Lake Erie Research Articles

Effects of release method on the survival, somatic growth, and body condition of headstarted turtles

AbstractHeadstarting involves ex situ rearing of vulnerable life stages, then releasing individuals into the wild once they are larger and less vulnerable to predation. Sometimes, headstarted animals display underdeveloped behaviors that may lead to an acclimation period of reduced survival and growth after release. Using data from a 6‐year headstarting program, we tested whether the early release condition affected survival, body condition, and somatic growth rate in 2 groups of headstarted Blanding's turtles (Emydoidea blandingii) released into Rouge National Urban Park (RNUP) in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The first group included turtles released directly into the wild (i.e., hard release). The second group included turtles released into an in situ enclosure in which individuals remained for a week without food supplementation before being fully released into the wild (i.e., delayed release). Release condition did not affect survival or growth rate. In the delayed‐release group, body condition initially declined rapidly and remained low for up to 1 year after release. Given the lack of wild juveniles in RNUP, we compared body condition of headstarted turtles at various time points since release to similar‐sized wild juveniles from 2 other Ontario populations, one from Algonquin Provincial Park (APP) and one near Lake Erie (LE). Body condition of headstarted turtles was similar to those of wild APP turtles regardless of release method, and higher than those of wild LE turtles. Our results indicate that delayed release did not improve post‐release outcomes for headstarted turtles in an urban landscape and headstarted turtles sustain similar health metrics as wild turtles.

EOLakeWatch; delivering a comprehensive suite of remote sensing algal bloom indices for enhanced monitoring of Canadian eutrophic lakes

Early detection and comprehensive monitoring of inland water algal blooms is fundamental to their effective management and mitigation of potential ecosystem and public health impacts. With the spatial and temporal limitations of in situ sampling, algal bloom monitoring capabilities have been enhanced greatly by advancements in satellite Earth Observation (EO). Three turbid, eutrophic Canadian lakes (Lake Winnipeg (LW); Lake Erie (LE); Lake of the Woods (LoW)) have been the focus of Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC) research and monitoring initiatives due to concerns over persistent degraded water quality from recurring algal blooms. ECCC’s EOLakeWatch was developed to deliver a suite of useful, easily interpretable, and accessible EO-derived products to support algal bloom monitoring on these three lakes. Algal bloom indices, describing bloom spatial extent, intensity, duration, and severity were derived using the European Space Agency’s OLCI (Ocean and Land Colour Instrument) sensor for observations from 2016 to present and its predecessor MERIS (Medium Resolution Imaging Spectrometer) for 2002 to 2011. Results document widespread blooms on each lake, with maximum spatial extent of 21,641 km2 (representing 88.1% of the lake area) on LW, 3070 km2 (79.5%) on LoW and 5257 km2 (19.7%) on LE. Bloom intensity showed seasonal and inter-annual variability on all three lakes, with a suggestion that LoW may be responding to reduced nutrient loads with a recent decrease in bloom intensity. Annual bloom duration on LW and LoW was on average 44 and 47 days respectively, while on LE blooms were significantly shorter in duration at an average of 24 days. Variance among the derived bloom indices was shown to be significant (i.e. the most extensive bloom was not necessarily the longest or most intensive), demonstrating the need for the indices to be used collectively, or for any single comprehensive bloom indicator to capture the variability of all individual metrics. Bloom indices are processed in a fully automated operational capacity, distributed in near-real-time through a web portal and collated into end-user-friendly annual algal bloom reports for each lake. These products go a long way to address existing monitoring gaps, delivering prompt, consistent measures of lake-wide algal bloom conditions required to provide stakeholders with early warning of bloom risks, identify areas of potential concern, quantify spatio-temporal trends, further understand bloom dynamics and drivers, as well as guide and determine the effectiveness of implemented management actions.

The Composition and Function of Microbiomes Within Microcystis Colonies Are Significantly Different Than Native Bacterial Assemblages in Two North American Lakes.

