Impacts of altered benthic invertebrate communities on the feeding ecology of yellow perch (Perca flavescens) in metal-contaminated lakes

2005 ◽  
Vol 62 (1) ◽  
pp. 153-162 ◽  
Author(s):  
J Kövecses ◽  
G D Sherwood ◽  
J B Rasmussen
Keyword(s):  
Yellow Perch ◽  
Size Structure ◽  
Perca Flavescens ◽  
Stomach Contents ◽  
Benthic Invertebrate ◽  
Taxonomic Composition ◽  
Benthic Macroinvertebrate ◽  
Macroinvertebrate Communities ◽  
Trophic Links ◽  
Benthic Invertebrate Communities

Metal contamination can disrupt trophic links in food webs by altering the taxonomic composition and size structure of benthic macroinvertebrate communities. Benthic macroinvertebrates and yellow perch (Perca flavescens) were collected from six lakes along a gradient of cadmium (Cd) and copper (Cu) contamination in Quebec, Canada. The two most contaminated lakes had significantly lower densities of several benthic macroinvertebrate taxa and significantly lower Shannon's index than less contaminated lakes. The stomach contents of perch from the most contaminated lakes were less diverse, with a greater reliance on chironomids and (or) zooplankton than perch from other study lakes. The size of prey in perch from the most contaminated lakes did not increase with age and the mean prey size was smaller than in other, less contaminated lakes. Perch from lakes with medium to low levels of contamination weighed significantly more than perch from lakes with high levels of contamination. This reduction in growth is attributed to the increased costs of foraging on a simplified prey base in metal-contaminated systems.

scholarly journals Community structure of benthic macroinvertebrate fauna of river Ichamati, India

2018 ◽  
Vol 10 (8) ◽  
pp. 12044
Author(s):  
Arnab Basu ◽  
Indrani Sarkar ◽  
Siddartha Datta ◽  
Sheela Roy
Keyword(s):  
Benthic Community ◽  
Diversity Index ◽  
Abiotic Factors ◽  
Benthic Invertebrate ◽  
Benthic Macroinvertebrate ◽  
Macroinvertebrate Communities ◽  
Habitat Conditions ◽  
Invertebrate Communities ◽  
Benthic Invertebrate Communities ◽  
Hydrological Variables

Benthic macroinvertebrate communities are frequently applied as indicators of aquatic ecosystem health as many species are responsive to pollution and abrupt changes in their surroundings.  The qualities of benthic invertebrate communities greatly depend on habitat conditions.  Thus the diversity in benthic community varies with different habitat conditions.  This investigation on the structure of the benthic invertebrate communities was conducted on river Ichamati, a trans-boundary river between India and Bangladesh to assess the cumulative effects of water quality on the aquatic biota.  The study period extended from February 2011 to January 2014 at three sites from Majdiah to Hasanabad (in West Bengal, India) a stretch of 124km.  A total of 23 macrobenthic species belonging to three phyla, five classes and nine orders were identified.  Fifteen species of benthic invertebrates belonging to Mollusca, three species under Annelida and five species under Arthropoda were found.  The highest abundance density (3633.33 indiv.m-2) and species richness (18 species) were recorded up-stream (Majdiah) where marginal habitats covered by macrophytes were significantly higher than at other sites.  Both the organic carbon (4.41±1.11) and organic matter (7.48±1.56) of soil at this site were the maximum thus influencing the richness of benthic macroinvertebrate communities.  Hydrological variables, viz, dissolved oxygen, pH, alkalinity; hardness, salinity, nutrients, calcium, and magnesium were studied to determine their influences on the benthic community in the upper, middle- and down-streams of the river, respectively.  Shannon’s diversity index (0.95–2.07; 0.00–0.72; 0.00–0.64), dominance index (0.57–0.86; 0.00–0.44; 0.00–0.44), evenness index (0.72–0.95; 0.61–1.00; 0.00–1.00), Margalef index (0.72–2.23; 0.00–1.32; 0.00-0.28) of the upper, middle- and down-streams were calculated. Benthic macroinvertebrate density was correlated with hydrological variables which indicated that the abiotic factors had either direct or inverse influence on the richness and abundance; however, the abiotic factors did not correlate identically in all three sites. 

