Walleye Habitat Use, Spawning Behavior, and Egg Deposition in Sandusky Bay, Lake Erie PDF Download
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Author: Adam L. Thompson
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : Habitat selection
Languages : en
Pages : 66
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Book Description
Abstract: Understanding habitat selection in fish can reveal areas critical for a population's continuation in the ecosystem. In systems experiencing habitat alterations or reductions in population sizes, identifying habitat use takes on increased importance. To facilitate our understanding of potential factors limiting the success of walleye (Sander vitreus) in Sandusky Bay, Lake Erie, we combined walleye locations determined from radio telemetry with habitat predictor variables to model habitat use and reveal sex-specific patterns of habitat use throughout the spawning season (Chapter 2). Models revealed that the presence of preferred walleye spawning substrate, gravel and cobble, was an important predictor of walleye locations during the entire spawning season, and depth and distance from shore were important particularly prior to the spawn. In examining sex-specific patterns of habitat use, we discovered that males were more likely to occur over gravel and cobble substrates than females. We hypothesize that males establish position in these areas in anticipation of spawning females. Only a small proportion of walleye tagged in Sandusky Bay migrated to upstream spawning grounds (2 of 197; 1%). To confirm whether walleye spawning occurs in Sandusky Bay and to analyze how spawning substrate might affect egg deposition rates and viability, we compared eggs collected using spawning mats from gravel/cobble and sand/silt substrates (Chapter 3). Egg deposition and egg viability were not significantly different between substrates, and the majority of walleye eggs were collected from one site that contained gravel and cobble. The combined results of this investigation reveal that the Sandusky Bay is a spawning ground for walleye and that preferred spawning substrate is an important factor predicting the location of walleye during the spawn. Because the amount of spawning habitat in this system has declined by an estimated 92% during the past century, we recommend that conservation and restoration steps be taken to preserve this walleye spawning population.
Author: Adam L. Thompson
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : Habitat selection
Languages : en
Pages : 66
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Book Description
Abstract: Understanding habitat selection in fish can reveal areas critical for a population's continuation in the ecosystem. In systems experiencing habitat alterations or reductions in population sizes, identifying habitat use takes on increased importance. To facilitate our understanding of potential factors limiting the success of walleye (Sander vitreus) in Sandusky Bay, Lake Erie, we combined walleye locations determined from radio telemetry with habitat predictor variables to model habitat use and reveal sex-specific patterns of habitat use throughout the spawning season (Chapter 2). Models revealed that the presence of preferred walleye spawning substrate, gravel and cobble, was an important predictor of walleye locations during the entire spawning season, and depth and distance from shore were important particularly prior to the spawn. In examining sex-specific patterns of habitat use, we discovered that males were more likely to occur over gravel and cobble substrates than females. We hypothesize that males establish position in these areas in anticipation of spawning females. Only a small proportion of walleye tagged in Sandusky Bay migrated to upstream spawning grounds (2 of 197; 1%). To confirm whether walleye spawning occurs in Sandusky Bay and to analyze how spawning substrate might affect egg deposition rates and viability, we compared eggs collected using spawning mats from gravel/cobble and sand/silt substrates (Chapter 3). Egg deposition and egg viability were not significantly different between substrates, and the majority of walleye eggs were collected from one site that contained gravel and cobble. The combined results of this investigation reveal that the Sandusky Bay is a spawning ground for walleye and that preferred spawning substrate is an important factor predicting the location of walleye during the spawn. Because the amount of spawning habitat in this system has declined by an estimated 92% during the past century, we recommend that conservation and restoration steps be taken to preserve this walleye spawning population.
Author: Daniel Adam Gillenwater
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : Dam retirement
Languages : en
Pages : 284
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Book Description
Abstract: Dam removal is becoming an increasingly popular tool for river restoration throughout the United States. One of the most controversial dam removal proposals in the Lake Erie Watershed involves the Ballville Dam on the Sandusky River (Ohio). The Sandusky River is one of the major spawning tributaries for Lake Erie walleye (Sander vitreus). However, the dam located at river kilometer 29, blocks the fish from reaching upstream gravel beds and forces them to spawn below the Ballville Dam. It has been suggested that removing the dam will increase walleye reproductive success and thus the returning spawning population. This work is divided into two separate studies that focus on different aspects of the impacts the Ballville Dam has on the walleye population in the Sandusky River. An existing ecological model of walleye spawning and early life history stages in the Sandusky River is validated using in-situ egg deposition and larval drift data collected during the 2003 and 2004 spawning seasons. The results indicate that the model results agree with field observations for a spawning population of 2000 to 5000 females. However, this number of females is insufficient to saturate the below-dam spawning grounds, and therefore no increase in egg deposition or larval production is noted for without-dam simulations. A GIS-based habitat suitability model of an area of the currently available spawning grounds in the Sandusky River was also created and validated. The model was able to give a reasonable indication of habitat suitability dynamics in the current spawning grounds. However, there was difficulty resolving velocities in complex areas of the channel. The results indicate that floods with discharges exceeding 100 m3/s can reduce the area of suitable habitat to almost zero. Reproductive success in a given year may therefore rely heavily on the length of the spawning season and the discharge patterns. The results of the two models offer new insight into the removal of the Ballville Dam. However, coupling the two systems (an ecological model and a high resolution habitat suitability model) would give the most complete assessment of the potential impacts of the removal of the Ballville Dam on the walleye population in the Sandusky River.
