Genetic Structure Among Breeding Herring Gulls (Larus argentatus) from the Great Lakes and Eastern Canada

Herring gulls (Larus argentatus) have been used as sentinel species for exposure to toxic chemicals since the 1960s. Reference populations in these studies have never been characterized to determine whether genetic differences might explain some of the effects seen in gulls at contaminated locations. Previously it was shown that there were higher rates of germline minisatellite DNA mutation rates in herring gulls colonizing sites located near steel industries in urban areas in the Great Lakes. It was suggested that population substructuring among gull colonies could account for differences in the mutation rates observed as a result of surveying different minisatellite loci. Here this explanation is dismissed by showing that genetic exchange among herring gull populations within the Great Lakes appears to be sufficient to ensure genetic homogeneity of these populations; in contrast, differences exist at the minisatellite loci scored between the gulls in the Great Lakes and the Maritimes. It is suggested that reference samples for future Great Lakes herring gull studies be selected from within the Great Lakes, and that potential genetic divergence from Maritime gulls should be investigated in more detail.     

Contaminant Residues in Tissues of Adult and Prefledged Herring Gulls from the Great Lakes in Relation to Diet in the Early 1990s

In the early 1990s, herring gulls (Larus argentatus) were collected in 15 breeding colonies throughout the Great Lakes basin and in two reference colonies on Lake Winnipeg and the Bay of Fundy. Organochlorine and metal concentrations, and stable isotope ratios (¹⁵N/¹⁴N and ¹³C/¹²C) were measured in their tissues, and we qualitatively assessed their diet. Breast muscle δ¹⁵N suggested that adults fed on planctivorous or insectivorous fish at six colonies, on piscivorous fish at four, and at a lower trophic level at the remaining three. The concentrations of Co, Ni, Al, Cr, Sn, Fe, and Pb in kidneys of adults suggested anthropogenic enrichment in the Great Lakes basin. Concentrations of contaminants were highest most often in tissues of gulls from Lake Ontario and northern Lake Michigan colonies. Concentrations of Pb in adults from Hamilton Harbour and the Detroit River, and of Se in adults from the southern Lake Huron colony, were similar to published toxicity thresholds. Tissue levels of Cd have increased, while those of Pb have decreased markedly since 1983. DDE, dieldrin, mirex, and ΣPCB concentrations in livers collected from nine of these colonies revealed declines of 16 to 87% at most locations since the early 1980s. 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin equivalents were highest in adults from the offshore colonies in western Lake Erie and northern Lake Michigan, where gulls feed on piscivorous fish, and were driven by non-ortho PCBs. There was evidence of an unusually high bioavailablity of organochlorines, especially dieldrin, near the northern Lake Michigan colony during the period of chick growth, and of an ongoing loading of mercury to eastern Lake Ontario. Tissues of adult gulls from colonies on Lakes Ontario, Erie, and Michigan best reflect local conditions whereas those from Lake Superior and northern Lake Huron reflect contaminants accumulated from time spent on the lower lakes.     

Genetic Variation in Mitochondrial DNA of North American Herring Gulls,Larus argentatus

The herring gull (Larus argentatus), which is one of the most abundant gulls in temperate North America, is used as an important bioindicator species, but little is known about its patterns of genetic variation. This study examines DNA sequence diversity in the cytochrome b gene of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) from herring gull colonies in the Great Lakes basin and from a site in the Maritimes. A 307-bp fragment of the gene was analyzed using a rapid mutation screening procedure coupling directed termination PCR (DT-PCR) with single-stranded conformation polymorphism (SSCP). Seven mtDNA haplotypes were revealed in 224 specimens with a common haplotype dominating all populations. Direct sequencing of a 1063-bp fragment of the cytochrome b gene identified 8 additional haplotypes, but the sequence divergence among all 15 haplotypes was very low (average 0.24%). These data suggest that herring gulls experienced a bottleneck during the last glaciation that is now reflected in their low levels of genetic divergence. The geographic distribution of mtDNA haplotypes indicates that gene flow among herring gull populations is sufficient to ensure genetic homogeneity in the Great Lakes, but insufficient to homogenize genetic variation between the Great Lakes and the Maritimes. Meanwhile, a comparison analysis of frozen egg specimens suggests a possible shift in the genetic composition of the Great Lakes populations over the last 15 years.     