scholarly journals Fish stomach contents in benthic macroinvertebrate assemblage assessments

2015 ◽  
Vol 75 (1) ◽  
pp. 157-164 ◽  
Author(s):  
TH. Tupinambás ◽  
PS. Pompeu ◽  
CV. Gandini ◽  
RM. Hughes ◽  
M. Callisto
Keyword(s):  
Benthic Macroinvertebrates ◽  
Fish Assemblages ◽  
Human Impacts ◽  
Stomach Contents ◽  
Taxonomic Composition ◽  
The Other ◽  
Benthic Macroinvertebrate ◽  
Macroinvertebrate Communities ◽  
Species Accumulation Curves ◽  
Sediment Samples

The choice of sampling gears to assess benthic macroinvertebrate communities depends on environmental characteristics, study objectives, and cost effectiveness. Because of the high foraging capacity and diverse habitats and behaviors of benthophagous fishes, their stomach contents may offer a useful sampling tool in studies of benthic macroinvertebrates, especially in large, deep, fast rivers that are difficult to sample with traditional sediment sampling gear. Our objective was to compare the benthic macroinvertebrate communities sampled from sediments with those sampled from fish stomachs. We collected benthic macroinvertebrates and fish from three different habitat types (backwater, beach, riffle) in the wet season, drying season, and dry season along a single reach of the Grande River (Paraná River Basin, southeast Brazil). We sampled sediments through use of a Petersen dredge (total of 216 grabs) and used gill nets to sample fish (total of 36 samples). We analyzed the stomach contents of three commonly occurring benthophagous fish species (Eigenmannia virescens, Iheringichthys labrosus, Leporinus amblyrhynchus). Chironomids dominated in both sampling methods. Macroinvertebrate taxonomic composition and abundances from fish stomachs differed from those from sediment samples, but less so from riffles than from backwater and beach habitats. Macroinvertebrate taxa from E. virescens stomachs were more strongly correlated with sediment samples from all three habitats than were those from the other two species. The species accumulation curves and higher mean dispersion values, compared with with sediment samples suggest that E. virescens is more efficient than sediment samples and the other fish studied at collecting benthic taxa. We conclude that by analyzing the stomach contents of benthophagous fishes it is possible to assess important characteristics of benthic communities (dispersion, taxonomic composition and diversity). This is especially true for studies that only sample fish assemblages to evaluate aquatic ecosystem impacts. Therefore, this approach can be useful to amplify assessments of human impacts, and to incorporate additional bioindicators.

scholarly journals Match–Mismatch Regulation for Bluegill and Yellow Perch Larvae and Their Prey in Sandhill Lakes

2010 ◽  
Vol 1 (2) ◽  
pp. 73-85 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jeffrey C. Jolley ◽  
David W. Willis ◽  
Richard S. Holland
Keyword(s):  
Yellow Perch ◽  
Prey Selection ◽  
Larval Fish ◽  
Lepomis Macrochirus ◽  
Perca Flavescens ◽  
Stomach Contents ◽  
Zooplankton Abundance ◽  
Growth And Survival ◽  
Fish Recruitment ◽  
Newly Hatched Larvae

Abstract Food availability may regulate fish recruitment, both directly and indirectly. The availability of zooplankton, especially to newly hatched larvae, is thought to be crucial to their early growth and survival. We examined stomach contents of larval bluegill Lepomis macrochirus and yellow perch Perca flavescens in Pelican Lake and Cameron Lake, Nebraska, in 2004 and 2005. We also determined zooplankton availability and calculated prey selection using Chesson's α. In addition, we investigated potential match–mismatch regulation of recruitment from 2004 to 2008. Bluegill positively selected copepod nauplii and Bosmina spp., and yellow perch often selected copepods. Abundant zooplankton populations were available for consumption. Matches of both larval bluegill and yellow perch abundance to zooplankton abundance were detected in all years; exact matches were common. Mismatches in predator and prey production were not observed. Predation by age-0 yellow perch on age-0 bluegill was not observed, even though yellow perch hatched 2 mo prior to bluegill. Given that zooplankton were abundant and well-timed to larval fish relative abundance over the time span of this study, the match–mismatch hypothesis alone may not fully account for observed recruitment variability in these populations. Environmental conditions may also affect recruitment and warrant further investigation.