The toxic cyanobacterium Microcystis is one of the most pervasive harmful algal bloom (HAB) genera and naturally occurs in large colonies known to harbor diverse heterotrophic bacterial assemblages. While colony-associated microbiomes may influence Microcystis blooms, there remains a limited understanding of the structure and functional potential of these communities and how they may be shaped by changing environmental conditions. To address this gap, we compared the dynamics of Microcystis-attached (MCA), free-living (FL), and whole water (W) microbiomes during Microcystis blooms using next-generation amplicon sequencing (16S rRNA), a predictive metagenome software, and other bioinformatic approaches. Microbiomes were monitored through high resolution spatial-temporal surveys across two North American lakes, Lake Erie (LE) and Lake Agawam (LA; Long Island, NY, United States) in 2017, providing the largest dataset of these fractions to date. Sequencing of 126 samples generated 7,922,628 sequences that clustered into 7,447 amplicon sequence variants (ASVs) with 100% sequence identity. Across lakes, the MCA microbiomes were significantly different than the FL and W fractions being significantly enriched in Gemmatimonadetes, Burkholderiaceae, Rhizobiales, and Cytophagales and depleted of Actinobacteria. Further, although MCA communities harbored > 900 unique ASVs, they were significantly less diverse than the other fractions with diversity inversely related to bloom intensity, suggesting increased selection pressure on microbial communities as blooms intensified. Despite taxonomic differences between lakes, predicted metagenomes revealed conserved functional potential among MCA microbiomes. MCA communities were significantly enriched in pathways involved in N and P cycling and microcystin-degradation. Taxa potentially capable of N2-fixation were significantly enriched (p < 0.05) and up to four-fold more abundant within the MCA faction relative to other fractions, potentially aiding in the proliferation of Microcystis blooms during low N conditions. The MCA predicted metagenomes were conserved over 8 months of seasonal changes in temperature and N availability despite strong temporal succession in microbiome composition. Collectively, these findings indicate that Microcystis colonies harbor a statistically distinct microbiome with a conserved functional potential that may help facilitate bloom persistence under environmentally unfavorable conditions.

Concentration and turnover of dissolved free polyamines on the South Coast of Lake Erie

AbstractDissolved free polyamines (DFPAs) have been suggested as an important source of reduced nitrogen in marine systems, but their importance in the cycling of dissolved organic nitrogen (DON) in freshwater systems has yet to be assessed. This study measured the concentrations, turnover and uptake rates of DFPAs and compared them with those of dissolved free amino acids (DFAAs) in samples from 21 sites along eight coastal transects on the south shore of Lake Erie (LE), a Laurentian Great Lake. DFPA compounds were consistently detected in all samples and their concentrations (16.9–191.5 nmol L−1), turnover (1.6–3.2 d−1), and uptake rates (3.2–192.0 nmol L−1 d−1) were all significantly higher than those reported in marine environments. On the other hand, corresponding DFAA measurements (45.1–822.2 nmol L−1, 3.9–11.4 d−1, and 35–1690 nmol L−1 d−1, respectively) were within the range of reported values in marine environments. The DFPA to DFAA ratios in LE samples ranged between 0.21 and 0.65, which were much higher than what have been reported in marine environments (0.01–0.07). Within the bacterioplankton community, particle‐associated (PAB) and free‐living (FLB) proportions contributed equally to the turnover of DFPAs and DFAAs in LE. PAB and FLB also contributed equally when using requested DFPAs to fulfill their carbon (BCD; 3.1–7.9%) and nitrogen (BND; 13.5–18.5%) demands. Overall, our results suggest that DFPAs is a significant component of labile DON pool in freshwater systems, where they serve more as nitrogen than carbon sources to freshwater bacterioplankton.

Historical pattern of phosphorus loading to Lake Erie watersheds

Phosphorus (P) applied to croplands in excess of crop requirements has resulted in large-scale accumulation of P in soils worldwide, leading to freshwater eutrophication from river runoff that may extend well into the future. However, several studies have reported declines in surplus P inputs to the land in recent decades. To quantify trends in P loading to Lake Erie (LE) watersheds, we estimated net anthropogenic phosphorus inputs (NAPI) to 18 LE watersheds for agricultural census years from 1935 to 2007. NAPI quantifies anthropogenic inputs of P from fertilizer use, atmospheric deposition and detergents, as well as the net exchange in P related to trade in food and feed. Over this 70-year period, NAPI increased to peak values in the 1970s and subsequently declined in 2007 to a level last experienced in 1935. This rise and fall was the result of two trends: a dramatic increase in fertilizer use, which peaked in the 1970s and then declined to about two-thirds of maximum values; and a steady increase in P exported as crops destined for animal feed and energy production. During 1974–2007, riverine phosphorus loads fluctuated, and were correlated with inter-annual variation in water discharge. However, riverine P export did not show consistent temporal trends, nor correlate with temporal trends in NAPI or fertilizer use. The fraction of P inputs exported by rivers appeared to increase sharply after the 1990s, but the cause is unknown. Thus estimates of phosphorus inputs to watersheds provide insight into changing source quantities but may be weak predictors of riverine export.