Rotifer communities in the Laurentian Great Lakes, 1983–2006 and factors affecting their composition

Rotifer communities were examined from the open waters of the Laurentian Great Lakes between 1983 and 2006 in the first inter-lake comparison involving all five lakes. Seventy rotifer taxa were found in summer samples, although most (> 80%) individuals were drawn from the following taxa: Conochilus unicornis, Polyarthra vulgaris, Keratella cochlearis, Kellicottia longispina, Keratella crassa, Synchaeta spp., Polyarthra major, Ploesoma truncatum, Keratella earlinae, and Keratella quadrata. Distributions of Filinia longiseta and several species of Brachionus and Trichocera were restricted to regions of higher trophy, notably the western basin of Lake Erie, but most taxa were widely distributed, differing in relative dominance rather than presence or absence. Rotifer community structure appeared to respond in tractable ways to differences in trophic state, with the four most common genera exhibited the following preferences, in order of decreasing trophy: Polyarthra, Keratella, Conochilus, and Kellicottia. Recent oligotrophication in Lake Huron was reflected in decreases in Keratella dominance and increased dominance of Conochilus, while in Lake Michigan oligotrophication was associated with decreases in Polyarthra and Keratella and increases in Conochilus, and Kellicottia. In Lake Ontario, the appearance of the exotic predatory Cercopagis pengoi was strongly associated with dramatic reductions in Polyarthra, while more gradual sequential increases in the dominance of Keratella, Conochilus and Kellicottia were probably the result of decreasing trophic state. Bythotrephes was identified in multivariate analyses as correlating strongly with rotifer composition, although only in Lake Michigan was a clear relationship between the predatory cladoceran and rotifer species shifts observed.     

Mean Circulation in the Great Lakes

In this paper new maps are presented of mean circulation in the Great Lakes, employing long-term current observations from about 100 Great Lakes moorings during the 1960s to 1980s. Knowledge of the mean circulation in the Great Lakes is important for ecological and management issues because it provides an indication of transport pathways of nutrients and contaminants on longer time scales. Based on the availability of data, summer circulation patterns in all of the Great Lakes, winter circulation patterns in all of the Great Lakes except Lake Superior, and annual circulation patterns in Lakes Erie, Michigan, and Ontario were derived. Winter currents are generally stronger than summer currents, and, therefore, annual circulation closely resembles winter circulation. Circulation patterns tend to be cyclonic (counterclockwise) in the larger lakes (Lake Huron, Lake Michigan, and Lake Superior) with increased cyclonic circulation in winter. In the smaller lakes (Lake Erie and Lake Ontario), winter circulation is characterized by a two-gyre circulation pattern. Summer circulation in the smaller lakes is different; predominantly cyclonic in Lake Ontario and anticyclonic in Lake Erie.     

Beach science in the Great Lakes

Monitoring beach waters for human health has led to an increase and evolution of science in the Great Lakes, which includes microbiology, limnology, hydrology, meteorology, epidemiology, and metagenomics, among others. In recent years, concerns over the accuracy of water quality standards at protecting human health have led to a significant interest in understanding the risk associated with water contact in both freshwater and marine environments. Historically, surface waters have been monitored for fecal indicator bacteria (fecal coliforms, Escherichia coli, enterococci), but shortcomings of the analytical test (lengthy assay) have resulted in a re-focusing of scientific efforts to improve public health protection. Research has led to the discovery of widespread populations of fecal indicator bacteria present in natural habitats such as soils, beach sand, and stranded algae. Microbial source tracking has been used to identify the source of these bacteria and subsequently assess their impact on human health. As a result of many findings, attempts have been made to improve monitoring efficiency and efficacy with the use of empirical predictive models and molecular rapid tests. All along, beach managers have actively incorporated new findings into their monitoring programs. With the abundance of research conducted and information gained over the last 25 years, “Beach Science” has emerged, and the Great Lakes have been a focal point for much of the ground-breaking work. Here, we review the accumulated research on microbiological water quality of Great Lakes beaches and provide a historic context to the collaborative efforts that have advanced this emerging science.     