Author: Madison R. Myers
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : Sandusky River (Ohio).
Languages : en
Pages : 0
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Book Description
The Sandusky River, Ohio, is one of the major tributaries of Lake Erie that supports walleye (Sander vitreus) reproduction. The goal of this study was to assess spawning habitat in the Sandusky River following the removal of the Ballville Dam and to determine if walleye can access habitat that was previously unavailable by migrating past a series of ice control structures. To determine the quantity of spawning habitat, a Habitat Suitability Index was calculated from the mouth of the river in Muddy Creek Bay to the first low-head dam in Tiffin, Ohio. A fine scale model was created that encompassed the ice control structures area and swim speed comparisons were done to determine if the area was passable. This study shows that there is suitable spawning habitat for walleye upstream and downstream of the former Ballville Dam, and that walleye can migrate passed the ice control structure area during certain conditions.
Author: Brian A. Schmidt
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : Fishes
Languages : en
Pages : 45
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Book Description
Tributaries support diverse spawning habitats for three of the four major sub-stocks of Lake Erie walleye (Sander vitreus). Despite a long history of anthropogenic degradation and the extirpation of other potamodromous species, the Maumee River continues to support one of the largest fish migrations in the Laurentian Great Lakes. To determine if spawning habitat availability and quality could limit production of Maumee River walleye, the longitudinal distribution and relative abundance of walleye eggs deposited in a 34 km stretch of river were assessed. Eggs were collected using a diaphragm pump at ten sites in 2014 and eight sites in 2015 from mid-March to early May. In both years, a sharp decline in mean relative abundances from downstream spawning sites than upstream sites at river kilometer 30 suggest that spawning habitat connectivity in the Maumee River is lower than was previously known, and may be limiting production from the system.
Author: James R. Spotila
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : Fish tagging
Languages : en
Pages : 60
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Book Description
Conclusion of study is that the present conditions in Smoke Creek (sometimes known as Smokes Creek) do not provide a suitable spawning habitat for walleye.
Author: Bruce A. Barton
Publisher:
ISBN: 9781934874226
Category : Fish culture
Languages : en
Pages : 600
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Book Description
Author:
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : Aquatic sciences
Languages : en
Pages : 804
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Book Description
Author:
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : Hydrology
Languages : en
Pages : 532
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Book Description
Author: Corvallis Environmental Research Laboratory
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : Fishes
Languages : en
Pages : 114
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Book Description
Author: Robert A. Kuehne
Publisher: University Press of Kentucky
ISBN: 0813188245
Category : Nature
Languages : en
Pages : 559
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Book Description
The darters are a fascinating group of colorful and diminutive freshwater fish whose beauty rivals that of the tropical reef fishes. Native only to North America, the darters occur widely, especially in the United States, but are little known to the general public, largely because of their small size—few exceed six inches and some measure a mere one inch at maturity. This book is the first comprehensive guide to the darters, covering all named and several undescribed forms—140 species in all. Each species account includes a synoptic description to aid in separation of similar species and subspecies, a range map, and discussion of the species' distribution, natural heritage, abundance, and scientific name. An illustrated key and glossary will further assist scientists, students, fishermen, and aquarium specialists in identifying darter species. Central to this volume is the series of 144 handsome color photographs illustrating nearly all known darter species and several subspecies. Most of the specimens shown were caught by the authors at sites throughout the United States, Canada, and Mexico, and photographed by them on site using a recently developed technique that captures the full brilliance of the living fish. Because of their importance as indicators of environmental quality, the darters are receiving increasing attention today from scientists and naturalists. Public interest was focused recently on the plight of the snail darter, but many other darter species are either threatened or endangered, and others face an uncertain future as human activities continue to degrade our waterways. All those with an interest in preserving the natural heritage of our rivers and streams will find this comprehensive guide to the darters an invaluable tool.