Effect of Zooplankton Abundance and Body Size on Growth of Age-0 Yellow Perch (Perca flavescens) in Oneida Lake, New York, 1975–86

1989 ◽  
Vol 46 (5) ◽  
pp. 880-886 ◽  
Author(s):  
Edward L. Mills ◽  
Ruth Sherman ◽  
Douglas S. Robson
Keyword(s):  
New York ◽  
Yellow Perch ◽  
Size Structure ◽  
Perca Flavescens ◽  
Integrated Approach ◽  
Zooplankton Abundance ◽  
Data Set ◽  
Independent Variables ◽  
Oneida Lake ◽  
Taxonomic Groups

We examined an 11-yr (1975–86) field data set to determine whether annual differences in age-0 yellow perch (Perca flavescens) growth in weight were related to the abundance, size structure, and species composition of zooplankton in Oneida Lake, New York. A model for prediction of age-0 yellow perch weight was determined using a multiple regression technique; age-0 yellow perch wet weight (grams) was the dependent variable while age-0 yellow perch density, water temperature, calendar day, and cumulative biomass of both zooplankton taxonomic groups (daphnids, "other cladocerans," calanoids, cyclopoids, and nauplii) and zooplankton size classes (< 1.1 mm, 1.1–1.7 mm, and > 1.7 mm) were the independent variables. Analyses were based on an integrated approach where time was measured in cumulative temperature units and yellow perch weight was considered a function of the cumulative amount of food available. Below a cumulative temperature of 1350 °C∙d−1, none of the independent variables were related significantly (P < 0.05) to yellow perch weight. Beyond 1350 °C∙d−1 age-0 yellow perch weight was strongly correlated with the biomass of Daphnia and significant (P < 0.05) prey size variables shifted toward larger prey as fish grew. Our results indicate size- and species-based interactions between fish and zooplankton play an important role in regulating growth of age-0 fish.

Study of a stunted population of yellow perch (Perca flavescens) in a monospecific lake in Gatineau Park, Quebec

1994 ◽  
Vol 72 (9) ◽  
pp. 1576-1582 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lara L. Ridgway ◽  
François Chapleau
Keyword(s):  
Yellow Perch ◽  
Gonadosomatic Index ◽  
Perca Flavescens ◽  
Stomach Contents ◽  
Contributing Factors ◽  
Fish Prey ◽  
Large Size ◽  
Top Predators ◽  
Males And Females ◽  
Time Of Year

A reported case of stunting was examined in a population of yellow perch, Perca flavescens, from a monospecific lake (Lac du Printemps) in Gatineau Park, Quebec. In total, 516 specimens were sampled in early October 1992. Females grew significantly faster than males, and also attained a greater length and age (241 mm, 10 years) than males (172 mm, 7 years). Compared with other populations in Quebec, the growth rate of this population was well below average; age-classes converged towards a similar size at earlier ages; the maximum age attained by males was less than average for the species, and males and females reached sexual maturity at an earlier age (0+ and 1+, respectively). These results are consistent with those found in stunted populations. Males aged 0+ had an average gonadosomatic index of 9.3%, which is one of the highest ever reported for this species. The index decreased gradually with age. Fish were absent from the stomach contents of 300 specimens examined. Owing to their large size, young-of-the-year yellow perch were not preyed upon by older perch at that time of year. The lack of availability of fish prey may contribute to the stunted state of this population. Other contributing factors are intraspecific competition and the absence of top predators in the population. A comparison of the population in 1981 and 1992 indicated that it has been stunted for at least a decade.

scholarly journals Spatial and temporal heterogeneity in a subtropical reservoir and their effects over the benthic macroinvertebrate community

2014 ◽  
Vol 26 (3) ◽  
pp. 306-317 ◽  
Author(s):  
Frederico Guilherme de Souza Beghelli ◽  
André Cordeiro Alves dos Santos ◽  
Maria Virgínia Urso-Guimarães ◽  
Maria do Carmo Calijuri
Keyword(s):  
Organic Pollution ◽  
Taxonomic Composition ◽  
Benthic Macroinvertebrate ◽  
Macroinvertebrate Communities ◽  
Littoral Region ◽  
Longitudinal Gradients ◽  
Spatial And Temporal Heterogeneity ◽  
Sources Of Variation ◽  
Chemical Conditions ◽  
Physical And Chemical

