Analysis of the effect of transplantation on morphometric and meristic characters in lake populations of the rainbow smelt, Osmerus mordax (Mitchill)

1978 ◽  
Vol 3 (3) ◽  
pp. 253-259 ◽  
Author(s):  
Douglas G. Copeman ◽  
Don E. McAllister
Keyword(s):  
Osmerus Mordax ◽  
Meristic Characters ◽  
Rainbow Smelt

Population Differences in Rainbow Smelt, Osmerus mordax: Multivariate Analysis of Mensural and Meristic Data

1977 ◽  
Vol 34 (8) ◽  
pp. 1220-1229 ◽  
Author(s):  
D. G. Copeman
Keyword(s):  
Biological Data ◽  
Correct Identification ◽  
Osmerus Mordax ◽  
Meristic Characters ◽  
Gill Rakers ◽  
Rainbow Smelt ◽  
Mean Values ◽  
Phenetic Relationships ◽  
Meristic Variation ◽  
Sexually Mature

The phenetic relationships are investigated between 13 samples of sexually mature rainbow smelt, Osmerus mordax, from 12 collecting sites including representatives of anadromous and landlocked populations. Data on 32 mensural and meristic characters were obtained. Univariate and multivariate analyses revealed that the samples fell into three distinct groups composed of the anadromous, normal freshwater, and stunted freshwater populations. Mean values of the mensural and some meristic characters decreased across these three groups; some other meristics increased. It is doubtful whether the magnitude of the observed meristic variation represents solely a plastic environmental response.The two freshwater stunted samples were 100% separable from the freshwater normal and anadromous samples using all the data, and 92.5 and 97.5% separable using one (total gill rakers) and all meristics, respectively. The identification success and other published biological data indicate that they fulfill the criteria for species recognition.Between anadromous and normal freshwater groups 99.2% correct identification was achieved when all data were used. Using only one and two meristics (total gill rakers and total vertebrae), 89.1 and 91.4% correct identification was achieved, which suggests subspecific status for these two groups.When the freshwater normal and anadromous groups were analyzed separately, more variation was seen within the freshwater group. Evidence of year-to-year variation was seen from the analysis of the anadromous samples and evidence for a genetic basis is presented. Key words: Osmerus mordax, population, anadromous, freshwater stunted, variation, meristic, multivariate, taxonomy

Fish community change in Lake Superior, 1970–2000

2003 ◽  
Vol 60 (12) ◽  
pp. 1552-1574 ◽  
Author(s):  
Charles R Bronte ◽  
Mark P Ebener ◽  
Donald R Schreiner ◽  
David S DeVault ◽  
Michael M Petzold ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Great Lakes ◽  
Native Species ◽  
Fish Community ◽  
Lake Trout ◽  
Community Change ◽  
Osmerus Mordax ◽  
Rainbow Smelt ◽  
Additional Species ◽  
Community Agencies ◽  
Natural Reproduction

Changes in Lake Superior's fish community are reviewed from 1970 to 2000. Lake trout (Salvelinus namaycush) and lake whitefish (Coregonus clupeaformis) stocks have increased substantially and may be approaching ancestral states. Lake herring (Coregonus artedi) have also recovered, but under sporadic recruitment. Contaminant levels have declined and are in equilibrium with inputs, but toxaphene levels are higher than in all other Great Lakes. Sea lamprey (Petromyzon marinus) control, harvest limits, and stocking fostered recoveries of lake trout and allowed establishment of small nonnative salmonine populations. Natural reproduction supports most salmonine populations, therefore further stocking is not required. Nonnative salmonines will likely remain minor components of the fish community. Forage biomass has shifted from exotic rainbow smelt (Osmerus mordax) to native species, and high predation may prevent their recovery. Introductions of exotics have increased and threaten the recovering fish community. Agencies have little influence on the abundance of forage fish or the major predator, siscowet lake trout, and must now focus on habitat protection and enhancement in nearshore areas and prevent additional species introductions to further restoration. Persistence of Lake Superior's native deepwater species is in contrast to other Great Lakes where restoration will be difficult in the absence of these ecologically important fishes.

