Geology topics

J.V. Adams

Publications and source records attributed to J.V. Adams.

5 recordsLinked to original sources

USGS2008

Factors affecting bottom trawl catches: Implications for monitoring the fishes of Lake Superior

An annual daytime bottom trawl survey of the Lake Superior fish community designed in 1978 does not adequately assess the entire community. Whereas recent studies have recommended that pelagic species be surveyed with a combination of acoustic and midwater trawling methods (AC-MT), we used bottom trawling to study the effects of depth, diel period, and season on biomass estimates and the sizes of bottom-oriented species. Day and night bottom trawl samples were collected within 48 h at three depths (30, 60, and 120 m) at a Lake Superior site during eight sampling periods that included two seasons each year (early summer and late summer to early fall) for 2 years (2004 and 2005). Depth significantly affected the biomass of seven of the eight species analyzed, while diel period affected the biomass of six species. For most species, average biomass levels were higher at night. The effect of season on biomass was comparatively low (three species were significantly affected). Depth significantly affected the sizes of six bottom-oriented species, as the average length of most species increased with depth. The effects of diel period (three species) and season (one species) on average length were comparatively small. By adding night bottom trawl samples to night AC-MT collections, the entire fish community of Lake Superior can be monitored with a single lakewide survey employing multiple gears. The establishment of offshore sampling (i.e., where depths exceed 80 m) will provide estimates of deepwater species that have been largely undersampled by the 1978-designed survey. We recommend that the present fish community survey be maintained, albeit at a reduced level, until a nighttime survey time series is well established (in 3-5 years).

North American Journal of Fisheries Management↗

USGS2007

Vertical distribution of fish biomass in Lake Superior: Implications for day bottom trawl surveys

Evaluation of the biases in sampling methodology is essential for understanding the limitations of abundance and biomass estimates of fish populations. Estimates from surveys that rely solely on bottom trawls may be particularly vulnerable to bias if pelagic fish are numerous. We evaluated the variability in the vertical distribution of fish biomass during the U.S. Geological Survey's annual spring bottom trawl survey of Lake Superior using concurrent hydroacoustic observations to (1) test the assumption that fish are generally demersal during the day and (2) evaluate the potential for predictive models to improve bottom trawl–determined biomass estimates. Our results indicate that the assumption that fish exhibit demersal behavior during the annual spring bottom trawl survey in Lake Superior is unfounded. Bottom trawl biomass (B BT ) estimates (mean ± SE) for species known to exhibit pelagic behavior (cisco Coregonus artedi, bloater C. hoyi, kiyi C. kiyi, and rainbow smelt Osmerus mordax; 3.01 ± 0.73 kg/ha) were not significantly greater than mean acoustic pelagic zone biomass (B APZ ) estimates (6.39 ± 2.03 kg/ha). Mean B APZ estimates were 1.6- to 4.8-fold greater than mean B BT estimates over 4 years of sampling. The relationship between concurrent B APZ and B BT estimates was marginally significant and highly variable. Predicted B APZ estimates using cross-validation models were sensitive to adjustments for back-transforming from the logarithmic to the linear scale and poorly corresponded to observed B APZ estimates. We conclude that statistical models to predict B APZ from day B BT cannot be developed. We propose that night sampling with multiple gears will be necessary to generate better biomass estimates for management needs.

North American Journal of Fisheries Management↗

USGS2007

Using multiple gears to assess acoustic detectability and biomass of fish species in lake superior

