investigating lake sturgeon habitat use, feeding...
TRANSCRIPT
Investigating Lake Sturgeon habitat use,
feeding ecology and benthic resource
availability in the lower Niagara River
Funded through the Ecological Greenway Fund
Progress Report for 2016
Alexander Karatayev – Great Lakes CenterLyuba Burlakova – Great Lakes Center
Dimitry Gorsky – U.S. Fish and Wildlife ServiceKnut Mehler – Great Lakes Center Eric Bruestle – Great Lakes Center
Objectives
1. Use bathymetric and habitat data obtained from USFWS’s side‐scan sonar project on the lower Niagara River to create benthic habitat maps. Using the habitat maps, assess diversity and community structure of benthic invertebrates in the lower Niagara River
2. Document habitat use, movements, and diet of lake sturgeon in the lower Niagara River
• Use bathymetric and habitat data to create benthic habitat maps
• Using the habitat maps, assess diversity and community structure of benthic invertebrates in the lower Niagara River
1. Objective
Two more data layers generated
Bathymetric Map Shear Stress Map
Combining the data layers with biological information to address spatial distribution, abundance, diversity, and community
structure of benthic invertebrates
Dreissena spatial distribution
AUC = 0.79
Spatial distribution of major taxonomic groups
Probability of occurrence maps for the four benthic communities (a. Tubificidae, b. Naididae, c. Dreissena, d. E. ischnus).Mehler, K., Burlakova, L.E., Karatayev, A.Y., Biesinger, Z., Bruestle, E., Valle Levinson, A., Castiglione, C., and D. Gorsky. Integrating remote sensing and species distribution modeling to predict benthic communities in a Great Lakes connecting channel. Submitted to River Research and Applications.
Dreissena effect depends on substrate
• Mehler, K., Burlakova, L. E., Karatayev, A. Y. “Structure and abundance of benthic communities in a Great Lakes connecting channel: the effects of Dreissena spp. versus environmental factors”
• To be submitted to a special issue of Hydrobiologia
Historical Comparison: 1983‐2015
Creese, E. E. 1987
Changes in Niagara River in the last 30 years
Lower Niagara 1983
Lower Niagara 2015
Upper Niagara 1983
Upper Niagara 2015
Creese, E. E. 1987. Report on the 1983 Benthic Invertebrate Survey of the Niagara River and Nearby Lake Ontario. Ontario Ministry of the Environment, Water Resources Branch, Great Lakes Section, Toronto, Ontario.
Abundances in upper and lower river were significantly lower in 2015 compared to 1983 Fish predation?
Changes in benthic community in the upper river between 1983 and 2015 were mainly caused by a dramatic increase of the intolerant to organic pollution caddisfly Brachycentrus sp.
Changes in species diversity in the upper river could be the result of improved water treatment and thus water quality
However, similarities in some taxa between 1983 and 2015 (esp. Oligochaeta) in the lower river could be the result of a legacy of contaminates remaining in the sediment
Changes in the benthic community
Taxa composition in the lower Niagara River (left) and upper Niagara River (right) in 1983 and 2015.
Lower NR Upper NR
Cevaer, A., Mehler, K., Burlakova, L. E., Karatayev, A.Y. 2016. Benthic Macroinvertebrate Community of the Niagara River: A Comparison Study. Poster Presentation at International Association of Great Lakes Research Annual Meeting, Guelph, Canada, June 6‐10th 2016
Additional Project: Round Goby: Curse or Blessing?
• aggressive invader and strong competitor
• can dramatically decrease benthic invertebrates abundance
• fish egg predator
• an important prey item for higher trophic levels in the lower Niagara River
Equipment and Field Survey• 51 sites along the lower Niagara
were surveyed• GoPro Camera attached to frame• At each site underwater video
was recorded for 10 min• Video was split into 10 still images• First 5 min were discarded and all
gobies were counted from minute 6 to 10
Pennuto, C., Mehler, K. 2017. Round Goby nearshore‐offshore migrations and implications for Lake Ontario nutrient budgets. Oral Presentation at NY Chapter American Fisheries Society 51st Annual Meeting, Buffalo, New York, February 1‐3rd 2017.
Mehler, K. and C. Pennuto, 2017. Using underwater video imagery for Round Goby assessment in the Niagara River. USGS‐MDNR round goby assessment workshop. Geological Survey‐ Great Lakes Sciences Center, Ann Arbor, Michigan, November 10th 2016.
Preliminary Results
• Densities: 17/m2 in the river and 22/m2 in nearshore areas of Lake Ontario in summer• Much higher densities than reported from other streams and Great Lakes• No gobies found during the winter due to migration into Lake OntarioNext steps: • Repeat sampling in Spring and Summer 2017 to determine time when gobies migrate
back into the river• Calculate a nutrient balance, i.e. how much of N and P is moved out of river due to
goby migration• Calculate sturgeon population size that can be facilitated by the goby population
Conclusions• Maps combined with biological information improved our understanding of
the distribution, abundance, diversity, and community structure of benthic invertebrates and higher trophic levels
• and helped to estimate value of benthos as a food source for higher trophic levels
• Predictive power: power tools for habitat restoration to predict habitat for other aquatic species (fish, turtles, unionids, invasive species, aquatic plants)
• Can help in many other ways: – Placement of structures such as artificial spawning reefs (turtle, fish)– underwater cables, pipelines, and piers– Identify areas of sediment accumulation or erosion – Sediment and contaminant transport prediction– Identification of flow refuges (unionids, fish, plants)– Detailed information necessary for permitting and regulation of future human
activities such as dredging and construction projects
More effective river habitat management !
