Benthic Habitats and the Effects of Fishing

2005 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Great Lakes ◽  
Dreissena Polymorpha ◽  
Lake Michigan ◽  
Round Goby ◽  
Sidescan Sonar ◽  
Benthic Habitat ◽  
Indigenous Species ◽  
Dreissena Bugensis ◽  
Sensing Technology ◽  
Non Indigenous Species

Colonization by dreissenid mussels, <em>Dreissena polymorpha </em>(Zebra) and <em>Dreissena bugensis </em>(Quagga), is one of the more ecologically important events to occur in the Great Lakes during the last decade. Since their introduction into the Great Lakes, dreissenids have colonized both soft and hard substrates to depths of 80 m and reached average densities of 40,000 mussels m<sup>-2</sup> in the littoral zone. Because of high densities and widespread distribution, they have modified habitats for benthos and fishes and fostered growth and proliferation of non-indigenous species, such as the round goby and a Black Sea amphipod, <em>Echinogammarus</em>. In 2001, we used multibeam sonar to characterize the benthic habitat in Lake Michigan and acoustic remote sensing technology (sidescan sonar and acoustic bottom classification) to extend and extrapolate information on dreissenid distributions from spatially limited observations. These observations were combined with discrete in situ (video and SCUBA) observations in a geographic information system (GIS). We used this system to link dreissenid distribution with substrate type, morphology and depth. These data are critical inputs to modeling the ecological implications of dreissenid filtering on algal biomass and composition in the Great Lakes over changing environmental conditions.

Burbot: Ecology, Management, and Culture

2008 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Great Lakes ◽  
Dreissena Polymorpha ◽  
Native Species ◽  
Lake Michigan ◽  
Round Goby ◽  
Lake Huron ◽  
Lower Growth ◽  
Quagga Mussels ◽  
Western Lake ◽  
Round Gobies

<em>Abstract.</em>—Burbot <em>Lota lota </em>is a native species of cod (Gadidae) found in the coldwater regions of all five Laurentian Great Lakes. Burbot age-at-length data from along western Lake Huron showed that fish reached 18 years of age. Fish age 7 and younger grew more slowly in southern Lake Huron than in north-central and northern Lake Huron, while this trend was reversed for fish ≥ 8 years old. Burbot growth and diet data were recorded for fish collected near Leland, Fairport, and Bridgman (D. C. Cook nuclear power plant), Michigan and Washington Island, Wisconsin in Lake Michigan and Alpena, Michigan in northern Lake Huron to determine changes in growth and diet with the recent invasion of the nonindigenous round goby <em>Neogobius melanostomus</em>. We compared burbot growth at four length intervals (500–800 mm) among these locations and found significantly lower growth at Alpena compared with the other sites; burbot from Bridgman at 500 and 600 mm were the lightest among all sites. Burbot diets have changed substantially in some areas from native fish and invertebrate species to a diet that includes large proportions of the nonindigenous round goby (77% by wet weight in Lake Huron near Alpena, 53% in Lake Michigan near Fairport). Establishment of round gobies in the open waters of the Great Lakes is likely to change coldwater food webs, including replacement of sculpins (<em>Cottus </em>spp.) at depths up to 70 m, where round gobies have been found. Burbot, whose diets were composed of large amounts of round gobies, showed lower growth, and there is a potential for decreased bioaccumulation of toxic substances because round gobies consume zebra mussels <em>Dreissena polymorpha </em>and quagga mussels <em>D. bugensis</em>, which are lower in the food chain than organisms that native species eat.

scholarly journals Has Dreissena polymorpha, an older immigrant in a coastal Baltic lagoon, responded to appearance of a new non-indigenous dreissenid?

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Brygida Wawrzyniak-Wydrowska ◽  
Anna Skrzypacz ◽  
Adam Wozniczka ◽  
Teresa Radziejewska
Keyword(s):  
Population Structure ◽  
Size Distribution ◽  
Zebra Mussel ◽  
Dreissena Polymorpha ◽  
Indigenous Species ◽  
Large Share ◽  
Szczecin Lagoon ◽  
The North ◽  
Clear Peak ◽  
Non Indigenous Species

Although a non-indigenous species, Dreissena polymorpha (zebra mussel) has constituted a constant and abundant component of the Szczecin Lagoon biota. A congeneric dreissenid, D. rostriformis bugensis (quagga), was first recorded in the north of the Lagoon in 2014, already in abundance. In summer 2015, the quagga dominated over the zebra mussel in abundance and biomass. Quagga individuals there were much larger than those of D. polymorpha, while elsewhere in the Lagoon the zebra mussel still dominated the dreissenid assemblages. In summer 2016, the population structure of D. r. bugensis was substantially modified and its abundance was greatly reduced. D. polymorpha became the dominant again. In terms of biomass, after the initial domination, D. r. bugensis biomass declined substantially. The zebra mussel, although represented mostly by small individuals, has become a biomass dominant too on account of its high abundance. As of mid-2016, there has been no clear peak (evidencing the appearance of juveniles) in the quagga size distribution. The recent dreissenid samples show a large share of empty quagga shells, an effect not observed earlier. Therefore, it is plausible that the older immigrant, so far at least, has outcompeted the newcomer.

