Geology topics

Toby J. Holda

Publications and source records attributed to Toby J. Holda.

6 recordsLinked to original sources

USGS2023

Predation of invasive silver carp by native largemouth bass is size-selective in the Illinois River

Silver carp ( Hypophthalmichthys molitrix ) are a nonnative, planktivorous, and highly invasive species of cyprinid located throughout the Mississippi River Basin. Although they co-occur with largemouth bass ( Micropterus nigricans ), an abundant native predatory fish, their predator–prey relationship is poorly understood. This potential relationship warrants investigation as largemouth bass are large-gaped predators capable of exhibiting top-down control on planktivorous fishes. The objectives of this study were to determine if largemouth bass consume juvenile silver carp, and if there was a relationship between length of largemouth bass and length of silver carp consumed. Largemouth bass were collected from the La Grange Pool of the Illinois River using 60 Hz-pulsed DC electrofishing and their diets were analyzed (n = 389, total length = 70–578 mm). Evidence of silver carp was present in 18% of diets of largemouth bass that consumed fish. Lengths of consumed silver carp were estimated from the dimensions of their recovered chewing pads or pharyngeal teeth in the stomachs of largemouth bass. A significant relationship between length of largemouth bass and length of silver carp consumed ( p < 0.001, F = 34.63, r 2 = 0.61) was observed. Estimated total lengths of silver carp were 34–101 mm and were recovered from diets of largemouth bass that were 94–262 mm total length. These results indicate enhancement of native largemouth bass populations is unlikely to substantially reduce silver carp populations in the Illinois River or in other waterways where these species co-occur.

Illinois↗

USGS2023

Intra-lake trends and inter-lake comparisons of Mysis diluviana life history variables and their relationships to food limitation

The opossum shrimp, Mysis diluviana , is an important member of the offshore food webs of the Laurentian Great Lakes, but its response to ecosystem changes that have occurred over the past several decades is not well understood. We combined the data of four long-term sampling programs, adding several years of data (post and prior) to previously published analyses to offer a longer-term, cross-basin analysis of M. diluviana populations in the Great Lakes from 1997 to 2019. Densities were high in lakes Superior and Ontario (summer values 100–300/m 2 ), high and variable but declining (from 200–300/m 2 in 1997–2004 to less than 100/m 2 in 2017–2019) in Lake Michigan, low (∼20–50/m 2 since 2005) in Lake Huron, and very low in shallower eastern Lake Erie (<1/m 2 ). Biomass showed similar trends. Life history parameters (mortality, fecundity, and growth) were consistently highest in eastern Lake Erie, followed by lakes Ontario, Michigan, Huron, and Superior. Generation time was 1 year in Lake Erie and 2 years in the other lakes. Cross-basin relationships between annual M. diluviana areal densities and food indices (chlorophyll-a concentration and zooplankton biomass) were non-linear, increasing with food levels up to about 250 mysids/m 2 and about 650 mg dry wt/m 2 . Annual growth rates were also positively correlated to both food indices in the four deep lakes, but fecundity and mortality rates were not. Our results suggest food availability is a primary factor predicting M. diluviana density and biomass. Density-dependent mortality and fish predation could explain some of the inter-lake differences, but these relationships could benefit from further investigations.

Laurentian Great Lakes↗

USGS2021

Lake-wide annual status of Mysis diluviana population in Lake Michigan in 2015

Mysis diluviana is one of the most abundant zooplankton by biomass in the Laurentian Great Lakes of North America, a predator of other zooplankton and an important prey for fishes. Studies of long-term trends in Lake Michigan have shown 2005–2016 densities to be 50–80% lower than 1990s densities, but these observations have been based on annual monitoring that is either spatially or seasonally limited. We combined Lake Michigan Mysis data from three annual programs and the 2015 Cooperative Science and Monitoring Initiative to achieve broad spatial coverage during spring, summer, and fall of 2015 and broad depth coverage during spring 2016. Lake-wide, annual density and biomass were 82 (SE: 10) Mysis /m 2 and 200 (SE: 36) mg dry mass/m 2 . Density and biomass estimates were highest offshore, generally higher in the north basin, and seasonally highest in summer. Annual lake-wide averages for depths >30 m were better captured by seasonally-extensive annual programs than spatially-extensive annual programs, although spring sampling may bias annual values low. Mysis cohorts grew 0.026 mm/d (age-0) and 0.007 to 0.027 mm/d (age-1). Annual mortality was 81–98%. Reproduction was fall-spring and seasonal lake-wide estimates ranged from 0.6 to 19.1% females brooding, 13–20 embryos/brood, and 3–46 embryos/m 2 . Annual production (423 mg dry mass/m 2 /yr, SE: 31) was lower than all but one previous estimate from lakes Michigan, Huron, and Ontario. While Mysis tend to persist, low Mysis production may be a concern for prey fishes that feed on Mysis .

