Fish Community and Food Web Responses to a Whole-lake Removal of Coarse Woody Habitat

Sass, Greg G.; Kitchell, James F.; Carpenter, Stephen R.; Hrabik, Thomas R.; Marburg, Anna E.; Turner, Monica G.

doi:10.1577/1548-8446(2006)31[321:fcafwr]2.0.co;2

Cited by 122 publications

(207 citation statements)

References 36 publications

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“…Growth rates of fishes may be higher in structurally complex habitats as well; Schindler et al (2000) found that the growth rate of bluegills was correlated with the amount of coarse woody debris in lakes (Fig. 3), and Sass et al (2006) showed that growth rates of largemouth bass fell when woody debris was experimentally removed from a lake. There are exceptions to these patterns, of course.…”

Section: Physical Complexitymentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Conversely, experimental removal of structure may harm fish populations. Sass et al (2006) removed most of the coarse woody debris from half of a Wisconsin lake, and found that populations of yellow perch fell drastically. (Because this experiment covered an entire lake basin, we know that populations of perch actually fell, not just moved to other areas.)…”

Section: Physical Complexitymentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Consequently, densities of animals often respond to increases or decreases in availability of woody debris ( Fig. 3; Everett and Ruiz 1993;Scholten et al 2005;Sass et al 2006). Like other physical structure in the shore zone, the importance of wood varies with the availability of other structure; wood usually has the greatest ecological effect in shore zones where other structure is lacking (Crook and Robertson 1999;Benke and Wallace 2003).…”

Section: Accumulation and Processing Of Organic Mattermentioning

confidence: 99%

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Ecology of freshwater shore zones

2010

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Freshwater shore zones are among the most ecologically valuable parts of the planet, but have been heavily damaged by human activities. Because the management and rehabilitation of freshwater shore zones could be improved by better use of ecological knowledge, we summarize here what is known about their ecological functioning. Shore zones are complexes of habitats that support high biodiversity, which is enhanced by high physical complexity and connectivity. Shore zones dissipate large amounts of physical energy, can receive and process extraordinarily high inputs of autochthonous and allochthonous organic matter, and are sites of intensive nutrient cycling. Interactions between organic matter inputs (including wood), physical energy, and the biota are especially important. In general, the ecological character of shore zone ecosystems is set by inputs of physical energy, geologic (or anthropogenic) structure, the hydrologic regime, nutrient inputs, the biota, and climate. Humans have affected freshwater shore zones by laterally compressing and stabilizing the shore zone, changing hydrologic regimes, shortening and simplifying shorelines, hardening shorelines, tidying shore zones, increasing inputs of physical energy that impinge on shore zones, pollution, recreational activities, resource extraction, introducing alien species, changing climate, and intensive development in the shore zone. Systems to guide management and restoration by quantifying ecological services provided by shore zones and balancing multiple (and sometimes conflicting) values are relatively recent and imperfect. We close by identifying leading challenges for shore zone ecology and management.

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Section: Physical Complexitymentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Physical Complexitymentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Accumulation and Processing Of Organic Mattermentioning

confidence: 99%

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Ecology of freshwater shore zones

2010

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“…For example, macrophyte assemblages offer a variety of meso-and microhabitats including transient heterogeneous DO and temperature refugia (Miranda et al 2000) that can harbor distinct fish size-classes (Chick and McIvor 1994;Yamanaka 2013), high fish densities (Keast 1978;Hugh Barwick 2004;Randall et al 2012), and high species richness (Keast 1978;Pratt and Smokorowski 2003;Hugh Barwick 2004) compared to other littoral mesohabitats. Declines in fish diet, growth rate, biomass, and abundance correlate with reduced littoral physical habitat complexity (Bettoli et al 1993;Sass et al 2006). Anthropogenic regulation of water level regimes is a primary threat to fish species that use the littoral zone for all or part of their lives (Winfield 2004;Miranda et al 2010;Strayer and Findlay 2010).…”

Section: Fish Responsesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Ecological impacts of winter water level drawdowns on lake littoral zones: a review

2017

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with r-selected life history strategies and with functional traits resistant to direct and indirect drawdown effects. Fish assemblages, though less directly affected by winter drawdowns (except where there is critically low dissolved oxygen), experience negative effects via indirect pathways like decreased food resources and spawning habitat. We identify eight general research gaps to guide future research that could improve our understanding about the complex effects of winter drawdowns on littoral zone ecology.

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“…Differential vulnerability in structurally complex versus simple habitats may lead to the common observation of higher abundance of small-bodied fishes in complex habitats (Werner et al 1978, Barrientos andAllen 2008). Decline in the density or area of structurally complex habitat generally results in reduced abundance of small-bodied fishes (Ware and Gasaway 1976, Bettoli et al 1993, Colle and Shireman 1994, Sass et al 2006) and should increase biotic resistance to susceptible invaders.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Collapse of a reproducing population of non-native African jewelfish (Hemichromis letourneuxi) in a Florida lake

Hill¹

2016

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Established populations of non-natives may collapse without a clear causal mechanism. Hypothetically, fluctuations in habitat structural complexity may influence dynamics of invaders and the biotic resistance offered by predators. Herein I report observations of the collapse of a reproducing population of the nonnative African jewelfish (Hemichromis letourneuxi) in a Florida lake concurrent with an unusual low-water period. I test the hypothesis that predation may have played a key role in the collapse using a combination of field surveys of habitat and fish abundance and predator-prey experiments. Habitat complexity was high before and after the low water period but virtually nonexistent during low water. The abundance of African jewelfish and native juvenile bluegill (Lepomis macrochirus) and eastern mosquitofish (Gambusia holbrooki) declined concurrently with decreasing complexity but the native species rebounded when lake levels increased. Large-bodied natives such as largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides) and adult bluegill showed no pattern of fluctuation related to habitat complexity. African jewelfish survival was 1.6 times greater at high versus low complexity and over 7 times higher versus no complexity in the presence of largemouth bass. Conversely, eastern mosquitofish, a species that exerts strong effects on small-bodied fishes in structurally complex habitats had no effect on African jewelfish survival. Predation effects on susceptible non-natives should be considered as a potential control action. Population collapse is understudied but may provide insights into long-term dynamics of invaders and information useful for management of problematic species.

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Fish Community and Food Web Responses to a Whole-lake Removal of Coarse Woody Habitat

Cited by 122 publications

References 36 publications

Ecology of freshwater shore zones

Ecology of freshwater shore zones

Ecological impacts of winter water level drawdowns on lake littoral zones: a review

Collapse of a reproducing population of non-native African jewelfish (Hemichromis letourneuxi) in a Florida lake

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