Spatial and temporal variation in phosphorus budgets for 24 watersheds in the Lake Erie and Lake Michigan basins

We estimated net anthropogenic phosphorus inputs (NAPI) to 18 Lake Michigan (LM) and 6 Lake Erie (LE) watersheds for 1974, 1978, 1982, 1987, and 1992. NAPI quantifies all anthropogenic inputs of P (fertilizer use, atmospheric deposition, and detergents) as well as trade of P in food and feed, which can be a net input or output. Fertilizer was the dominant input overall, varying by three orders of magnitude among the 24 watersheds, but detergent was the largest input in the most urbanized watershed. NAPI increased in relation to area of disturbed land (R2 = 0.90) and decreased with forested and wetland area (R2 = 0.90). Export of P by rivers varied with NAPI, especially for the 18 watersheds of LM (R2 = 0.93), whereas the relationship was more variable among the six LE watersheds (R2 = 0.59). On average, rivers of the LE watersheds exported about 10% of NAPI, whereas LM watersheds exported 5% of estimated NAPI. A comparison of our results with others as well as nitrogen (N) budgets suggests that fractional export of P may vary regionally, as has been reported for N, and the proportion of P inputs exported by rivers appears lower than comparable findings with N.

Assessment of Antifouling Effectiveness of two Natural Product Antifoulants by Attachment Study with Freshwater Bacteria (7 pp)

GOAL, SCOPE, BACKGROUND: The traditional solution for keeping unwanted organisms from attaching to submerged surfaces is to apply anti-fouling coatings. The most common antifoulant was tributyltin (TBT). TBT systems were highly effective but were also toxic to non-target organisms. The use of the TBT based coatings will be completely banned by January 1, 2008. Therefore, there is an urgent need to seek out suitable non-toxic alternatives. The aim of this work was to evaluate the effectiveness of capsaicin and zosteric acid as natural product antifoulants (NPAs) in deterring bacterial attachment. Two fresh water bacteria systems Pseudomonas putida (Pp) and bacteria isolated from Lake Erie (LE) were used to assess the attachment when the NPAs dispersed in the water. Effectiveness was ascertained based on the decrease in microbial attachment, limited toxicity, and minimum alteration of the coatings properties. A significant inhibition of bacteria attachment was achieved when aqueous capsaicin concentration was increased from 0 to 40 mg/L. For instance, after 14 days the LE system depicted 93.5% and 98.5% less biofilm coverage for 20 mg/L and 40 mg/L capsaicin, respectively when pared to systems without NPA. Biofilm coverage was reduced by 92.5% and 98.2%, respectively with 50 mg/L and 500 mg/L zosteric acid. Both capsaicin and zosteric acid was effective at preventing bacteria attachment. As the NPA aqueous concentration increased, biofilm formation decreased. Evaluating changes in aqueous pH, conductivity, dissolved oxygen, aqueous microbial population and biofilm formation suggested that the primary antifoulant mechanism of these two NPAs was to block the bacteria's active sites versus posing a lethal level. From the attachment study, zosteric acid appeared to be more effective in preventing bacterial attachment when the NPAs were dispersed in the aqueous environment. For practical applications, the antifoulant needs to be incorporated into a coating and have a slow release rate. Thus the ability to successfully incorporate zosteric acid into a coating, without deterring bacterial attachment, needs to be investigated.