Planktivory by alewife (Alosa pseudoharengus) and rainbow smelt (Osmerus mordax) on microcrustacean zooplankton and dreissenid (Bivalvia: Dreissenidae) veligers in southern Lake Ontario

1995 ◽  
Vol 52 (5) ◽  
pp. 925-935 ◽  
Author(s):  
Edward L. Mills ◽  
Connie Adams ◽  
Robert O'Gorman ◽  
Randall W. Owens ◽  
Edward F. Roseman
Keyword(s):  
Laboratory Experiments ◽  
Lake Ontario ◽  
Osmerus Mordax ◽  
Field Observations ◽  
Alosa Pseudoharengus ◽  
Rainbow Smelt ◽  
Consumption Rates ◽  
South Shore ◽  
Young Of The Year ◽  
Veliger Larvae

The objective of this study was to describe the diet of young-of-the-year and adult alewife (Alosa pseudoharengus) and rainbow smelt (Osmerus mordax) in nearshore waters coincident with the colonization of Lake Ontario by Dreissena. Laboratory experiments and field observations indicated that alewife and rainbow smelt consumed dreissenid veligers and that the veligers remained intact and identifiable in the digestive tract for several hours. Dreissenid larvae were found in field-caught alewife and rainbow smelt in August 1992, even though veliger densities were low (<0.1/L). Zooplankton dominated the diet of all fish and veliger larvae were <0.1% of the biomass of prey eaten by these fish. Density of veligers and the distribution of settled dreissenids declined from west to east along the south shore of Lake Ontario. Based on veliger consumption rates we measured and the abundance of veligers and planktivores, we conclude that planktivory by alewife and smelt in the nearshore waters of Lake Ontario did not substantially reduce the number of veligers during 1991–1993. However, our results indicate that if the density of veligers in Lake Ontario decreases, and if planktivores remain abundant, planktivory on veliger populations could be significant.

Dispersion and Retention of Anadromous Rainbow Smelt (Osmerus mordax) Larvae in the Middle Estuary of the St. Lawrence River

1985 ◽  
Vol 42 (2) ◽  
pp. 332-341 ◽  
Author(s):  
Patrick Quellet ◽  
Julian J. Dodson
Keyword(s):  
Water Mass ◽  
High Tide ◽  
Horizontal Distribution ◽  
Circulation System ◽  
Larval Abundance ◽  
Osmerus Mordax ◽  
Rainbow Smelt ◽  
Lawrence Estuary ◽  
Middle Estuary ◽  
St Lawrence River

The vertical and horizontal distribution of anadromous rainbow smelt (Osmerus mordax) larvae from hatching in their natal river to their occupation of nursery areas in the middle estuary of the St. Lawrence River was documented to describe the mechanism responsible for the retention of smelt larvae in this area. Peaks of larval abundance observed downstream of the spawning grounds indicate a 24-h periodicity in hatching and the introduction of larvae into the riverine circulation. No retention of larvae was observed between the spawning ground and the downstream portion of the natal river. Our evidence indicates daytime accumulation of larvae at the mouth of the natal river, possibly resulting from the negative phototaxis exhibited by small smelt larvae. Patches of smelt larvae were incorporated into the St. Lawrence estuarine water mass once every 24 h at night following high tide. The subsequent downstream transport of larvae in the St. Lawrence estuary appears slower than the advection of the water mass due to the tendency of larvae to remain deeper in the water column during ebb tides and to concentrate near the surface during flood tides. Smelt larvae are transported from the south shore to the partially mixed northern portion of the middle estuary which represents the principal zone of larval smelt accumulation. We propose that the vertical displacements exhibited by smelt larvae in combination with the two-layer circulation system of the northern middle estuary results in the retention of smelt larvae in this region.

Advances in Fisheries Bioengineering

2008 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Common Carp ◽  
Striped Bass ◽  
Flow Rate ◽  
Lepomis Macrochirus ◽  
Osmerus Mordax ◽  
Rainbow Smelt ◽  
Test Species ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Flow Through ◽  
Pair Wise Comparison

Abstract.—Aquatic Filter Barrier (AFB) is a permeable fabric material used to reduce the entrainment of ichthyoplankton at water intakes. To determine the potential for this material to protect a wide range of species, we evaluated the retention and survival of the early life stages of common carp <em>Cyprinus carpio</em>, rainbow smelt <em>Osmerus mordax</em>, white sucker <em>Catostomus commersonii</em>, striped bass <em>Morone saxatilis</em>, and bluegill <em>Lepomis macrochirus </em>exposed to AFB fabric in the laboratory. Twelve flow-through testing apparatuses were used in a closed-loop system to evaluate two flow rates (0.04 L/min/cm2) and 0.08 L/min/cm2) and three sizes of fabric perforation (0.5, 1.0, and 1.5 mm) with each species. The results indicate that, with one exception (pair-wise comparison of bluegill survival between 1.0-mm and 1.5- mm perforations; <em>p </em>= 0.0481), survival of organisms was not significantly correlated (<em>p </em>≤ 0.05) to either flow rate or perforation size. Retention of organisms decreased significantly with increasing flow rate for one species of fish (pair-wise comparison of rainbow smelt between 0.04 and 0.08 L/min/cm<sup>2</sup>; <em>p </em>= 0.0084). In addition, larger perforation sizes resulted in significant decreases in retention for three of the test species (common carp, rainbow smelt, and striped bass; <em>p </em>≤ 0.05). Consequently, the potential effectiveness AFB material is reduced by the use of larger perforation sizes. Provided that the material can be maintained and perforation sizes remain small (0.5 mm), AFB should prevent the entrainment of the majority of the organisms of the species tested in the laboratory.

