The relative impacts of nutrient loads and invasive species on a Great Lakes food web: An Ecopath with Ecosim analysis

Kao, Yu‐Chun; Adlerstein, Sara A.; Rutherford, Edward S.

doi:10.1016/j.jglr.2014.01.010

Cited by 50 publications

(54 citation statements)

References 86 publications

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“…Journal of Geophysical Research: Biogeosciences 10.1002/2017JG003818 similar sensitivity to both phosphorus inputs and Dreissena grazing, with the most significant Dreissena impacts occurring at much lower phosphorus concentrations [Yu-Chun et al, 2014]. These authors suggest that because of Dreissena mussels, target nutrient limits may need to be reconsidered and potentially relaxed in order to avoid deleterious impacts to upper trophic organisms.…”

Section: 1002/2017jg003818mentioning

confidence: 95%

Modeled sensitivity of Lake Michigan productivity and zooplankton to changing nutrient concentrations and quagga mussels

et al. 2017

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The recent decline in Lake Michigan productivity is often attributed to filter feeding by invasive quagga mussels, but some studies also implicate reductions in lakewide nutrient concentrations. We use a 3‐D coupled hydrodynamic‐biogeochemical model to evaluate the effect of changing nutrient concentrations and quagga mussel filtering on phytoplankton production and phytoplankton and zooplankton biomass. Sensitivity experiments are used to assess the net effect of each change separately and in unison. Quagga mussels are found to have the greatest impact during periods of isothermal mixing, while nutrients have the greatest impact during thermal stratification. Quagga mussels also act to enhance spatial heterogeneity, particularly between nearshore‐offshore regions. This effect produces a reversal in the gradient of nearshore‐offshore productivity: from relatively greater nearshore productivity in the prequagga lake to relatively lesser nearshore productivity after quaggas. The combined impact of both processes drives substantial reductions in phytoplankton and zooplankton biomass, as well as significant modifications to the seasonality of surface water pCO2, particularly in nearshore regions where mussel grazing continues year‐round. These results support growing concern that considerable losses of phytoplankton and zooplankton will yield concurrent losses at higher trophic levels. Comparisons to observed productivity suggest that both quagga mussel filtration and lower lakewide total phosphorus are necessary to accurately simulate recent changes in primary productivity in Lake Michigan.

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Section: 1002/2017jg003818mentioning

confidence: 95%

Modeled sensitivity of Lake Michigan productivity and zooplankton to changing nutrient concentrations and quagga mussels

et al. 2017

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“…Both types of process have the potential to either support a balance of diverse basal resource types or drive the system towards dominance by a single energy flow pathway. Human modifiers, including introduced species, changes in nutrient loading, and climate change (Figure c) may directly affect resource production in each habitat or alter key natural processes that then influence resource production (Kao et al., ). Importantly, processes, or modifications of processes, that encourage dominance of a single basal resource may reduce ecosystem adaptive capacity by limiting subsidies to higher trophic‐level consumers, particularly under changing environmental conditions.…”

Section: Conceptual Frameworkmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Dreissenids have acted to modify relative nutrient and energy inputs into basal resource zones across lakes (with minimal effects in Lake Superior) (Barbiero et al., ; Hecky et al., ; Kao et al., ). Dreissenids also change the physical habitat of an invaded site by making unstable bottoms more colonisable by Cladophora (Brooks, Grimm, Shuchman, Sayers, & Jessee, ).…”

Section: The Laurentian Great Lakesmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Human modifiers, including introduced species, changes in nutrient loading, and climate change ( Figure 2c) may directly affect resource production in each habitat or alter key natural processes that then influence resource production (Kao et al, 2014). Importantly, processes, or modifications of processes, that encourage dominance F I G U R E 2 Conceptual structural attributes of food webs (a), and both natural (b) and human modifiers (c) of these structural attributes.…”

Section: Flow Into Systemmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Food‐web structure and ecosystem function in the Laurentian Great Lakes—Toward a conceptual model

et al. 2018

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The relationship between food‐web structure (i.e., trophic connections, including diet, trophic position, and habitat use, and the strength of these connections) and ecosystem functions (i.e., biological, geochemical, and physical processes in an ecosystem, including decomposition, production, nutrient cycling, and nutrient and energy flows among community members) determines how an ecosystem responds to perturbations, and thus is key to understanding the adaptive capacity of a system (i.e., ability to respond to perturbation without loss of essential functions). Given nearly ubiquitous changing environmental conditions and anthropogenic impacts on global lake ecosystems, understanding the adaptive capacity of food webs supporting important resources, such as commercial, recreational, and subsistence fisheries, is vital to ecological and economic stability. Herein, we describe a conceptual framework that can be used to explore food‐web structure and associated ecosystem functions in large lakes. We define three previously recognised broad habitat compartments that constitute large lake food webs (nearshore, pelagic, and profundal). We then consider, at three levels, how energy and nutrients flow: (a) into each basal resource compartment; (b) within each compartment; and (c) among multiple compartments (coupling). Flexible shifts in food‐web structures (e.g., via consumers altering their diet or habitat) that sustain these flows in the face of perturbations provide evidence for adaptive capacity. We demonstrate the conceptual framework through a synthesis of food‐web structure and ecosystem function in the Laurentian Great Lakes, with emphasis on the upper trophic levels (i.e., fishes). Our synthesis showed evidence of notable adaptive capacity. For example, fishes increased benthic coupling in response to invasion by mussels and round gobies. However, we also found evidence of loss of adaptive capacity through species extirpations (e.g., widespread collapse in the abundance and diversity of ciscoes, Coregonus spp., except in Lake Superior). In large freshwater lakes, fishery managers have traditionally taken a top‐down approach, focusing on stocking and harvest policy. By contrast, water quality managers have focused on nutrient effects on chemical composition and lower trophic levels of the ecosystem. The synthesised conceptual model provides resource managers a tool to more systematically interpret how lower food‐web dynamics influence harvestable fish populations, and vice versa, and to act accordingly such that sustainable resource practices can be achieved. We identify key gaps in knowledge that impede a fuller understanding of the adaptive capacities of large lakes. In general, we found a greater uncertainty in our understanding of processes influencing energy and nutrient flow within and among habitats than flows into the system.

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“…In recent years, EwE has been widely used to address ecological questions, evaluate ecosystem properties, study trophic relationships, explore the fisheries management and restoration policies; and evaluate the effect of environmental changes in continental and coastal ecosystems (Coll and Libralato, 2012;Kao et al, 2014;Rogers and Allen, 2012). The algorithm of EwE is based on parameterization of the two master equations known as: (1) Production = catch + predation + net migration + biomass accumulation + other mortality; (2) Consumption = production + respiration + unassimilated food, can be simplified and expressed as follows (Christensen et al, 2005):…”

Section: Modelling Approachmentioning

confidence: 99%

Toward an ecological understanding of a flood-pulse system lake in a tropical ecosystem: Food web structure and ecosystem health

Chea

Guo

Grenouillet

et al. 2016

Ecological Modelling

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The relative impacts of nutrient loads and invasive species on a Great Lakes food web: An Ecopath with Ecosim analysis

Cited by 50 publications

References 86 publications

Modeled sensitivity of Lake Michigan productivity and zooplankton to changing nutrient concentrations and quagga mussels

Modeled sensitivity of Lake Michigan productivity and zooplankton to changing nutrient concentrations and quagga mussels

Food‐web structure and ecosystem function in the Laurentian Great Lakes—Toward a conceptual model

Toward an ecological understanding of a flood-pulse system lake in a tropical ecosystem: Food web structure and ecosystem health

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