Notes on Oneida Lake Fish and Fisheries

Abstract

BY CHAS. C. ADAMS AND T. L. I-{ANKINSON. "A systematic study of the water life of our State should be made without delay and with the utmost thoroughness in detail. • • • ,Information of this kind is greatly needed, and is received slowly because the number of observers in the field is very limited. New York has not done as much work in the study of the life histories of its fish as some other States, and yet the iml)ortanee of its assets in this direction is out of all proportion to the outlay of effort and money devoted to biological surveys." Dr. T. H. Bean, Fourth Annual Report, New York State Conservation Commission for 1914,, p. 333, 1915. INTRODUCTION. 157 13.03 square miles, or 16 per cent. of the total area of the lake. The lake is thus both large and shallow and in striking contrast with other New York lakes and the Great Lakes, which also have but little shallow water. The shallow waters are usually bouldery, particularly the projecting points, and in the bays sandy, with organic muds in the most protected coves. The shallow waters abound in vegetation, except upon exposed points and shores where wave action is too strong. On moderately exposed places water willow (Diantheta) and bulrushes (Scirpus) thrive, while in the bays a great variety of water plants abound, including Valisneria, Castalia, Decodon, Myriophyllum and many others. This lake is particularly favorable for the study of the relation of water plants to fish. ANGLING ON ONEIDA LAKE.

Stable isotopes of nitrogen and carbon in an aquatic food web recently invaded by (Dreissena polymorpha) (Pallas)

“…Long-term studies of ecological systems are vital if we are to attain an accurate perception of ecological dynamics and to differentiate natural variability from impacts of exotics such as zebra mussels. Few long-term data sets exist for aquatic ecosystems but in the case of Oneida Lake, New York, ecological research has been conducted since the beginning of this century (Adams and Hankinson 1916;Baker 1916) and substantial changes in the biota and chemistry of the lake have been documented over this period (see reviews in Mills et al 1987;Mills and Forney 1988). One major change in the biota has been the infestation of the lake by zebra mussels (Dreissena polymorpha).…”

Changing Chemical and Biological Conditions in Oneida Lake, New York

“…In 1946 the New York State Conservation Department made a chemical investigation on Oneida Lake and tributary waters. A re-317 318 School Science and Mathematics port submitted (5) giving the results of this investigation found the average total alkalinity value for surface waters near Cleveland to be 87 ppm as CaCO3 on August 1,1946 (Table I). These workers also report that the August total alkalinity values within the lake varied only from 86 to 90 ppm with the average value for all stations at 88 ppm.…”

“…Oneida Lake is located about 15 miles north of Syracuse and is the largest lake wholly within the State. Its limnological features have been described (1,2,3,4,5,6,7). Because of these various investigations, we are better able today to compare Oneida Lake as it was with Oneida Lake as it is now.…”