scholarly journals Proximity to Riparian Wetlands Increases Mercury Burden in Fish in the Upper St. Lawrence River

Water ◽  
2022 ◽  
Vol 14 (1) ◽  
pp. 70
Author(s):  
Autumn Osgood ◽  
Evie S. Brahmstedt ◽  
Matthew J.S. Windle ◽  
Thomas M. Holsen ◽  
Michael R. Twiss
Keyword(s):  
Yellow Perch ◽  
Round Goby ◽  
Perca Flavescens ◽  
Neogobius Melanostomus ◽  
Water Level Fluctuations ◽  
Riparian Wetlands ◽  
Fish Consumption Advisories ◽  
Round Gobies ◽  
Wetland Habitats ◽  
St Lawrence River

Mercury deposited in the Upper St. Lawrence River watershed by atmospheric deposition accumulated in riparian wetlands and is at risk of remobilization due to water level fluctuations. To examine if riparian wetlands are a source of mercury to fish, 174 yellow perch (Perca flavescens) and 145 round gobies (Neogobius melanostomus) were collected in 2019 from eight wetland and seven non-wetland habitats throughout the Upper St. Lawrence River. Mercury levels were significantly (p < 0.01) higher in fish collected from wetlands than those collected from non-wetland habitats for both yellow perch and round goby. Perch had mercury concentrations of 74.5 ± 35.4 ng/g dry wt in wetlands compared to 59.9 ± 23.0 ng/g dry wt in non-wetlands. Goby had mercury concentrations of 55.4 ± 13.8 ng/g dry wt in wetlands and non-wetland concentrations of 41.0 ± 14.0 ng/g dry wt. Riparian wetlands are areas of elevated mercury methylation and mobilization in the Upper St. Lawrence River and consequences to predators should be considered from the perspective of both wildlife preservation as well as fish consumption advisories for public health concerns.

scholarly journals First Occurrence of the Round Goby, Neogobius melanostomus, in the St. Lawrence River at Cornwall, Ontario

2005 ◽  
Vol 119 (4) ◽  
pp. 582 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. Brian C. Hickey ◽  
Adrienne R. Fowlie
Keyword(s):  
Round Goby ◽  
Scuba Diving ◽  
Neogobius Melanostomus ◽  
Benthic Fish ◽  
First Occurrence ◽  
Round Gobies ◽  
St Lawrence River

We document the first reported occurrence of the Round Goby, Neogobius melanostomus, a small benthic fish native to the Black and Caspian seas, in the St. Lawrence River near Cornwall. On 7 September 2004, we observed approximately 20 Round Gobies while SCUBA diving at a depth of 7 m, downstream of the Saunders Generating Station at Cornwall, Ontario. Round Gobies appear to have arrived recently in this reach of the river and have not previously been detected despite extensive fish surveys conducted in the area.

Infection of Diplostomum spp. in invasive round gobies in the St Lawrence River, Canada

2021 ◽  
Vol 95 ◽  
Author(s):  
D.J. Marcogliese ◽  
S.A. Locke
Keyword(s):  
Relative Abundance ◽  
Round Goby ◽  
Dilution Effect ◽  
Common Species ◽  
Molecular Techniques ◽  
Neogobius Melanostomus ◽  
Native Fishes ◽  
Low Levels ◽  
Round Gobies ◽  
St Lawrence River

Abstract The round goby (Neogobius melanostomus) is a successful invader of the Great Lakes–St Lawrence River basin that harbours a number of local parasites. The most common are metacercariae of the genus Diplostomum. Species of Diplostomum are morphologically difficult to distinguish but can be separated using molecular techniques. While a few species have been sequenced from invasive round gobies in this study system, their relative abundance has not been documented. The purpose of this study was to determine the species composition of Diplostomum spp. and their relative abundance in round gobies in the St Lawrence River by sequencing the barcode region of cytochrome c oxidase I. In 2007–2011, Diplostomum huronense (=Diplostomum sp. 1) was the most common, followed in order by Diplostomum indistinctum (=Diplostomum sp. 4) and Diplostomum indistinctum sensu Galazzo, Dayanandan, Marcogliese & McLaughlin (2002). In 2012, the most common species infecting the round goby in the St Lawrence River was D. huronense, followed by D. indistinctum and Diplostomum gavium (=Diplostomum sp. 3). The invasion of the round goby in the St Lawrence River was followed by a decline of Diplostomum spp. in native fishes to low levels, leading to the previously published hypothesis that the presence of the round goby has led to a dilution effect. Herein, it is suggested that despite the low infection levels in the round goby, infections still may lead to spillback, helping to maintain Diplostomum spp. in native fishes, albeit at low levels.