Light-absorbing components in the Great Lakes

Features of light absorption are critical in regulating the optical signal available for remote sensing. The magnitudes, spectral characteristics, spatial patterns, and, to a lesser extent, dynamics of light-absorbing components are documented for the Laurentian Great Lakes. This includes the open waters of each of the five lakes, and selected rivers, embayments and near-shore areas. The absorption coefficient, a(m^? 1), is partitioned according to the additive components (a_x) of colored dissolved organic matter (a_CDOM), non-algal particles (a_NAP), phytoplankton (a_φ), and water itself (a_w; known). Dependencies of a_x on various metrics of optically active constituents (OACs), cross-sections, are evaluated. A wide range of magnitudes of a_x and a, and contributions of a_x to a are documented. For example, the magnitude of a at a wavelength of 440 nm was nearly 10-fold greater in the western basin of Lake Erie than in the open waters of Lake Huron. Rivers, embayments, and near-shore areas generally had higher levels than the open waters. The largest a_x throughout the system was a_CDOM, originating mostly from terrestrial sources. Most of a_NAP was associated with clay mineral particles. The distribution of a_φ was highly correlated to chlorophyll concentration. The collected data set is appropriate to support initiatives to develop and preliminarily test mechanistic retrieval algorithms for OACs in the Great Lakes.     

Fisheries: Past,Present, and Future in the Great Lakes

Against the background of (1) some major shifts in fisheries research, (2) past use of science in fisheries management, and (3) what society considers valuable, the importance of effective communications and science transfer emerges. These issues are critical to future progress in fisheries and ecosystem management.     

Synthetic Musks in Fish from Urbanized Areas of the Lower Great Lakes,Canada

The concentrations of polycyclic and nitro musks were determined in freshwater fish from two urbanized areas in the lower Great Lakes: Hamilton Harbour in western Lake Ontario, and the Detroit River and nearby western Lake Erie. Fish collected included brown bullhead (Ameiurus nebulosus), gizzard shad (Dorosoma cepedianum), white perch (Morone americana), yellow perch (Perca fluviatilus), and a single walleye (Stizostedion vitreum). No residues of nitro musks were detected in any of the fish, but since no attempt was made to analyze for the amino-metabolites of these compounds, it cannot be ruled out that these metabolites were present in the fish tissues. Fish from Hamilton Harbour had higher concentrations of polycyclic musks in their tissues than fish from the Detroit River, with a single yellow perch from Hamilton Harbour having the highest concentration of total polycyclic musks of 945 ng/g wet weight. The three polycyclic musk compounds present in the highest concentrations in fish were, in order of relative concentration, Galaxolide^® (i.e, HHCB) > Tonalide^® (i.e., AHTN) > Traseolide^® (i.e., ATII). Lower concentrations of Celestolide^® (i.e., ADBI) and Phantolide^® (i.e., AHMI) were also detected. There appeared to be species-dependent variability in the accumulation of musks that may be related to differences in the capacity of fish to metabolize these compounds.     

Contaminant Analysis of Fillets from Great Lakes Coho Salmon, 1980

Analyses of coho salmon from each of the Great Lakes by a single laboratory produced residue data on the accumulation of environmental contaminants which have been banned, severely restricted, or are currently permitted in the basin. Coho salmon from Lake Superior contained only trace amounts or low levels of most toxic substances quantified; Lake Erie fish were contaminated with low levels of a number of pesticides and industrial compounds; relatively higher residues were detected in coho from Lake Huron and Lake Michigan; and the highest concentrations for a number of compounds were found in fillets from coho from Lake Ontario. Contaminant concentrations in migratory coho salmon indicate open lake contaminant problems rather than point source or nearshore conditions. Tissue residues were less than USFDA action levels, used by many agencies in assessing the severity of fish contaminant problems. Only mirex concentrations in fish collected from Lake Ontario exceeded a USFDA action level. The data reported in this study generally agree with recent findings from individual state contaminant monitoring programs. Problems with varying analytical and sampling techniques preclude direct comparisons with previously published data of other studies.     

Toxaphene trends in the Great Lakes fish

As part of the U.S. Great Lakes Fish Monitoring and Surveillance Program (GLFMSP), more than 300 lake trout (Salvelinus namaycush) and walleye (Stizostedion vitreum vitreum) collected from the Laurentian Great Lakes each year from 2004 to 2009, have been analyzed for total toxaphene and eight selected congeners. The analytical results show fish toxaphene concentrations are quite different among lakes. Between 2004 and 2009, Lake Superior lake trout had the highest concentration (119 to 482 ng/g) and Lake Erie walleye had the lowest concentration (18 to 47 ng/g). Combining these results with the historical total toxaphene data (1977–2003), temporal changes were examined for each lake. Because of different analytical methods used in the previous studies, the historical data were adjusted using a factor of 0.56 based on a previous inter-method comparison in our laboratory. Trend analysis using an exponential decay regression showed that toxaphene in Great Lakes fish exhibited a significant decrease in all of the lakes with t_1/2 (confidence interval) of 0.9 (0.8–1.1) years for Lake Erie walleye, 3.8 (3.5–4.1) years for Lake Huron lake trout, 5.6 (5.1–6.1) years for Lake Michigan lake trout, 7.5 (6.7–8.4) years for Lake Ontario lake trout and 10.1 (8.2–13.2) years for Lake Superior lake trout. Parlars 26, 50 and 62 were the dominant toxaphene congeners accounting for 0.53% to 41.7% of the total toxaphene concentration. Concentrations of these congeners generally also decreased over time.     