AIM: The objective of the present study was to demonstrate the influences of the environment spatial heterogeneity on benthic macroinvertebrates considering transverse and longitudinal gradients as also seasonality. METHODS: Four samplings were performed: two in the wet and two in the dry season in the riverine, transitional and lacustrine zones in the littoral and profundal regions of Itupararanga reservoir, SP, Brazil. Abiotic characterization of the water and of the sediment was performed. The biotic characterization was based on richness, dominance, diversity, and density of organisms, as well as on the relative abundance of predominant taxa. Two-way ANOSIM analyses were performed for both biotic and abiotic components, in order to test the significance of the differences in the longitudinal and transverse directions as well as of the differences between seasons. RESULTS: Compartmentalization was present in both directions, longitudinal and transverse. In a general way, the littoral region presented higher diversity values when compared with the profundal region, and the riverine zone presented high densities and high percentage of taxons, which usually indicate organic pollution. The differentiation between the transitional and lacustrine zones was determined mainly by taxonomic composition. Seasonality was also observed and the transportation of small particles, the entrance of nutrients, and the presence of macrophytes were considered as determinants for differentiation. CONCLUSIONS: Together, these results demonstrate the responses of benthic macroinvertebrate communities considering distinct sources of variation: longitudinal heterogeneity, determined by the increasing distance from the forming rivers that leads to a gradient of physical and chemical conditions; transverse heterogeneity, determined by the proximity with the land environment and depth differences. Seasonal heterogeneity was recorded during the period of this research and it was determined by variations in water flow, in temperature, and in the carrying of matter, nutrients and organisms.

Green tides on inter- and subtidal sandy shores: differential impacts on infauna and flatfish

2017 ◽  
Vol 98 (4) ◽  
pp. 699-712 ◽  
Author(s):  
N. Quillien ◽  
M. C. Nordström ◽  
H. Le Bris ◽  
E. Bonsdorff ◽  
J. Grall
Keyword(s):  
Marine Species ◽  
Benthic Invertebrate ◽  
Anthropogenic Pressure ◽  
Macroinvertebrate Communities ◽  
Green Tides ◽  
Sandy Shores ◽  
Commercially Important ◽  
Species Specific ◽  
Benthic Invertebrate Communities ◽  
Analytical Approaches

Beach ecosystems extend from dune to offshore areas along most coasts, and provide essential services that are not provided by any other ecosystem. Indeed, sandy systems contain unique biodiversity and supply nursery and foraging areas for numerous commercially important marine species, such as flatfish. However, these systems are threatened by increasing anthropogenic pressure. Green tides (GT, i.e. accumulations of green opportunistic macroalgae) are a major human-induced threat to marine ecosystems, from inshore to nearshore. This eutrophication process greatly affects both benthic invertebrate communities and flatfish communities, within sheltered and non- or microtidal systems. However, the responses of dynamic open macrotidal sandy systems to eutrophication in the form of macroalgal mats are not yet fully understood. In particular, understanding the effects of GT on two connected biological compartments (infauna and flatfish) within two connected habitats (intertidal and subtidal) is crucial. Here, we set out to assess the influence of several environmental variables, including Ulva biomass, on the variability in infauna and flatfish communities in both the intertidal and the subtidal at four sites impacted or not by GT. In total, 110 biodiversity samples were analysed with classic and novel analytical approaches. Our results demonstrate that the presence of GT specifically impacts intertidal macroinvertebrate communities. However, small effects of GT on subtidal infauna communities, as well as on species-specific flatfish at both intertidal and subtidal, were still detectable. Our findings underline the vulnerability of highly dynamic ecosystems exposed to anthropogenic stress, in particular intertidal sandy shores.

