Geology topics

Clifford E. Kraft

Publications and source records attributed to Clifford E. Kraft.

7 recordsLinked to original sources

USGS2025

Potential thiamine deficiency of phytoplankton across a productivity gradient and seasons in Ohio lakes

Although nitrogen and phosphorus deficiency of algal blooms have been the focus of substantial attention, organic nutrients can limit algal growth in aquatic systems. Growing evidence indicates thiamine (vitamin B 1 ) can influence the community of primary producers in marine systems, but comparatively little is known about the effect of thiamine on freshwater algal productivity. We conducted 106 nutrient deficiency experiments with water from 39 Ohio lakes of varying trophic status during the growing seasons (April–October) of 2008–2009. Specifically, we tested the response of phytoplankton biomass (as chlorophyll a , chl- a ) relative to controls to added nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), thiamine (Th), or combinations of N + P and N + P + Th. Next, we compared the chl- a growth response of treatment/control to published thresholds based on frequentist approaches and compared the conclusions with Bayesian model results that focused on probability of a response. Although N + P addition was consistently associated with the largest chl- a response, we found evidence of a thiamine influence on phytoplankton growth in some experiments. The Bayesian approach suggested thiamine may become more limiting as the growing season progresses. By late in the growing season, there was an 85% probability of a positive algal growth response to thiamine addition. Understanding the role of thiamine or other overlooked nutrients is not likely to alter the prevailing understanding of nutrient deficiency in freshwater ecosystems. However, we present evidence that freshwater phytoplankton may experience thiamine deficiency and suggest limnologists consider thiamine when exploring resource deficiencies.

Ohio↗

USGS2025

Eradication efforts catalyze rapid evolution in an invasive predatory fish

pecies invasions spur costly and labor-intensive control efforts, yet even local eradication is seldom achieved. When control measures are initially effective, they may drive evolutionary adaptation that prevents full eradication, as has been documented for some chemical and biocontrol approaches. Although the intensity, directionality, and persistence of selection required to increase the frequency of resistant genotypes in complex natural ecosystems remains an open question, theory predicts that high mortality can cause life-history evolution even in the absence of a strong selective agent. Here, we use annually collected ecological and genetic data to show that rapid evolution of introduced smallmouth bass has undermined a 20-y manual suppression effort in a mid-sized lake. Despite nearly doubling annual mortality, our intensive control program produced a larger bass population dominated by young and early-maturing fish. These shifts were accompanied by large allele frequency changes in three genomic regions associated with earlier maturation and increased somatic growth. Our findings bear out the theoretical prediction that high mortality can drive evolutionary adaptation in target species. Controlling species invasions are worldwide practices that typically remove a substantial proportion of a population during each of many successive generations, hence life history adaptation may be commonplace. Such evolutionary responses could be salient in explaining the widespread failure of invasion control efforts. Genetic and phenotypic monitoring to detect cryptic adaptation and preemptive design of invader eradication programs to deliberately disrupt directional selection for resistance could improve invasion control outcomes.

New York↗

USGS2020

Expanding the feasibility of fish and wildlife assessments with close-kin mark–recapture

Close-kin mark–recapture (CKMR) is a powerful new method for the assessment of fish and wildlife population dynamics. Unlike traditional mark–recapture techniques, the use of kinship as an identifying mark is robust to many forms of capture heterogeneity including variation in gear efficiency and tagging-based effects such as loss and differential mortality. In addition, close-kin methods can be applied to a wider range of sampling designs than traditional methods (e.g., single-occasion surveys and lethal capture), can provide retrospective historical abundance estimates, and can produce survival estimates from as few as two sampling occasions. We evaluated the ability of CKMR to provide estimates of abundance and adult survival and then compared results to those from traditional mark–recapture. This analysis incorporated data from a three-year study of lake resident brook trout ( Salvelinus fontinalis ) where individuals were both physically (PIT) tagged and genotyped for 44 de novo developed microsatellites with high throughput sequencing. Traditional mark–recapture estimates were derived using Pollock’s Robust Design, relying upon three primary open sampling occasions and four secondary closed occasions. We found that close-kin methods produced contemporary estimates of adult abundance and survival that were similar to those produced by traditional mark–recapture in both magnitude and precision. Furthermore, CKMR provided abundance estimates for multiple years prior to sampling and, when restricted to data from a single year, still produced reliable abundance estimates for at least one and as many as three years. Retrospective abundance estimates corresponded with those from a separate historical two-sample mark–recapture dataset. This study provides support for the use of CKMR as a robust and sampling-efficient alternative to traditional mark–recapture methods of assessing population parameters.