Origin and Evolution of the Great Lakes

This paper presents a synthesis of traditional and recently published work regarding the origin and evolution of the Great Lakes. It differs from previously published reviews by focusing on three topics critical to the development of the Great Lakes: the glaciation of the Great Lakes watershed during the late Cenozoic, the evolution of the Great Lakes since the last glacial maximum, and the record of lake levels and coastal erosion in modern times.The Great Lakes are a product of glacial scour and were partially or totally covered by glacier ice at least six times since 0.78 Ma. During retreat of the last ice sheet large proglacial lakes developed in the Great Lakes watershed. Their levels and areas varied considerably as the oscillating ice margin opened and closed outlets at differing elevations and locations; they were also significantly affected by channel downcutting, crustal rebound, and catastrophic inflows from other large glacial lakes.Today, lake level changes of about a 1/3 m annually, and up to 2 m over 10 to 20 year time periods, are mainly climatically-driven. Various engineering works provide small control on lake levels for some but not all the Great Lakes. Although not as pronounced as former changes, these subtle variations in lake level have had a significant effect on shoreline erosion, which is often a major concern of coastal residents.     

Nonpoint N Runoff from Agricultural Watersheds into the Great Lakes

Eleven agricultural watersheds were continuously monitored for discharge and intensively sampled for runoff N, 1975-77, as part of the IJC Pollution from Land Use Activities Reference Group (PLUARG), Task Group C (Canadian). The watersheds, located in southern Ontario, were sampled between 30 to more than 500 times for NH₄-N, N0₃+N0₂-N, and total Kjeldahl N (TKN).The predominant chemical form of runoff N was N0₃-N with flow weighted concentration means on sampled days ranging from 0.57 to 5.62 mg/L. In contrast, TKN means ranged from 0.64 mg/L to 2.37 mg/L while average soluble NH₄-N concentrations varied from 0.03 mg/L to 0.60 mg/L. High runoff N0₃-N concentrations occurred from watersheds with extensive areas of tile drainage, row crops (especially com), and high kg/ha fertilizer N application rates. Elevated stream TKN concentrations were associated with watersheds with more impermeable soils.Stream N0₃-N loadings ranged from 2.1 ± 0.2 to 39.0 ± 7.6 kg N0₃-N/watershed ha. Significant N fertility losses in excess of 30 kg N0₃-N ha occurred from some watersheds, while other watersheds with extensive areas of hay and pasture and unimproved land gained more N0₃-N in precipitation than was lost as runoff. TKN loads averaged 32% and 25% of total N runoff for the 11 watersheds in 1975 and 1976 respectively. Efforts to reduce Ontario watershed N runoff should concentrate first on soluble N and therefore on improved efficiency of N fertilizer use on the extensive areas of tile drained corn in the lower Great Lakes basin. The effectiveness of standard soil erosion control methods, including grassed waterways and contour planting, should be investigated for reduction of TKN runoff.     

Dreissenid mussels from the Great Lakes contain elevated thiaminase activity

We examined thiaminase activity in dreissenid mussels collected at different depths and seasons, and from various locations in Lakes Michigan, Ontario, and Huron. Here we present evidence that two dreissenid mussel species (Dreissena bugensis and D. polymorpha) contain thiaminase activity that is 5–100 fold greater than observed in Great Lakes fishes. Thiaminase activity in zebra mussels ranged from 10,600 to 47,900 pmol g^− 1·min^− 1 and activities in quagga mussels ranged from 19,500 to 223,800 pmol g^− 1·min^− 1. Activity in the mussels was greatest in spring, less in summer, and least in fall. Additionally, we observed greater thiaminase activity in dreissenid mussels collected at shallow depths compared to mussels collected at deeper depths. Dreissenids constitute a significant and previously unknown pool of thiaminase in the Great Lakes food web compared to other known sources of this thiamine (vitamin B₁)-degrading enzyme. Thiaminase in forage fish of the Great Lakes has been causally linked to thiamine deficiency in salmonines. We currently do not know whether linkages exist between thiaminase activities observed in dreissenids and the thiaminase activities in higher trophic levels of the Great Lakes food web. However, the extreme thiaminase activities observed in dreissenids from the Great Lakes may represent a serious unanticipated negative effect of these exotic species on Great Lakes ecosystems.     

