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River Discharge Drives Differential Survival of Larval Walleye

Mion, Joseph Benjamin
http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1393069060

Abstract Details

1996, Master of Science, Ohio State University, Evolution, Ecology and Organismal Biology.
Walleye (Stizostedion vitreum vitreum) in Lake Erie have historically experienced large fluctuations in recruitment success, which has important implications for walleye population dynamics as well as food web interactions in Lake Erie. Because walleye year-class strength is likely set during the larval life stage, we explored factors underlying larval survival during outmigration in the Maumee and Sandusky rivers, Ohio's primary walleye spawning tributaries. We estimated daily larval production and used otoliths to estimate hatch-dates of larvae surviving outmigration. Comparing production and survival distributions demonstrated strong temporal patterns of larval survival that were unrelated to walleye production patterns. Daily survival varied greatly during the larval hatch (~ 4 wk), with short, discrete periods of high survival (4 - 7 d) accounting for 75 - 84 % of total survivors. Larval survival was inversely related to river discharge, likely due to direct effects of suspended sediments; this ran counter to our original hypothesis that survival of larval walleye would be positively related to discharge. Interactions between temperature and zooplankton density also influence larval survival. Post-outmigration densities of larval walleye in Maumee and Sandusky bays were strongly correlated (Maumee Bay: r2 = 0.99, Sandusky Bay: r2 = 0.94) with Ohio Division of Wildlife (ODW) estimates of late-summer juvenile abundance (i.e., year-class strength) of Lake Erie walleye. Climatic events during the larval hatch likely drives recruitment success of walleye, thus influencing food web and community dynamics in Lake Erie. Because walleye year-class strength fluctuations appear weather-related, large-scale climatic perturbations, such as global warming, may operate to increase variability of walleye year-class strength. These effects may be mitigated by reduced exploitation of spawning walleye coupled with watershed management to lower discharge and suspended sediments
Roy Stein (Advisor)
Elizabeth A. Marschall (Committee Member)
Charles P. Madenjian (Committee Member)
58 p.
Zoology

Recommended Citations

Citations

  • Mion, J. B. (1996). River Discharge Drives Differential Survival of Larval Walleye [Master's thesis, Ohio State University]. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1393069060

    APA Style (7th edition)

  • Mion, Joseph. River Discharge Drives Differential Survival of Larval Walleye. 1996. Ohio State University, Master's thesis. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center, http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1393069060.

    MLA Style (8th edition)

  • Mion, Joseph. "River Discharge Drives Differential Survival of Larval Walleye." Master's thesis, Ohio State University, 1996. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1393069060

    Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition)

osu1393069060
175
© 1996, all rights reserved.
This open access ETD is published by The Ohio State University and OhioLINK.