RNA-sequencing to assess the health of wild yellow perch (Perca flavescens) populations from the St. Lawrence River, Canada

2018 ◽  
Vol 243 ◽  
pp. 1657-1668 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michel A. Defo ◽  
Mélanie Douville ◽  
Maeva Giraudo ◽  
Philippe Brodeur ◽  
Monique Boily ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Rna Sequencing ◽  
Yellow Perch ◽  
Perca Flavescens ◽  
St Lawrence River

Muskellunge Management: Fifty Years of Cooperation Among Anglers, Scientists, and Fisheries Biologists

2017 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Size Structure ◽  
Population Decline ◽  
Round Goby ◽  
Management Plan ◽  
Neogobius Melanostomus ◽  
Before And After ◽  
Catch Rates ◽  
Survival Studies ◽  
St Lawrence River

<em>Abstract</em>.— Long-term research indicates a significant and ongoing decline within the upper St. Lawrence River Muskellunge <em>Esox masquinongy </em>population. Index surveys show a sharp reduction in catch of both spawning adults and age-0 Muskellunge, and catch rates by anglers have similarly declined while harvest remains low. Other changes associated with population decline include presence of fewer female adult Muskellunge and a change in adult Muskellunge size structure (increase in proportion of fish <1,016 mm) in addition to more large individuals greater than 1,372 mm. A significant adult die-off occurred from 2005 to 2008 (103 adults recovered in U.S. and Canadian waters) concomitant with an outbreak of viral hemorrhagic septicemia (VHS). These population changes were also temporally correlated with detection and proliferation of invasive Round Goby <em>Neogobius melanostomus</em>, a known VHS virus (VHSV) reservoir, egg predator, and competitor with native fishes. Comparisons of index netting before and after VHSV and Round Goby invasions suggest a direct link to the decline, but because these are correlations, we can only explore these effects. To examine the viability of Muskellunge nursery sites, we repeated survival studies conducted in the early 1990s with experimental releases of advanced fry at four locations during 2013–2015. Findings indicate contribution to age-0 populations, but catches poststocking (wild and stocked) were lower compared to the 1990s. We review information regarding potential stressors, including VHSV and Round Goby invasion, and conclude that their combined effects have created significant uncertainty and challenges to sustainable management of the Muskellunge population. In response, the St. Lawrence River Muskellunge management plan should be updated with a focus on restoration of the declining Muskellunge stock. Recommended actions target advancing conservation and restoration of critical habitat, restoring lost subpopulations, and reducing mortality associated with angling (e.g., from handling and harvest).

Parasites of round goby, Neogobius melanostomus, currently invading the Elbe River

2019 ◽  
Vol 48 (1) ◽  
pp. 56-65 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yuriy Kvach ◽  
Markéta Ondračková ◽  
Michal Janáč ◽  
Vadym Krasnovyd ◽  
Mária Seifertová ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Round Goby ◽  
Parasite Community ◽  
Neogobius Melanostomus ◽  
Published Data ◽  
Tidal Zone ◽  
New Host ◽  
The North ◽  
Round Gobies ◽  
The Elbe River ◽  
The One

Abstract The round goby, Neogobius melanostomus, is a Ponto-Caspian fish species currently found in many parts of Europe, including the North Sea riverine deltas. The objective of this study was to examine the parasite community of fish caught in the lower Elbe (Süderelbe – tidal zone; Geesthacht – non-tidal) in Germany and compare it with published data from the upper Elbe (Ústí nad Labem) in the Czech Republic. Twelve parasite taxa were recorded in the lower Elbe, six in the Süderelbe and nine near the city of Geesthacht. Süderelbe fish were mainly infected with Angullicola crassus larvae, while gobies from Geesthacht – with glochidia and sporadically occurring Pomporhynchus laevis, and the opposite situation was observed at Ústí nad Labem. It appears that a large tidal weir at Geesthacht significantly contributes to the division of the round goby population, with the Geesthacht parasite community being more similar to that at Ústí nad Labem than the one from the Süderelbe, thus increasing the likelihood that shipping from Hamburg was the introduction vector to Ústí nad Labem. We also recorded Acanthocephalus rhinensis in the Elbe for the first time, and in a new host – the round goby. Thus, round gobies may represent a new vector for the introduction of this parasite along the Elbe.

Reproductive female round gobies (Neogobius melanostomus) are attracted to visual male models at a nest rather than to olfactory stimuli in urine of reproductive males

Behaviour ◽  
2010 ◽  
Vol 147 (1) ◽  
pp. 121-132 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stan Yavno ◽  
Lynda Corkum
Keyword(s):  
Round Goby ◽  
Neogobius Melanostomus ◽  
Visual Signals ◽  
Invasive Fish ◽  
Reproductive Female ◽  
Olfactory Stimuli ◽  
Reproductive Male ◽  
Round Gobies ◽  
Male Model ◽  
Reproductive Females

AbstractFish are known to communicate in many ways and commonly use olfactory and visual signals. When round goby (Neogobius melanostomus) males become reproductive, they change from mottled grey to black and release sex steroids in their urine. In this study, we conducted a laboratory experiment to determine if reproductive female round gobies were attracted to a combination of olfactory (urine) and visual (silicone models) stimuli, representing reproductive and non-reproductive male round gobies. Females spent significantly more time at a nest with a black reproductive male model compared with a mottled non-reproductive male model. Neither urine type nor the interaction between model type and urine affected the time spent by reproductive females at a nest. Knowledge of the reproductive habits of the round goby may enable researchers to develop a method of species control for this invasive fish by manipulating its breeding habits.