Recent predator demand and prey supply studies suggest that an annual daytime bottom trawl survey of Lake Superior underestimates prey fish biomass. A multiple-gear (acoustics, bottom trawl, and midwater trawl) nighttime survey has been recommended, but before abandoning a long-term daytime survey the effectiveness of night sampling of important prey species must be verified. We sampled three bottom depths (30, 60, and 120 m) at a Lake Superior site where the fish community included all commercially and ecologically important species. Day and night samples were collected within 48 h at all depths during eight different periods (one new and one full moon period during both early summer and late summer to early fall over 2 years). Biomass of demersal and benthic species was higher in night bottom trawl samples than in day bottom trawl samples. Night acoustic collections showed that pelagic fish typically occupied water cooler than 15°C and light levels less than 0.001 lx. Using biomass in night bottom trawls and acoustic biomass above the bottom trawl path, we calculated an index of acoustic detectability for each species. Ciscoes Coregonus artedi , kiyis C. kiyi , and rainbow smelt Osmerus mordax left the bottom at night, whereas bloaters C. hoyi stayed nearer the bottom. We compared the biomass of important prey species estimated with two survey types: day bottom trawls and night estimates of the entire water column (bottom trawl biomass plus acoustic biomass). The biomass of large ciscoes (>200 mm) was significantly greater when measured at night than when measured during daylight, but the differences for other sizes of important species did not vary significantly by survey type. Nighttime of late summer is a period when conditions for biomass estimation are largely invariant, and all important prey species can be sampled using a multiple-gear approach.

North American Journal of Fisheries Management↗

USGS2007

Shell-free biomass and population dynamics of dreissenids in offshore Lake Michigan, 2001-2003

The USGS-Great Lakes Science Center has collected dreissenid mussels annually from Lake Michigan since zebra mussels (Dreissena polymorpha) became a significant portion of the bottom-trawl catch in 1999. For this study, we investigated dreissenid distribution, body mass, and recruitment at different depths in Lake Michigan during 2001-2003. The highest densities of dreissenid biomass were observed from depths of 27 to 46 m. The biomass of quagga mussels (Dreissena bugensis) increased exponentially during 2001-2003, while that of zebra mussels did not change significantly. Body mass (standardized for a given shell length) of both species was lowest from depths of 27 to 37m, highest from 55 to 64 m, and declined linearly at deeper depths during 2001-2003. Recruitment in 2003, as characterized by the proportion of mussels < 11 mm in the catch, varied with depth and lake region. For quagga mussels, recruitment declined linearly with depth, and was highest in northern Lake Michigan. For zebra mussels, recruitment generally declined non-linearly with depth, although the pattern was different for north, mid, and southern Lake Michigan. Our analyses suggest that quagga mussels could overtake zebra mussels and become the most abundant mollusk in terms of biomass in Lake Michigan.

Journal of Great Lakes Research↗

USGS2006

Temporal trends of young-of-year fishes in Lake Erie and comparison of diel sampling periods

We explored temporal trends of young-of-year (YOY) fishes caught in bottom trawl hauls at an established offshore monitoring site in Lake Erie in fall during 1961–2001. Sampling was conducted during morning, afternoon, and night in each year. Catches per hour (CPH) of alewife ( Alosa pseudoharengus ) YOY were relatively low and exhibited no temporal trend. This result was consistent with the species’ intolerance to Lake Erie’s adverse winter water temperatures. Gizzard shad ( Dorosoma cepedianum ) YOY decreased sharply after 1991, which was consistent with recent oligotrophication of the lake. Following the establishment in 1979 and rapid increase of white perch ( Morone americana ) YOY, white bass ( Morone chrysops ) and freshwater drum ( Aplodinotus grunniens ) YOY decreased. Trout-perch ( Percopsis omiscomaycus ) YOY decreased during 1986–1991, but recovered to previous levels during 1991–2001. The recovery coincided with the resurgence of mayflies ( Ephemoptera ) in the lake. CPH of spottail shiner ( Notropis hudsonius ) and emerald shiner ( N. atherinoides ) YOY exhibited no temporal trend between 1961 and the late 1970s to early 1980s. CPH of yellow perch ( Perca flavescens ) YOY decreased during 1961–1988, and walleye ( Sander vitreum ) YOY increased overall during the time series. These observations were consistent with published studies of adults in the region. CPH of 4 of the 10 species of YOY considered were greatest during night. CPH for walleye YOY was higher in the morning than in the afternoon, but there was no significant difference between night and morning abundances. The results suggest that (1) CPH of YOY fishes may be a useful monitoring tool for Lake Erie, and (2) offshore monitoring programs that do not include night sampling periods may underestimate recruitment for several common species.

Environmental Monitoring and Assessment↗