Abstracts from the 5th international conference for advances in osteopathic research [ICAOR], lake erie, USA 2004

Abstracts from the 5th international conference for advances in osteopathic research [ICAOR], lake erie, USA 2004

Biomagnification of organochlorines in lake erie white bass

AbstractBiomagnification of HCB and PCBs was measured in a natural fish population of white bass (Morone chrysops) and their prey, emerald shiner (Notropis atherinoides). It was observed that biomagnification occurred only for chemicals with an octanol/water partition coefficient (log Kow) greater than 6.1. Hexachlorobenzene and PCB 52 did not biomagnify while PCBs 87, 138, and 180 showed significant biomagnification in Lake Erie white bass. Biomagnification factors increased proportionately with Kow, and it was concluded that high Kow chemicals were more important in the biomagnification process. Lipid proportions and chemical concentrations in prey fish (emerald shiner) and white bass intestinal contents were consistent with a fugacity model of chemical assimilation from food.

Heterozygosity, shell length and metabolism in the european mussel, Dreissena polymorpha, from a recently established population in lake erie

1. Genetic variation at seven polymorphic enzyme loci in a recently established North American population of the European zebra mussel, Dreissena polymorpha, was high, with an average heterozygosity ( H) of 0.307, and an average of 3.43 alleles per locus (range 2–6). 2. Mussel shell length was significantly correlated with multiple locus heterozygosity, although heterozygosity at these seven loci explained only 7% of the total variation in shell length. 3. Decreased mass-specific metabolic rate has been proposed as the mechanism whereby heterozygotes grow faster than homozygotes, however, mass-specific oxygen consumption was not significantly correlated with multiple locus heterozygosity. 4. The relationship between body size and heterozygosity is similar in this freshwater bivalve to previous reports for several species of marine molluscs.

An ice‐cover climatology for lake erie and lake superior for the winter seasons 1897–1898 to 1982–1983

AbstractObservations of mid‐lake Great Lakes ice cover are sparse prior to the decade of the 1960s. In an effort to provide an historical perspective of mid‐lake ice cover back to the turn of the century, daily average ice cover for Lakes Erie and Superior over 86 winters (1897–1898 to 1982–1983) was reconstructed using empirical‐statistical ice‐cover models developed in an earlier study. Long term average maximal monthly ice cover occurs in February and is 68 per cent for Lake Erie and 40 per cent for Lake Superior. Mid‐lake ice formation occurs about 1 month earlier on both lakes during severe winters. Average maximal monthly ice cover during severe and during mild winters is 95 per cent and 14 per cent for Lake Erie, 87 per cent and 17 per cent for Lake Superior. Severe winters are associated with lower 700‐mbar heights over the eastern USA compared with mild ice‐cover winters. Analysis of total winter ice cover indicates three ice cover regimes: (i) a high ice‐cover regime from the late 1890s to early 1920s; (ii) a low ice‐cover regime from the early 1920s to late 1950s; and (iii) a high ice‐cover regime from the late 1950s to the early 1980s. Ice‐cover climatologies developed during the 1960s and 1970s are not representative of ice covers in the low ice‐cover regime of the 1920s to late 1950s. Spectral analysis of the reconstructed total winter ice cover suggests interannual variations in ice cycles that correspond with the 2–3‐year interannual variation in atmospheric variables known as the quasi‐biennial oscillation.

Nitrogen gas supersaturation in the recent sediments of lake erie and two polluted harbors

Nitrogen gas distributions in sediment pore water were determined for cores collected in Lake Erie and two nearby harbors. Concentrations of N 2 gas ranged from 11.9 to 37.0 ml l −1 and from 8.9 to 58.3 ml l −1 for open lake and polluted harbor sediments, respectively. Maximum concentrations in the harbor sediments were as high as 3.5 times N 2 saturation calculated for the overlying water. Indirect diffusive flux estimates for nitrogen gas ranged from 20 to 32% of the particulate nitrogen sedimentation rate in Lake Erie. At one location, the amount of nitrogen gas lost by diffusion was calculated to be greater than the nitrogen deposited to the sediments. Nitrogen gas production and diffusive loss from surficial sediments probably represents a major pathway for nitrogen removal from Lake Erie.

