as estuaries are vital for the success of many fish populations. Climate change is altering conditions in these areas, which can thus impact the availability of suitable nursery habitat. The sandbar shark Carcharhinus plumbeus uses Chesapeake Bay (USA) as a nursery habitat during the summer months from birth up to 10 yr of age. To assess the impacts of climate change on juvenile sandbar sharks, we developed a habitat model using longline data collected from a fishery-independent survey within Chesapeake Bay. With this model, we projected contemporary and future distributions of suitable habitat for juvenile sandbar sharks in Chesapeake Bay under varying environmental regimes. Predicted suitable juvenile sandbar shark habitat was negatively impacted by future increases in temperature, but positively influenced by future decreases in dissolved oxygen. The latter trend was likely related to the habitat partitioning that occurs between different life stages. Changes in salinity had relatively small impacts. By end-of-century the projected amount of suitable bottom habitat decreased; however, when incorporating the entire water column, projected suitable habitat increased. This suggests that juvenile sandbar sharks may need to make a behavioral shift to avoid non-preferred conditions, which could alter their foraging ecology or refuge strategies. As nursery habitats change with climate change, it is crucial to understand how a species may be impacted during this vital life stage when trying to predict overall species success in the future.

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Compensatory responses by managers, commercial and recreational harvesters to variation in stock abundance of Lake Erie walleye (Sander vitreus vitreus)

10.1101/061143 ◽

2016 ◽

Author(s):

Katrine Turgeon ◽

Kevin B. Reid ◽

John M. Fryxell ◽

Thomas D. Nudds

Keyword(s):

Lake Erie ◽

Fishing Effort ◽

Assessment Process ◽

Risk Governance ◽

Sander Vitreus ◽

Commercial Harvest ◽

Stock Assessments ◽

Governance Processes ◽

Fishery Collapse ◽

Stock Abundance

AbstractDelayed quota adjustments, and/or lagged fishing effort and catch by harvesters, to changes in stock abundance may induce unstable population dynamics and exacerbate the risk of fishery collapse. We examined a 39-y time series of change to quotas by managers, and to effort and catch by both commercial harvesters and anglers, in response to changes in Lake Erie walleye abundance (Sander vitreus) estimated both contemporaneously and retrospectively. Quotas, commercial effort and catch were entrained by contemporaneous estimates of stock abundance. Recreational effort and harvest were not; they had better tracked abundance, as better estimated today, than did the commercial fishery. During the 1990s, a significant mismatch developed between the quota-driven commercial harvest and stock abundance that persisted until a new assessment process obtained. The quasi-open access recreational fishery, instead, freed anglers to respond better to stock abundance. Further elaboration of adaptive risk governance processes, including multi-model inference for stock assessments, may bode well to further reduce risk to fisheries imposed by lagged adjustments to variation in stock abundance.

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