Historical Changes in Large River Fish Assemblages of the Americas

2005 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
New York ◽  
Dreissena Polymorpha ◽  
Native Species ◽  
Environmental Changes ◽  
Fish Assemblages ◽  
Hudson River ◽  
Osmerus Mordax ◽  
Shoreline Development ◽  
Rainbow Smelt ◽  
River Fish

<em>Abstract.</em>—The main channel of the Hudson River is a tidal estuary from its mouth in New York Harbor to Troy, New York, 247 km upstream. It drains about 35,000 km<sup>2</sup> and is an important navigational, commercial, and recreational system. Since the arrival of European settlers over 400 years ago, it has undergone numerous environmental changes. These changes have included channel maintenance by dredging, wholesale dumping of industrial and domestic wastes, scattered in-basin urbanization and shoreline development, deforestation of the watershed and an increase in agriculture, and water removal for commercial, industrial, and agricultural needs. In addition, the biota of the river has supported commercial and recreational harvesting, exotic species have become established, and habitats have become fragmented, replaced, changed in extent, or isolated. The tidal portion of the Hudson River is among the most-studied water bodies on Earth. We use data from surveys conducted in 1936, the 1970s, the 1980s, and the 1990s to examine changes in fish assemblages and from other sources dating back to 1842. The surveys are synoptic but use a variety of gears and techniques and were conducted by different researchers with different study goals. The scale of our assessment is necessarily coarse. Over 200 species of fish are reported from the drainage, including freshwater and diadromous species, estuarine forms, certain life history stages of primarily marine species, and marine strays. The tidal Hudson River fish assemblages have responded to the environmental changes of the last century in several ways. Several important native species appear to be in decline (e.g., rainbow smelt <em>Osmerus mordax </em>and Atlantic tomcod <em>Microgadus tomcod</em>), others, once in decline, have rebounded (e.g., striped bass <em>Morone saxatilis</em>), and populations of some species seem stable (e.g., spottail shiner <em>Notropis hudsonius</em>). No native species is extirpated from the system, and only one, shortnose sturgeon <em>Acipenser brevirostrum</em>, is listed as endangered. The recent establishment of the exotic zebra mussel <em>Dreissena polymorpha </em>may be shifting the fish assemblage away from openwater fishes (e.g., <em>Alosa</em>) and toward species associated with vegetation (e.g., centrarchids). In general, the Hudson River has seen an increase in the number and importance of alien species and a change in dominant species.

Early Life Stage Mortality Syndrome in Fishes of the Great Lakes and Baltic Sea

1998 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Great Lakes ◽  
Prey Species ◽  
Lake Trout ◽  
Life Stage ◽  
Species Variation ◽  
Osmerus Mordax ◽  
Alosa Pseudoharengus ◽  
Rainbow Smelt ◽  
Thiamine Content ◽  
Lake Variation

<em>Abstract</em>.—Thiamine concentrations in representative Great Lakes prey fish, including alewives <em>Alosa pseudoharengus</em>, rainbow smelt <em>Osmerus mordax</em>, slimy sculpin <em>Cottus cognatus</em>, bloater chub <em>Coregonus hoyi</em>, and lake herring <em>Coregonus artedi</em>, and their major dietary items, including mysids <em>Mysis relicta</em>, amphipods <em>Diporeia hoyi</em>, and net macroplankton, were measured to assess their potential involvement in depressed thiamine concentrations in lake trout <em>Salvelinus namaycush </em>of the Great Lakes. Mean thiamine concentrations in all biota were greater than the recommended dietary intake of 3.3 nmol/g for prevention of effects on growth, although the adequacy of these concentrations for reproduction is not known. Mean thiamine concentrations decreased in the order alewives > bloater chub, herring > smelt and differed from the order of associated egg thiamine concentrations published for lake trout feeding on these species (herring > alewives, smelt). As a result, these data strongly implicate the high thiaminase content, rather than the low thiamine content, of alewives and smelt as being responsible for the low egg thiamine concentrations of Great Lakes lake trout stocks that feed heavily on these species. Variations in thiamine content among prey species did not appear to be related to levels in their diet, because thiamine concentrations in <em>Mysis</em>, <em>Diporeia</em>, and macroplankton showed little consistency between group or between lake variation. There was no lake to lake variation in mean thiamine concentrations of prey species, but considerable within species variation occurred that was unrelated to size.

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