scholarly journals Shape Analysis of Otoliths of the Round goby, Neogobius melanostomus (Gobiiformes, Gobiidae), from the Black Sea Basin

Zoodiversity ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 55 (4) ◽  
pp. 317-330
Author(s):  
V. Zamorov ◽  
M. Zamorova ◽  
D. Krupko ◽  
N. Matvienko ◽  
Y. Leonchyk ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Discriminant Analysis ◽  
Black Sea ◽  
Sagittal Plane ◽  
Round Goby ◽  
Neogobius Melanostomus ◽  
The Black Sea ◽  
Strong Response ◽  
Linear Discriminant ◽  
The North ◽  
Round Gobies

The aim of this study was to assess the discriminability of the stocks of the round goby Neogobius melanostomus based on the shape of its otoliths. Recent otolith-shape-based species and stock discrimination studies were using otolith contours in sagittal plane and we are following this approach. We hypothesized the possibility of existence of several geographically separated populations of the round goby. Round gobies have been sampled from different locations of the North-Western Black Sea, otoliths were removed in course of the full biological analysis and photographed in sagittal plane. Principal components of the otolith contour were processed by linear discriminant analysis aiming to cross-validate the discriminability of round gobies placed at different geographical locations. This would allow demonstration of different stocks or populations. This research allows to conclude the limited applicability of otolith contours for discrimination of stocks or populations of round goby based on multiple annual samples. However, neither classification matrices of discriminant analysis nor cluster analysis dendrograms showed a single pattern except for the high year to year otoliths variability. This allows to hypothesise a strong response of contour formation to habitat and feeding conditions. However, this assumption needs to be verified by further studies.

The impact of introduced round gobies (Neogobius melanostomus) on phosphorus cycling in central Lake Erie

2005 ◽  
Vol 62 (1) ◽  
pp. 15-29 ◽  
Author(s):  
David B Bunnell ◽  
Timothy B Johnson ◽  
Carey T Knight
Keyword(s):  
Lake Erie ◽  
Round Goby ◽  
Neogobius Melanostomus ◽  
Phosphorus Cycling ◽  
High Mass ◽  
Introduced Fish ◽  
Bioenergetic Model ◽  
Phosphorus Excretion ◽  
Round Gobies ◽  
The Impact

We used an individual-based bioenergetic model to simulate the phosphorus flux of the round goby (Neogobius melanostomus) population in central Lake Erie during 1995–2002. Estimates of round goby diet composition, growth rates, and population abundance were derived from field sampling. As an abundant introduced fish, we predicted that round gobies would influence phosphorus cycling both directly, through excretion, and indirectly, through consumption of dreissenid mussels, whose high mass-specific phosphorus excretion enhances recycling. In 1999, when age-1+ round gobies reached peak abundance near 350 million (2.4 kg·ha–1), annual phosphorus excretion was estimated at 7 t (1.4 × 10–3 mg P·m–2·day–1). From an ecosystem perspective, however, round gobies excreted only 0.4% of the phosphorus needed by the benthic community for primary production. Indirectly, round gobies consumed <0.2% of dreissenid population biomass, indicating that round gobies did not reduce nutrient availability by consuming dreissenids. Compared with previous studies that have revealed introduced species to influence phosphorus cycling, round gobies likely did not attain a sufficiently high biomass density to influence phosphorus cycling in Lake Erie.

7. Measuring the Rate of Mercury Loss in Amphipod Gut and Tissues after Exposure to Contaminated Sediments

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jonathan Martin
Keyword(s):  
Food Webs ◽  
Yellow Perch ◽  
Food Source ◽  
Perca Flavescens ◽  
Artificial Substrates ◽  
Gut Contents ◽  
Before And After ◽  
Aquatic Food ◽  
Health Canada ◽  
St Lawrence River

Mercury (Hg) contamination of the St. Lawrence River along the Cornwall waterfront is the result of over a century of industrial inputs. Yellow perch (Perca flavescens) are contaminated above the consumption guidelines deemed safe by Health Canada in one of three contaminated depositional zones. Amphipods are crustaceans that play an important role in aquatic food webs, and a recent study of the diet of yellow perch showed that amphipods were the primary food source of yellow perch in these zones and that amphipods showed similar patterns of Hg contamination. However, not all Hg taken up by amphipods is bioavailable. That is, not all Hg is incorporated into the tissues and available for uptake by yellow perch. To determine if Hg analyses of amphipods are biased by Hg present in their gut contents, the rate of Hg loss was measured from the gut and tissues. Amphipods were collected in the field using artificial substrates. A sample was frozen immediately upon retrieval, and the remaining amphipods were kept in a sieve in a basin of filtered river water. Amphipods were then sampled over 16 days to compare Hg concentrations in gut contents and tissues before and after they were removed from the Hg source in the field. The data were used to estimate the portion of Hg bioavailable to yellow perch. This enables us to more accurately estimate the extent of Hg contamination that is moving through the Cornwall food web, leading to elevated concentrations in top trophic fish species.

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