First Isolation of Legionella Pneumophila from the Canadian Great Lakes

Two of 52 water samples collected during September and October 1981 from the Canadian Great Lakes were found to contain the organism Legionella pneumophila. Both positive samples contained only Legionella pneumophila serogroup six.     

Checklist of Diatoms from the Laurentian Great Lakes. II

An updated diatom (Bacillariophyta) checklist for the Great Lakes is provided. The present checklist supplants the preliminary checklist published in The Journal for Great Lakes Research in 1978 and effectively represents a 20-year update. A series of procedures were used in this update which included: a reexamination of taxa reported in the 1978 list, additions of taxa reported from the Great Lakes during the past 20 years, and a revision of taxonomy, commensurate with systematic and nomenclatural changes which have occurred primarily during the past 8 years. 1488 diatom species or subordinate taxa are considered to be correct reports from the Great Lakes out of the 2188 diatom entities reported in the list. Of the 124 genera reported 105 are considered to be names in current use. The number of diatom species reported represents a 16.5% increase and the number of genera reported represents a 78% increase over those reported in the 1978 checklist. 13% of the species reported and 32% of the genera reported are due solely to nomenclatural changes. Results indicate that Great Lakes diatoms are a biodiverse component of the ecosystem, commensurate with the wide range of habitats found in the system. The present checklist indicates that most of the newly added species are primarily benthic or periphytic in nature and these represent largely understudied habitats. These results suggest that the present checklist may only represent approximately 70% or less of the extant diatom flora of the Great Lakes system.     

Great Lakes Research: Past,Present, and Future

A review of 25 years of Great Lakes research suggests that major revisions in research needs and objectives are cyclical, and occur in times of crisis. Estimates of future research directions are offered in view of the potential for anticipated crises. A major research need is expected to be the question of diversions and consumptive withdrawals of Great Lakes water as a function of expected water shortages in agricultural production areas of the United States. This paper is a synopsis of remarks presented before the Silver Jubilee Meeting of the International Association for Great Lakes Research in Windsor, Ontario, Canada, on 13 January 1983.     

Algal-Available Phosphorus in Suspended Sediments from Lower Great Lakes Tributaries

Suspended sediments collected from five tributaries to the lower Great Lakes were chemically analyzed for several forms of phosphorus and bioassayed under aerobic conditions to measure the release of algal-available phosphorus. The bioassay data for all samples, interpreted through a first-order model of available phosphorus release, showed an average of 21.8 percent of the total paniculate phosphorus ultimately was available to Selenastrum capricornutum, and available phosphorus was released at an average rate of 0.154 day^?1. Amounts of available phosphorus varied considerably between tributaries with the Ohio tributaries (Maumee, Sandusky, and Cuyahoga Rivers) showing generally greater amounts than those in New York (Cattaraugus and Genesee Rivers). Non-apatite fractions of inorganic phosphorus (base-, and reductant-extractable) correlated well with levels of available phosphorus in the suspended sediment samples; however, the first-order release coefficients showed little dependency on the paniculate phosphorus characteristics. The results indicate that prediction of phosphorus dynamics in the lower Great Lakes may be made with greater accuracy than current models allow by considering available phosphorus to be released from an ultimately-available fraction of the total paniculate phosphorus during residence in the water column.     

Spectral Attenuation and Irradiance in the Laurentian Great Lakes

Optical data collected between 1973 and 1979 are utilized to study spectral attenuation and irradiance in the midlake waters of four Laurentian Great Lakes. Particular attention is given to the photosynthetic available radiation (PAR), its incident spectral distribution, its spectral attenuation, and its qualitative change with depth. Curves are shown illustrating these spectral properties as well as the relationships between PAR and the photosynthetic usable radiation (PUR) for each of the lakes. These curves, along with the included mathematical relationships, enable quantitative estimates to be obtained of incident PAR, subsurface PAR, and subsurface PUR, and qualitative information to be obtained on subsurface irradiance levels for the Laurentian Great Lakes.