2. Objective
Document habitat use, movements, and diet of lake sturgeon in the lower Niagara River
Eric Bruestle1,2, Curt Karboski1,2, Anna Hussey3, Aaron T. Fisk3, Dimitry Gorsky1,2
1 Great Lakes Center, SUNY Buffalo State, Buffalo, NY 14222, USA2 U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Lower Great Lakes Fish and Wildlife Conservation Office, Basom, NY 14013, USA
3 Great Lakes Institute for Environmental Research, University of Windsor, Windsor, ON N9B 3P4, Canada
Acoustic Array
Guiding Questions• When and how long are they in the river for?
• How much/how fast do sturgeon move around in the river?
• How much of the river do they use?
• What is their depth preference?
• Where in the river do they congregate and at what times of the year?
Short‐term Centers of Activity(Simpfendorfer et al. 2002 CJFAS)
B
C
D90%
20%
80%
60%
Assumptions:
1. Reception probability is inversely related to distance
2. The tag stays in one place during time interval
Tag position during time interval
Mean position of receivers weighted by number of detections
=
Study Site Residency
May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr
2014 2015
Tag ID
2016
Summer – 0.9 ± 0.18Autumn – 0.73 ± 0.25
Winter– 0.34 ± 0.27Spring – 0.59 ± 0.38
Daily Activity Space= (maximum daily rkm ) – (minimum daily rkm)
Monthly Home Range SizeHow much of the river do sturgeon use?
May 2014 Aug 2014 Nov 2014 Feb 2015 May 2015 Aug 2015 Nov 2015 Feb 2016Date
Depth PreferenceWhat depths do sturgeon use?
May 2014 Aug 2014 Nov 2014 Feb 2015 May 2015 Aug 2015 Nov 2015 Feb 2016Date
95% Kernel (movement extent)
50% Kernel (core area)
ConclusionsMovements
• Have a better idea of how they use the river.• Exhibit seasonal residency patterns.• Have the largest home range in the spring.• Congregate mostly on the Niagara Bar in the warmer months.
• This information can be used to minimize the impacts of construction and disturbance by avoiding critical areas and times.
Lake Sturgeon Diet
0 10 20 30 40 50 60
Chironomus sp.
Dreissena bugensis
Immature Tubificidae w/o hairs
Phaenopsectra sp.
Echinogammarus ischnus
% of Sites
Most frequently occurring benthic invertebrate species/families in the lower Niagara River
Lake Sturgeon Recovery in an Altered Ecosystem
• Sturgeon population seems to be recovering thanks to regulations that restrict harvest and habitat destruction, and improved water quality.
• This recovery is occurring in a changed ecosystem that includes exotic species
From K. Mehler et al.
17 gobies/m2 in the lower Niagara River
22 gobies/m2 near shore Lake Ontario From: K. Mehler and C. Pennuto
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
100Pe
rcen
tage
Prey Group
Occurrence
Weight
Count
Generalist
Specialist
Feed
ing Strategy
Stable Isotope Sample Collection
Trop
hic Level
0.4
3.0
Consumer
Prey
RBC
Plasma
Fin
ConclusionsFeeding Ecology
• Lake sturgeon are heavily reliant upon highly abundant exotic species as a food source
• Exhibit a degree of piscivory that is unprecedented for the species!
• As a result, this population has higher growth rates and occupy a higher trophic level than any other population in the Great Lakes.
• It has been shown that abundant native predators enhance an ecosystem’s resistance to invasion. In this way, Lake sturgeon are an invaluable stabilizing force in the Niagara River that must be protected.
PublicationsPublished:1. Mehler, K., Burlakova, L.E., Karatayev, A. Y., Biesinger, Z., Valle‐Lewinson, A., Castiglione, C.
and D. Gorsky. 2016. Sonar technology and underwater video analysis can enhance invasive Dreissena distribution assessment in large rivers. Hydrobiologia. DOI: 10.1007/s10750‐016‐3040‐z.
2. Jacobs, G., Bruestle, E., Hussey, A., Gorsky, D., and A. Fisk. 2017. Invasive species alter ontogenetic shifts in the trophic ecology of Lake Sturgeon (Acipenser fulvescens) in the Niagara River and Lake Ontario. Biological Invasions. DOI: 10.1007/s10530‐017‐1376‐6
Submitted:1. Mehler, K., Burlakova, L.E., Karatayev, A.Y., Biesinger, Z., Bruestle, E., Valle Levinson, A.,
Castiglione, C., and D. Gorsky. Integrating remote sensing and species distribution modeling to predict benthic communities in a Great Lakes connecting channel. Submitted to River Research and Applications.
