Energy Condition of Rainbow Smelt in Lake Huron, and a Comparison between Lake Huron and Erie

Session: Poster session

Qihong Dai, USGS GLSC/SEAS, University of Michigan, [email protected]
David Bunnell, USGS Great Lakes Science Center, [email protected]
James Diana, Michigan Sea Grant College Program, Samuel T. Dana Bldg., [email protected]
Lauren Eaton, USGS, [email protected]
Patricia Armenio, USGS Great Lakes Science Center, [email protected]
Matthew Welc, USGS Great Lakes Science Center, [email protected]
Amelia Runco, USGS Great Lakes Science Center, [email protected]
Brendan Nee, USGS Great Lakes Science Center, [email protected]
Richard Kraus, U.S. Geological Survey, [email protected]
Steve Pothoven, NOAA-GLERL, [email protected]
Timothy O'Brien, USGS, Great Lakes Science Ctr., [email protected]
David Warner, USGS, [email protected]

Abstract

Rainbow smelt (Osmerus mordax) is an important prey fish species for piscivores in the Great Lakes. In Lake Huron, rainbow smelt densities have been declining since the 1980s, along with declining nutrients. Our study sought to evaluate whether energetic condition of rainbow smelt was positively correlated with productivity. Rainbow smelt were collected from nine sites in Lake Huron and one site in Lake Erie from April to September in 2017. The ratio of dry to wet weight was used as an indicator of energy condition. In Lake Huron, Rainbow smelt energetic condition changed seasonally in one well sampled region, North Channel: condition decreased from April to June, along with spawning, then significantly increased to July and September.  Comparisons across sites revealed spatial differences in energetic condition. For example, in April, Nottawasaga in southern Georgian Bay had significantly lower condition than all other sites, except Maitland in southern main basin. Comparisons across lakes in June and September showed rainbow smelt from western basin in Lake Erie had a higher energetic condition than all sampled sites in Lake Huron. Given that nutrients in Lake Erie are significantly higher than in Lake Huron, our results indicate rainbow smelt energetic condition increases with productivity.

1. Keyword
Lake Huron

4. Additional Keyword
rainbow smelt

5. Additional Keyword
energy condition