Recent Changes in the Aquatic Food Web of Eastern Lake Ontario
During the past 10 yr there have been dramatic increases in piscivorous populations of walleye (Stizostedion vitreum) in the Bay of Quinte and of planted lake trout (Salvelinus namaycush) and double-crested cormorants (Phalacrocorax auritus) in the Kingston basin of Lake Ontario. This paper document...
Published in: | Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences |
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1987
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Online Access: | http://dx.doi.org/10.1139/f87-307 http://www.nrcresearchpress.com/doi/pdf/10.1139/f87-307 |
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crcansciencepubl:10.1139/f87-307 2024-04-28T08:16:18+00:00 Recent Changes in the Aquatic Food Web of Eastern Lake Ontario Christie, W. J. Scott, K. A. Sly, P. G. Strus, R. H. 1987 http://dx.doi.org/10.1139/f87-307 http://www.nrcresearchpress.com/doi/pdf/10.1139/f87-307 en eng Canadian Science Publishing http://www.nrcresearchpress.com/page/about/CorporateTextAndDataMining Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences volume 44, issue S2, page s37-s52 ISSN 0706-652X 1205-7533 Aquatic Science Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics journal-article 1987 crcansciencepubl https://doi.org/10.1139/f87-307 2024-04-02T06:55:54Z During the past 10 yr there have been dramatic increases in piscivorous populations of walleye (Stizostedion vitreum) in the Bay of Quinte and of planted lake trout (Salvelinus namaycush) and double-crested cormorants (Phalacrocorax auritus) in the Kingston basin of Lake Ontario. This paper documents changes in the prey stocks shared by these piscivores, including reduction in size and abundance of the slimy sculpin (Cottus cognatus) with subsequent stock equilibration and unabated reduction in the size and abundance of rainbow smelt (Osmerus mordax), both owing to predation pressure from the lake trout. The third primary prey species, alewife (Alosa pseudoharengus), has not yet suffered severely from the depredations of the piscivores. Symptoms of the effects are discernible, however, and the implications of a possible collapse are discussed. Lake trout survival and growth have not yet been affected by the changes in prey availability, but their diet has shifted both in response to their own expanded size composition and relative abundance of the three prey species. Increased utilization of alewife makes the hunting of the trout more pelagic. Problems of obtaining representative samples of the prey are discussed. Article in Journal/Newspaper Cottus cognatus Slimy sculpin Canadian Science Publishing Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences 44 S2 s37 s52 |
institution |
Open Polar |
collection |
Canadian Science Publishing |
op_collection_id |
crcansciencepubl |
language |
English |
topic |
Aquatic Science Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics |
spellingShingle |
Aquatic Science Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics Christie, W. J. Scott, K. A. Sly, P. G. Strus, R. H. Recent Changes in the Aquatic Food Web of Eastern Lake Ontario |
topic_facet |
Aquatic Science Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics |
description |
During the past 10 yr there have been dramatic increases in piscivorous populations of walleye (Stizostedion vitreum) in the Bay of Quinte and of planted lake trout (Salvelinus namaycush) and double-crested cormorants (Phalacrocorax auritus) in the Kingston basin of Lake Ontario. This paper documents changes in the prey stocks shared by these piscivores, including reduction in size and abundance of the slimy sculpin (Cottus cognatus) with subsequent stock equilibration and unabated reduction in the size and abundance of rainbow smelt (Osmerus mordax), both owing to predation pressure from the lake trout. The third primary prey species, alewife (Alosa pseudoharengus), has not yet suffered severely from the depredations of the piscivores. Symptoms of the effects are discernible, however, and the implications of a possible collapse are discussed. Lake trout survival and growth have not yet been affected by the changes in prey availability, but their diet has shifted both in response to their own expanded size composition and relative abundance of the three prey species. Increased utilization of alewife makes the hunting of the trout more pelagic. Problems of obtaining representative samples of the prey are discussed. |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Christie, W. J. Scott, K. A. Sly, P. G. Strus, R. H. |
author_facet |
Christie, W. J. Scott, K. A. Sly, P. G. Strus, R. H. |
author_sort |
Christie, W. J. |
title |
Recent Changes in the Aquatic Food Web of Eastern Lake Ontario |
title_short |
Recent Changes in the Aquatic Food Web of Eastern Lake Ontario |
title_full |
Recent Changes in the Aquatic Food Web of Eastern Lake Ontario |
title_fullStr |
Recent Changes in the Aquatic Food Web of Eastern Lake Ontario |
title_full_unstemmed |
Recent Changes in the Aquatic Food Web of Eastern Lake Ontario |
title_sort |
recent changes in the aquatic food web of eastern lake ontario |
publisher |
Canadian Science Publishing |
publishDate |
1987 |
url |
http://dx.doi.org/10.1139/f87-307 http://www.nrcresearchpress.com/doi/pdf/10.1139/f87-307 |
genre |
Cottus cognatus Slimy sculpin |
genre_facet |
Cottus cognatus Slimy sculpin |
op_source |
Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences volume 44, issue S2, page s37-s52 ISSN 0706-652X 1205-7533 |
op_rights |
http://www.nrcresearchpress.com/page/about/CorporateTextAndDataMining |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.1139/f87-307 |
container_title |
Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences |
container_volume |
44 |
container_issue |
S2 |
container_start_page |
s37 |
op_container_end_page |
s52 |
_version_ |
1797581482691133440 |