Measures of larval lake whitefish length and abundance as early predictors of year-class strength in Lake Michigan |
| |
| Authors: | Randall M Claramunt Andrew M Muir Trent M Sutton Paul J Peeters Mark P Ebener John D Fitzsimons Marten A Koops |
| |
| Affiliation: | 1. U. S. Geological Survey, Great Lakes Science Center, 1451 Green Road, Ann Arbor, MI 48105, USA;2. Michigan State University, Hammond Bay Biological Station, 11188 Ray Road, Millersburg, MI 49759, USA;3. Large Lakes Observatory and Department of Geological Sciences, University of Minnesota-Duluth, 2205 E. 5th St., Research Laboratory Building 215, Duluth, MN 55812, USA;4. Great Lakes Fishery Commission, 2100 Commonwealth Blvd., Suite 100, Ann Arbor, MI 48105, USA;5. School of Freshwater Sciences, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, 600 E. Greenfield Ave., Milwaukee, WI 53204, USA;6. Department of Earth Sciences, Brock University, 500 Glenridge Ave., St. Catharines, Ontario L2S 3A1, Canada;7. Rubenstein School of Environment and Natural Resources, University of Vermont, 81 Carrigan Dr., Burlington, VT 05405, USA;9. U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Green Bay National Wildlife and Fish Conservation Office, 2661 Scott Tower Drive, New Franken, WI 54229, USA;10. Michigan Department of Natural Resources, Lake Huron Research Station, 160 East Fletcher Street, Alpena, MI 49707, USA;11. U.S. Geological Survey, Great Lakes Science Center, Hammond Bay Biological Station, 11188 Ray Road, Millersburg, MI 49759, USA;12. Department of Fisheries and Wildlife, Center for Systems Integration and Sustainability, 115 Manly Miles Building, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA;1. Environmental and Life Sciences Graduate Program, Trent University, 1600 West Bank Drive, Peterborough, Ontario K9J 7B8, Canada;2. Aquatic Research and Monitoring Section, Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry, 2140 East Bank Drive, Trent University, DNA Bldg., Peterborough, Ontario K9J 8N8, Canada;3. School of the Environment and Department of Biology, Trent University, 1600 West Bank Drive, Peterborough, Ontario K9L 0G2, Canada;1. Michigan Department of Natural Resources, Charlevoix Fisheries Research Station, 96 Grant Street, Charlevoix, MI 49720, USA;2. Michigan Department of Natural Resources, Oden State Fish Hatchery, 8258 S. Ayr Road, Alanson, MI 49706, USA;3. Little Traverse Bay Bands of Odawa Indians, 7500 Odawa Circle, Harbor Springs, MI 49740, USA;4. The Nature Conservancy, 101 Cesar E. Chavez Avenue, Lansing, MI 48906, USA;5. Central Michigan University, Department of Biology, Biosciences 2100, Mount Pleasant, MI 48859, USA;6. Consumers Energy, Environmental Services, 1945 West Parnall Road, Jackson, MI 49201, USA;7. Michigan State University CESU c/o U. S. Geological Society-Great Lakes Science Center, 1451 Green Rd., Ann Arbor, MI 48105, USA;1. Environmental and Life Sciences Graduate Program, Trent University, 1600 West Bank Drive, Peterborough, Ontario K9J 7B8, Canada;2. Aquatic Research and Monitoring Section, Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry, 2140 East Bank Drive, Trent University, DNA Bldg., Peterborough, Ontario K9J 8N8, Canada;3. Upper Great Lakes Management Unit, Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry, 2045 20th Avenue East Unit 12, Owen Sound, Ontario N4K 2Z1, Canada;4. Environmental Resource Studies and Department of Biology, Trent University, 1600 West Bank Drive, Peterborough, Ontario K9J 7B8, Canada |
| |
| Abstract: | Many lake whitefish stocks in Lake Michigan have experienced substantial declines in growth and condition since the 1990s. Reduced growth and condition could result in reduced quality or quantity of eggs produced by spawning females, which in turn could negatively impact recruitment. We evaluated the potential for reduced recruitment by measuring early life stage density and length, and we discuss the utility of these measures as early indicators of lake whitefish year-class strength. Overall, mean larval density (number per 1000 m3 ± SE) in Lake Michigan was greater in 2006 (373.7 ± 28.3) than in 2005 (16.6 ± 24.8); whereas, mean length (mm ± SE) of larval lake whitefish was smaller in 2006 (12.87 ± 0.07) than in 2005 (14.38 ± 0.13). The ratio of zooplankton to fish density did not show an expected relationship with larval fish density or length. Rather, variation in larval density was best explained by a multiple-regression model that included larval length, spring wind intensity, and adult stock density as predictor variables. Our results suggest that the density of larval lake whitefish is not directly regulated by temperature or zooplankton density at the time of emergence, but that a potential for density-dependent regulation exists when larval emergence rates are high. We conclude that the observed declines in growth and condition of adult lake whitefish are not resulting in substantial reductions in recruitment. |
| |
| Keywords: | |
| 本文献已被 ScienceDirect 等数据库收录！ |
|