Impact of a once-through cooling system on the yellow perch stock in the western basin of lake erie

The surplus production model, a conventional fishery stock assessment model, is applied to assess the entrainment and impingement impact of the Monroe Power Plant on the yellow perch standing stock and fishery in the western basni of Lake Erie. Biological parameters of the model are estimated from commercial catch and effort data and entrainment and impingement coefficients are estimated from power plant data. The model is applied to estimate stock biomass, egg production, and larva production; the proportions entrained and impinged are then estimated. The impact of water withdrawal on the equilibrium standing stock and maximum sustainable yield from the fishery is estimated and the impact of increased water withdrawal on the equilibrium standing maximum sustainable yield are larger than the proportion of the standing stock entrained and impinged, but the impact of the Monroe Power Plant is relatively small; it decreases biomass and the maximum sustainable yield of the yellow perch stock by only a few percent. However, there are several power plants impacting the yellow perch stock of the western basin of Lake Erie and the combined impact should be examined.

Seston composition in the point pelee area of lake erie

AbstractApproximately one‐third of organic seston in western Lake Erie was estimated to be living algae; the remainder was mainly detritus. The amount of detrital carbon was least in summer and maximal in autumn. Allochthonous organic matter, particularly municipal and industrial wastes, and resuspended sediments were considered to be major sources of detritus.

Limiting nutrient elements in filtered lake erie water

Biweekly laboratory bioassays were made using filtered Lake Erie waters from the Bass Island region to simulate the effect of an influx of individual nutrients to Lake Erie water. Each sample during the 1969 growing season was inoculated singly with each of three blue-green algae and one green algal species. Portions of each inoculated water sample were enriched with one of 16 essential nutrient elements and cell numbers were determined in the fourth week after exposure under controlled culture conditions. Comparative cell counts showed nitrate-N was the nutrient the most frequently required and was limiting for these algal species in about 2/3 of the water samples. Phosphorus, cobalt and chelated iron were limiting for about 1/3 of their cultures. To achieve maximum growth stimulation generally required a combination of several nutrient elements. An Aphanizomenon bloom occurred naturally in Lake Erie at the water sampling site and after its collapse from nutrient insufficiency, the water samples were found to be toxic to certain of the test algal species.

Associations between Fish Species in Tributaries and Shore Waters of Western Lake Erie

EcologyVolume 31, Issue 4 p. 561-566 Article Associations between Fish Species in Tributaries and Shore Waters of Western Lake Erie Carroll Blue Nash, Carroll Blue Nash Department of Biology, St. Joseph's College, Philadelphia and Franz Theodore Stone Institute of Hydrobiology, Ohio State UniversitySearch for more papers by this author Carroll Blue Nash, Carroll Blue Nash Department of Biology, St. Joseph's College, Philadelphia and Franz Theodore Stone Institute of Hydrobiology, Ohio State UniversitySearch for more papers by this author First published: 01 October 1950 https://doi.org/10.2307/1931575Citations: 10AboutRelatedInformationPDFPDF ToolsRequest permissionExport citationAdd to favoritesTrack citation ShareShare Give accessShare full text accessClose modalShare full-text accessPlease review our Terms and Conditions of Use and check box below to share full-text version of article.I have read and accept the Wiley Online Library Terms and Conditions of UseShareable LinkUse the link below to share a full-text version of this article with your friends and colleagues. Learn more.Copy URL Citing Literature Volume31, Issue4October 1950Pages 561-566 RelatedInformation RecommendedAssociations between Fish Species in Tributaries and Shore Waters of Western Lake ErieCarroll Blue Nash, EcologyLIFE AFTER DEATH IN LAKE ERIE: NUTRIENT CONTROLS DRIVE FISH SPECIES RICHNESS, REHABILITATIONStuart A. Ludsin, Mark W. Kershner, Karen A. Blocksom, Roger L. Knight, Roy A. Stein, Ecological ApplicationsRecruitment Of Hexagenia Mayfly Nymphs In Western Lake Erie Linked To Environmental VariabilityThomas B. Bridgeman, Don W. Schloesser, Ann E. Krause, Ecological ApplicationsBottom Shore Fauna of Western Lake Erie: A Population Study to a Depth of Six FeetFrederick H. Krecker, L. Y. Lancaster, EcologyPhytoplankton and Turbidity in Western Lake ErieJacob Verduin, Ecology

LAKE ERIE AND THE NIAGARA RIVER

LAKE ERIE AND THE NIAGARA RIVER J. W. Ellms, Engineer of Water Purification and Sewage DisposalFellow A.P.H.A. CopyRight https://doi.org/10.2105/AJPH.17.5.457 Published Online: August 30, 2011