Collaborative Research: Open-water Planktivores and Turbidity: Their Influence on Size-structured Interactions among Centrarchid Fishes

美国东南部和中部的大多数湖泊和水库与中西部上部湖泊的不同之处在于，它们的水非常浑浊，并且存在着主要以浮游动物为食的开放水域鱼类（例如沙棘和梭鱼）。这两个因素对湖泊无脊椎动物和鱼类的生产有着深远的影响。这项研究将研究鲱鱼的存在如何影响鱼类物种的相互作用，以及研究鲱鱼对湖泊系统其他方面的影响（例如，藻类和浮游动物）。它试图将从对北部鱼类群落的研究中获得的大量了解扩展到该国地理上更广泛的地区。由于鱼类在生长过程中饮食和栖息地的变化，物种之间的相互作用往往很复杂（例如，许多大型掠食性鱼类以小型浮游动物为食），因此只有考虑每种因素如何影响鱼类生活史中的所有点，才能理解鱼色和浑浊度的影响。该项目将利用一系列实验室、池塘和全湖实验，研究鲱鱼对三种重要运动鱼类的幼鱼、幼鱼和成鱼的影响；蓝鳃鱼，大口鲈鱼，还有白色的垃圾。这项工作利用了一个独特的机会，研究了俄亥俄州两个水库的鱼类、浮游动物和浮游植物，在整个湖引入线鳍鱼之前和之后。该研究将为引入的浮游生物对当地鱼类动物群的影响及其在湖泊管理中的潜在作用提供急需的见解。俄亥俄州自然资源部正在资助对研究水库的进一步研究，这将增加正在产生的整个信息库的普遍性和深度。

Most lakes and reservoirs of the southeastern and central United States differ from upper-midwestern lakes by having very turbid water and the presence of open-water fish species which feed predominantly on zooplankton (e.g., gizzard and threadfin shad). These two factors have profound effects on the production of invertebrates and fishes in lakes. This study will examine how the presence of shad affects fish species interactions, as well as studying the impact of shad on other aspects of the lake system (e.g., algae and zooplankton). It seeks to extend the substantial understanding gained from studies of northern fish communities to a geographically broader portion of the country. Because species interactions in fishes are often complex due to changes in their diet and habitat use as they grow, (e.g., many large predatory fish begin their lives feeding on small zooplankton), the impact of shad and turbidity can only be understood by considering how each factor influences all points in a fish's life history. The project will utilize a series of laboratory, pond, and whole-lake experiments designed to examine the effect of shad on the larvae, juveniles and adults of three important sport fishes; bluegill, largemouth bass, and white crappie. This work capitalizes on a unique opportunity to study fish, zooplankton and phytoplankton in two Ohio reservoirs before and after the whole-lake introduction of threadfin shad. The study will provide much needed insight into the effects of introduced planktivores on the resident fish fauna and their potential role in lake management. Ohio Department of Natural Resources is funding additional research on the study reservoirs which will add generality and depth to the total information base being generated.