New York↗

USGS2019

Response of water chemistry and young-of-year brook trout to channel and watershed liming in streams showing lagging recovery from acidic deposition

Reductions in sulfur emissions have initiated chemical recovery of surface waters impacted by acidic deposition in the Adirondack region of New York State. However, acidified streams remain common in the region, which limits recovery of brook trout ( Salvelinus fontinalis ) populations. To investigate liming as a method to accelerate recovery of brook trout, the channels of two acidified streams were limed annually from 2012 to 2015, and an entire watershed of a third acidified tributary was limed by helicopter in 2013. Stream flow, water chemistry, and density of young-of-year (YOY) brook trout were measured in limed streams, an untreated acidified stream, and a buffered reference stream. Lime additions increased pH and acid-neutralizing capacity and decreased inorganic monomeric aluminum concentrations to less than 2.0 μmol/L, the minimum concentration at which in situ brook trout mortality has been documented. However, of the two channel-limed streams, only stream T8 showed a significant response (P < 0.01) in YOY density, increasing from a mean of 0.4 fish/m2 before liming to 2.7 fish/m2 after liming. No YOY brook trout response was observed in the stream within the limed watershed. Groundwater inputs to streams were identified by relative differences in temperature and concentrations of silica and sodium. YOY brook trout densities increased only in the channel-limed stream (T8) with suitable groundwater inputs for fall spawning and a summer nursery. Results suggest that targeted liming of acidified streams with the necessary groundwater habitat could be beneficial in accelerating recovery of brook trout populations.

New York↗

USGS2018

Thiamine deficiency in fishes: Causes, consequences, and potential solutions

Thiamine deficiency complex (TDC) is a disorder resulting from the inability to acquire or retain thiamine (vitamin B 1 ) and has been documented in organisms in aquatic ecosystems ranging from the Baltic Sea to the Laurentian Great Lakes. The biological mechanisms leading to TDC emergence may vary among systems, but in fishes, one common outcome is high mortality among early life stages. Here, we review the causes and consequences of thiamine deficiency in fishes and identify potential solutions. First, we examine the biochemical and physiological roles of thiamine in vertebrates and find that thiamine deficiency consistently results in impaired neurological function across diverse taxa. Next, we review natural producers of thiamine, which include bacteria, fungi, and plants, and suggest that thiamine is not currently limiting for most animal species inhabiting natural aquatic environments. A survey of historic occurrences of thiamine deficiency identifies consumption of a thiamine-degrading enzyme, thiaminase, as the primary explanation for low levels of thiamine in individuals and subsequent onset of TDC. Lastly, we review conservation and management strategies for TDC mitigation ranging from evolutionary rescue to managing for a diverse forage base. As recent evidence suggests occurrences of thiamine deficiency may be increasing in frequency, increased awareness and a better mechanistic understanding of the underlying causes associated with thiamine deficiency may help prevent further population declines.

Reviews in Fish Biology and Fisheries↗

USGS2012

Thiamine deficiency: a viable hypothesis for paralytic syndrome in Baltic birds. Commentary on Sonne et al., 2012. A review of the factors causing paralysis in wild birds: implications for the paralytic syndrome observed in the Baltic Sea. Science of the Total Environment 416:32-39

In a recent assessment of hypotheses presented by Balk et al. (2009) regarding the etiology of a paralytic disease inflicting bird populations in Northern Europe, Sonne et al. (2012) “call for a major coordinated effort on research…” to “… integrate clinical, physiological, ecological and demographic investigations at all levels to better dissect the causes, the effects on ecosystems and potential impact on affected populations.” Further, they offer, “This should be undertaken before thiamine deficiency can be considered to constitute a serious problem to e.g. the Baltic ecosystems.” While we agree that holistic approaches to environmental research and management are essential, our experience suggests that waiting for definitive results from long-term research and monitoring programs prior to “consideration” of thiamine deficiency as a major factor in the paralytic disease observed in wild bird populations would hinder the ability of natural resource managers to understand and mitigate declining trends in avian population abundance.

Science of the Total Environment↗

USGS1992

Fyke-net and gill-net size selectivities for yellow perch in Green Bay, Lake Michigan

We estimated a fyke‐net selectivity function for yellow perch Perca flavescens in Green Bay, Lake Michigan, by comparing length‐frequency distributions of yellow perch captured in fyke nets with different mesh sizes in 1986. Using a length—girth relationship for Green Bay yellow perch, we expressed selectivity as the ratio of girth ( G ) to effective mesh perimeter ( P ), which was 5–7% less than nominal mesh perimeter. Then, fitting an existing gill‐net selectivity function to the Green Bay yellow perch fishery, we found fyke‐net and gill‐net selectivities were similar, with similar G / P ratios, but fyke nets had smaller effective mesh perimeters and thus were more efficient at capturing smaller yellow perch for any given mesh size, The derived fyke‐net selectivity function can be used to determine mesh sizes that minimize the sublegal catch of yellow perch in this fishery and could be applied to entrapment gear in other yellow perch fisheries, given data on the length–girth relationships and effective mesh perimeters.

Wisconsin↗