Response of littoral macroinvertebrate communities on rocks and sediments to lake residential development

2008 ◽  
Vol 65 (6) ◽  
pp. 1206-1216 ◽  
Author(s):  
Simon De Sousa ◽  
Bernadette Pinel-Alloul ◽  
Antonia Cattaneo
Keyword(s):  
Particle Deposition ◽  
Size Structure ◽  
Open Water ◽  
Residential Development ◽  
Taxonomic Composition ◽  
Total Biomass ◽  
Macroinvertebrate Communities ◽  
Littoral Invertebrates ◽  
Woody Litter ◽  
The Impact

Previously pristine lakes of the Laurentian region of Quebec, Canada, have faced increasing residential development of their watershed since the 1970s. We tested whether littoral invertebrates respond to this perturbation, even though open-water nutrients and chlorophyll are not yet altered. We examined changes in biomass, size structure, and taxonomic composition of macroinvertebrates living on rocks and sediments in 13 lakes representing a gradient of lakeshore residential development and watershed clearing. Littoral invertebrates provided early indication of lake perturbation, but their response varied according to the substratum. On rocks, total invertebrate biomass increased along the perturbation gradient and size structure shifted towards large organisms. These changes were likely mediated by a concomitant increase in epilithon biomass, suggesting a bottom-up control. No significant change in total biomass and size structure was observed for invertebrates in sediments. In contrast, taxonomic composition changed with lake development in sediments, but not on rocks. Taxonomic shifts were likely related to changes in sediment heterogeneity due to a decline of woody litter and increased fine particle deposition. Oligochaetes were positively associated to perturbation, whereas mayflies were negatively associated; these taxa could be used as indicators. Sediments were a better sentinel substratum than rocks for biomonitoring the impact of lake residential development.

scholarly journals Shifts in Estuarine Macroinvertebrate Communities Associated With Water Quality and Climate Change

2021 ◽  
Vol 8 ◽  
Author(s):  
Thomas Goulding ◽  
Pedro M. Sousa ◽  
Gilda Silva ◽  
João Paulo Medeiros ◽  
Frederico Carvalho ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Water Quality ◽  
Benthic Invertebrate ◽  
Biotic Index ◽  
Macroinvertebrate Communities ◽  
Benthic Species ◽  
Assessment Period ◽  
Ecological Quality Status ◽  
Benthic Invertebrate Communities ◽  
Quality Status

The present work aims to identify changes in the macroinvertebrate community of the Tagus estuary (Portugal) due to improvements in water quality and to climate change. Data was collected over a period of 16 years (1998–2014) from different sites located along the estuarine gradient. The AZTI Marine Biotic Index (AMBI) was used to assess the ecological quality status based on benthic invertebrate communities and identify possible variations associated with changes in water quality. The overall distribution of each species was examined to detect possible changes associated with climate, based on species’ affinity for more temperate or subtropical climates. Results demonstrate that there was an overall improvement of AMBI scores during the assessment period. The analysis of the geographical distribution of benthic species seems to indicate that there has been an increase of species which prefer subtropical climates in the shallower waters of the estuary, whereas in the deeper estuarine sections the propensity is for species that prefer temperate climates.

Changes in the Benthic Community of a Small Precambrian Lake following the Introduction of Yellow Perch, Perca flavescens

1984 ◽  
Vol 41 (10) ◽  
pp. 1496-1501 ◽  
Author(s):  
John R. Post ◽  
Dan Cucin
Keyword(s):  
Benthic Community ◽  
Littoral Zone ◽  
Yellow Perch ◽  
Size Structure ◽  
Perca Flavescens ◽  
Fish Predation ◽  
Density Data ◽  
Lake Algonquin ◽  
Benthic Biomass ◽  
One Year

The introduction and proliferation of yellow perch, Perca flavescens, in Little Minnow Lake, Algonquin Park, Ontario, resulted in changes in biomass and size structure of the benthic community. Biomass, mean organism weight, and density data are presented for nine groups of benthic macroinvertebrates for two years before and one year after perch introduction. An approximately 60% reduction in total benthic biomass and an approximately 50% reduction in mean weights occurred in the littoral zone after perch introduction. Vertically migrating profundal benthos showed an approximately 30–60% reduction in mean organism weight but no significant change in biomass. We conclude that fish predation can significantly alter species composition, skew size structure towards smaller invertebrates, and reduce total benthic biomass.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document