Lethal and sublethal effects of sponge overgrowth on introduced dreissenid mussels in the Great Lakes – St. Lawrence River system

1995 ◽  
Vol 52 (12) ◽  
pp. 2695-2703 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anthony Ricciardi ◽  
Fred L. Snyder ◽  
David O. Kelch ◽  
Henry M. Reiswig
Keyword(s):  
Great Lakes ◽  
Dreissena Polymorpha ◽  
Sublethal Effects ◽  
Artificial Reef ◽  
River System ◽  
High Rate ◽  
Freshwater Sponges ◽  
Dreissena Bugensis ◽  
Weight Losses ◽  
St Lawrence River

Freshwater sponges in the Great Lakes – St. Lawrence River system overgrow and kill introduced zebra (Dreissena polymorpha) and quagga mussels (Dreissena bugensis) on solid substrates. Sponges overgrow and smother mussel siphons, thereby interfering with normal feeding and respiration. We tested the significance of sponge-enhanced mussel mortality by repeated sampling at several sites where both organisms were abundant in the upper St. Lawrence River and on an artificial reef in central Lake Erie. A small proportion (<10%) of the dreissenid population at each site was overgrown by sponge. Mussel colonies that were completely overgrown for 1 or more months invariably contained a significantly greater proportion of dead mussels than local uncovered populations. Mussels that survived prolonged periods (4–6 months) of overgrowth suffered significant tissue weight losses. Laboratory experiments and field observations suggest that dreissenids are not able to colonize sponges; therefore, sponges should always dominate competitive overgrowth situations. The overall impact of sponges on dreissenid populations in the Great Lakes – St. Lawrence River system will probably be negligible because of the high rate of mussel recruitment and the environmental constraints on sponge growth; however, our results suggest that sponges may control mussel abundance locally.

scholarly journals Spatiotemporal variability in energetic condition of alewife and round goby in Lake Michigan

2019 ◽  
Vol 76 (11) ◽  
pp. 1982-1992 ◽  
Author(s):  
David B. Bunnell ◽  
Steven A. Pothoven ◽  
Patricia M. Armenio ◽  
Lauren Eaton ◽  
David M. Warner ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Great Lakes ◽  
Lake Michigan ◽  
Round Goby ◽  
Neogobius Melanostomus ◽  
Spatiotemporal Variability ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Alosa Pseudoharengus ◽  
Prey Fish ◽  
Important Prey ◽  
Energetic Condition

Pelagic-oriented alewife (Alosa pseudoharengus) and benthic-oriented round goby (Neogobius melanostomus) are two important prey fishes in the Laurentian Great Lakes. In 2015, we evaluated their seasonal total energy (TE) across nine Lake Michigan transects. Round goby contained at least 48% more kilojoules of TE than alewife of equal length during spring and summer. TE varied spatially for both species, but only large alewife exhibited a consistent pattern, with higher values along the eastern shoreline. Variation in TE was not explained by site-specific prey densities for either species. Round goby energy density (ED) was higher in Lake Michigan than in central Lake Erie, but comparable to other regions of the Great Lakes. Alewife ED in 2015 was similar to that in 2002–2004 in Lake Michigan, with the exception of November (small alewife ED was 21% higher) and April (large alewife ED was 30% lower). Despite oligotrophication, our study suggests that starvation of juvenile and adults has not been directly contributing to overall declining prey fish abundance, although future research should evaluate the potential for overwinter starvation.

scholarly journals Has Dreissena polymorpha, an older immigrant in a coastal Baltic lagoon, responded to appearance of a new non-indigenous dreissenid?

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Brygida Wawrzyniak-Wydrowska ◽  
Anna Skrzypacz ◽  
Adam Wozniczka ◽  
Teresa Radziejewska
Keyword(s):  
Population Structure ◽  
Size Distribution ◽  
Zebra Mussel ◽  
Dreissena Polymorpha ◽  
Indigenous Species ◽  
Large Share ◽  
Szczecin Lagoon ◽  
The North ◽  
Clear Peak ◽  
Non Indigenous Species

Although a non-indigenous species, Dreissena polymorpha (zebra mussel) has constituted a constant and abundant component of the Szczecin Lagoon biota. A congeneric dreissenid, D. rostriformis bugensis (quagga), was first recorded in the north of the Lagoon in 2014, already in abundance. In summer 2015, the quagga dominated over the zebra mussel in abundance and biomass. Quagga individuals there were much larger than those of D. polymorpha, while elsewhere in the Lagoon the zebra mussel still dominated the dreissenid assemblages. In summer 2016, the population structure of D. r. bugensis was substantially modified and its abundance was greatly reduced. D. polymorpha became the dominant again. In terms of biomass, after the initial domination, D. r. bugensis biomass declined substantially. The zebra mussel, although represented mostly by small individuals, has become a biomass dominant too on account of its high abundance. As of mid-2016, there has been no clear peak (evidencing the appearance of juveniles) in the quagga size distribution. The recent dreissenid samples show a large share of empty quagga shells, an effect not observed earlier. Therefore, it is plausible that the older immigrant, so far at least, has outcompeted the newcomer.

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