2. Bruestle, E., Karboski, C., Hussey, A., Fisk, A., and D. Gorsky,. Consumption of invasive species by the native predator lake sturgeon (Acipenser fulvescens) in the Niagara River, NY.Submitted to Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Science.
Oral and Poster Presentations (15)
1. Pennuto, C. and K. Mehler 2017. Round Goby nearshore‐offshore migrations and implications for Lake Ontario nutrient budgets. Oral Presentation at NY Chapter American Fisheries Society 51st Annual Meeting, Buffalo, New York, February 1‐3rd 2017.
2. Bruestle, E., C. Karboski, A. Hussey, A. Fisk, and D. Gorsky. 2017. Consumption of invasive species by lake sturgeon in the lower Niagara River, NY. New York Chapter of the American Fisheries Society 51st Annual Meeting. Buffalo, New York, February 1‐3rd 2017.
3. Bruestle, E., Z. Biesinger, C, Karboski, and D. Gorsky. 2017 Movements and habitat use of lake sturgeon in the lower Niagara River, NY. Great Lakes Acoustic Telemetry Observation System Annual Meeting. Ann Arbor, Michigan, Feb 27 ‐Mar 1
4. Mehler, K. and C. Pennuto. Using underwater video imagery for Round Goby assessment in the Niagara River. USGS‐MDNR round goby assessment workshop. Geological Survey‐ Great Lakes Sciences Center, Ann Arbor, Michigan, November 10th 2016.
5. Mehler, K., Burlakova, L. E. and A.Y. Karatayev. 2016. Benthic invertebrate assessment in the lower Niagara River: Distribution and community structure. Oral Presentation at International Association of Great Lakes Research, Annual Meeting, Guelph, Canada, June 6‐10th 2016.
6. Bruestle, E., C. Karboski, A. Hussey, A. Fisk, and D. Gorsky. Feeding ecology and trophic position of lake sturgeon in the lower Niagara River, NY. Oral Presentation at International Association of Great Lakes Research, Annual Meeting, Guelph, Canada, June 6‐10th 2016.
7. Cevaer, A. Mehler, K., Burlakova, L. E. and A.Y. Karatayev. 2016. Benthic Macroinvertebrate Community of the Niagara River: A Comparison Study. Poster Presentation at International Association of Great Lakes Research, Annual Meeting, Guelph, Canada, June 6‐10th 2016.
8. Mehler, K., Burlakova, L. E. and A. Y. Karatayev. 2016. Integrating remote sensing techniques and spatial modelling to better understand benthos distribution in the Niagara River. Poster Presentation at the 16th Annual Faculty/Staff Research and Creativity Fall Forum. Buffalo State. The State University of New York, October 29th 2015.
9. Mehler, K., Karatayev, A. Y., Burlakova, L. E., Gorsky, D. and Z. Biesinger. 2015. Benthic habitat mapping using remote sensing and GIS in the Niagara River. Oral Presentation at International Association of Great Lakes Research, Annual Meeting, Burlington, Vermont, USA, May 25‐29th 2015.
10. Mehler, K., Bruestle, E., Burlakova, L. E. and A. Y. Karatayev. 2015. Estimation of exotic bivalve distribution and coverage in a large river using traditional sampling, remote sensing, and GIS‐derived benthic habitat maps. Poster Presentation at the 16th Annual Faculty/Staff Research and Creativity Fall Forum. Buffalo State. The State University of New York, October 29th 2015.
11. Mehler, K., Karatayev, A. Y. and L. E. Burlakova. 2015. Diversity and community structure of benthic invertebrates based on GIS‐derived habitat maps in the Niagara River. Oral Presentation at the Society for Freshwater Science, Annual Meeting, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA, May 17‐21st 2015.
12. Mehler, K., Burlakova, L. Karatayev, A. Y. and E. L. Bruestle. 2014. Using Remote Sensing to Develop Benthic Habitat Maps in the Lower Niagara River. Poster Presentation at the 15th Annual Faculty/Staff Research and Creativity Fall Forum. Buffalo State. The State University of New York, October 29th 2014.
13. Bruestle, E.L., Gorsky, D., Mehler, K., Karatayev, A.Y. and L. Burlakova. 2014. Investigating lake sturgeon habitat use and feeding ecology in the lower Niagara River. Poster Presentation at the 15th Annual Faculty/Staff Research and Creativity Fall Forum. Buffalo State. The State University of New York, October 29th, 2014.
14. Bruestle, E., Gorsky, D., Mehler, K., Karatayev, A.Y. and L. Burlakova. 2015. Investigating lake sturgeon habitat use and residency in the lower Niagara River. 58th Annual Conference on Great Lakes Research. May 25‐29, 2015, Burlington, Vermont.
15. Bruestle, E., Gorsky, D., Mehler, K., Karatayev, A.Y. and L. Burlakova. 2015. Lake sturgeon habitat preference and feeding ecology in the lower Niagara River. New York Chapter of the American Fisheries Society Annual Meeting. Feb 4‐6, 2015, Lake Placid, New York.