Hypoxia’s impact on pelagic fish populations in Lake Erie: a tale of two planktivores

Whether bottom hypoxia has long-lasting consequences for pelagic fish populations remains speculative for most ecosystems. We explored hypoxia’s influence on two pelagic zooplanktivores in Lake Erie that have different thermal preferences: cold-water rainbow smelt (Osmerus mordax) and warm-water eme...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Canadian journal of fisheries and aquatic sciences 2020-07, Vol.77 (7), p.1131-1148
Main Authors: Stone, Joshua P, Pangle, Kevin L, Pothoven, Steven A, Vanderploeg, Henry A, Brandt, Stephen B, Höök, Tomas O, Johengen, Thomas H, Ludsin, Stuart A
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Acute effects
Analysis
Avoidance
Beryl
Bioenergetics
Biological sampling
Bottom temperature
Catch statistics
Chronic effects
Cold water
Commercial fishing
Ecosystems
Feeding
Feeding habits
Feeding preferences
Fish
Fish industry
Fish populations
Fisheries
Fishes
Food chains
Freshwater
Geographical distribution
Hypoxia
Lakes
Local movements
Modelling
Notropis atherinoides
Osmerus mordax
Pelagic fish
Plankton
Plankton feeders
Populations
Predation
Rainbows
Sander vitreus
Temperature
Temperature preferences
Water temperature
Zooplankton
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Summary:Whether bottom hypoxia has long-lasting consequences for pelagic fish populations remains speculative for most ecosystems. We explored hypoxia’s influence on two pelagic zooplanktivores in Lake Erie that have different thermal preferences: cold-water rainbow smelt (Osmerus mordax) and warm-water emerald shiners (Notropis atherinoides). To assess acute effects, we combined predictive bioenergetics-based modeling with field collections made across the hypoxic season in central Lake Erie during 2005 and 2007. To assess chronic effects, we related fishery-independent and fishery-dependent catches with hypoxia severity and top predator (walleye, Sander vitreus) abundance during 1986–2014. As our modeling predicted, hypoxia altered rainbow smelt movement and distributions, leading to avoidance of cold, hypoxic bottom waters. In response, diets shifted from benthic to pelagic organisms, and consumption and energetic condition declined. These changes were lacking in emerald shiners. Our long-term analyses showed rainbow smelt abundance and hypoxia to be negatively related and suggested that hypoxia avoidance increases susceptibility to commercial fishing and walleye predation. Collectively, our findings indicate that hypoxia can negatively affect pelagic fish populations over the long term, especially those requiring cold water.
ISSN:0706-652X
1205-7533
DOI:10.1139/cjfas-2019-0265