Lake Michigan↗

USGS2019

Status of Mysis diluviana in Lake Ontario in 2013: lower abundance but higher fecundity than in the 1990s

Mysis diluviana is a major component of prey fish diets in the Great Lakes, so annual production of M. diluviana is important for understanding and modeling energy flow through Great Lakes food webs. However, only three lake-wide measurements of M. diluviana annual production in Lake Ontario are currently available (1971, 1990, 1995). During 2013, lake-wide coverage of Lake Ontario was achieved during four periods from April to November. Annual mean density and biomass of M. diluviana in 2013 were 99 #/m 2 (SE: 8) and 318 mg dw/m 2 (SE: 28) – approximately half of values observed in 1990s. M. diluviana comprised 13–30% of offshore zooplankton biomass in each period. Reproduction peaked in fall, with mean brood size of 32 embryos (range: 11–49), at least 10% larger than in 1990s. Generation time was two years from embryo to initial reproduction. Growth rates were 0.052 mm/d for the age-0 cohort and 0.027 mm/d for the age-1 cohort. Age-0 growth rate was significantly higher than in 1980s–90s (0.035 mm/d). Annual production in 2013 was 0.85 g dw/m 2 /yr (SE: 0.03) which was 30–40% of values observed in 1990 and 1995 (2.23 and 2.53 g/m 2 /yr). Annual production to biomass ratio (P/B) in 2013 was 2.65 /yr which was 80–85% of values observed in 1990 and 1995 (3.24 and 3.11 /yr), but this difference was not statistically significant. Our results suggest that changes in annual production over time can be estimated using changes in biomass over time and a mean P/B ratio.

Lake Ontario↗

USGS2017

Effects of food web changes on Mysis diluviana diet in Lake Ontario

Mysids are important benthic-pelagic omnivores in many deep-lake food webs, yet quantitative data on their diet are limited. We explored the trophic role of Mysis diluviana in offshore Lake Ontario using samples collected in May, July, and September 2013 with a focus on seasonal and ontogenetic patterns in herbivory and zooplanktivory using two approaches. We hypothesized that Mysis diet in 2013 differs from the last investigation in 1995 in response to changes in pelagic prey over 1995 to 2013. Gut fluorescence indicated high grazing by adult and juvenile Mysis in May 2013. In July, smaller mysids were more herbivorous than larger individuals, a pattern that was less pronounced in September. Microscopic gut analysis showed copepods, including Limnocalanus , were common in diets of both size groups in May. In July, mainly cladocerans were consumed, including Cercopagis pengoi which represents a change from a past investigation that preceded Cercopagis invasion in the lake. Our results are consistent with earlier observations of a larger proportion of algae in mysid diets in spring, transitioning to relatively more zooplanktivory and use of cladocerans in the summer and fall. Higher chlorophyll content in small mysids in July than in September may be associated with the presence of a deep chlorophyll layer in July that had largely dissipated by September. Overall, Mysis in Lake Ontario continues to be a generalist omnivore, incorporating new prey items and exhibiting higher herbivory in spring.

Lake Ontario↗

USGS2017

Vertical distribution of alewife in the Lake Ontario offshore: Implications for resource use

Oligotrophication of Lake Ontario has led to increased water clarity and an increased proportion of zooplankton residing in the metalimnion during the day, which may affect the utilization of different depth regions for planktivorous fish. We investigated day and night distributions of fish using hydroacoustics and suspended vertical gillnets during the summer of 2013 when a deep chlorophyll layer (DCL) was established. We related fish distributions to concurrent measures of temperature and prey (zooplankton) density. Alewife dominated in vertical gill net catches, indicating that most acoustic targets were alewife. Alewife schooled during the day in the bottom of the mixed layer, and at dusk alewife schools broke up and fish moved towards the surface. We hypothesize this movement followed migrating zooplankton to allow feeding at night; alewife sampled from vertical gillnets fed on cyclopoid copepods and cladocerans, prey groups that migrate into the epilimnion at night. Some alewife remained at the bottom of the mixed layer at night and these fish ate deep-water calanoid copepods such as Limnocalanus . Vertical distributions were best predicted by temperature and the interaction between temperature and zooplankton density. We include uplooking acoustics data to complement our downlooking datasets, which provided evidence for potential bias in downlooking acoustic assessments of alewife due to high proportions of alewife found in the surface exclusion zone. Our approach combining several datasets provides a new perspective to understand summer diel distribution of alewife and the factors driving their distribution.

Journal of Great Lakes Research↗