Geology topics

Robert L. McLaughlin

Publications and source records attributed to Robert L. McLaughlin.

11 recordsLinked to original sources

USGS2025

Upriver migrating sea lamprey exhibit similar responses to hydrodynamic features as other up and downriver-moving species

Identifying commonalities in how fish navigate rivers near infrastructure will enhance water operations and design by improving our ability to predict engineering outcomes (e.g., barrier construction/removal, fish passage installation) in novel settings before the cost of real-world implementation. Evidence from intermediate-scale computer models (time scales of minutes to days and spatial scales <2 km) suggests that fish movement behavior in rivers is frequently governed by responses to one or more of the following hydrodynamic features: (1) flow direction (i.e., rheotaxis), (2) flow velocity magnitude, (3) turbulence, and (4) depth, plus (5) the integration of information over recent time periods (i.e., memory/experience). However, the lack of consistent modeling approaches, infrequent assessment of each response in isolation and combination, and a focus on a limited number of species means the generality of these responses is uncertain. We use a computer model, specifically a pattern-oriented modeling approach incorporating individual based models (IBMs), to apply responses to the four hydrodynamic features plus memory/experience in different combinations to study their value for reproducing the movement of an infrequently modeled species and lifestage, upriver migrating adult sea lamprey, Petromyzon marinus . The study site was the region downstream of the Sault Ste. Marie lock and dam complex located between Canada and the U.S.A on the St. Marys River joining Lake Superior and Lake Huron. Our analysis indicates that rheotaxis and a response to velocity magnitude as well as recent past experience improve sea lamprey spatio-temporal movement prediction compared to other, simpler forms of modeled behavior. Sea lamprey movement is also biased toward lower levels of turbulence (e.g., turbulent kinetic energy) or its precursor (i.e., the spatial gradient in water speed). A response to water depth was not found to be important, but the modeled domain was two-dimensional which limited our assessment. As similar responses to hydrodynamic features are found in very different fish, commonalities appear to underlie river navigation across a range of species and life stages that share the goal-oriented behavior of upriver and downriver movement. The systematic approach of our analysis highlights the accuracy trade-offs of each response, individually and in combination, that often accompany alternative behavioral formulations in a computer model of fish movement. The model structure provides a framework to which future findings from the analyses of additional species in different contexts can be added.

Sault Ste. Marie lock and dam complex in the St. M↗

USGS2025

Designing sortable guilds for multispecies selective fish passage

The importance of connectivity for freshwater organisms is widely recognised, yet in-stream barriers associated with population declines and increased risk of extinction remain globally ubiquitous. Despite their negative consequences, these barriers can protect aquatic communities by limiting the spread of invasive species, leading to conflicting management goals in some regions. Selective fish passage is a solution for the conflicting goals of passing native, desirable species while restricting the spread of invasives. Approaches that can target groups of species sharing similar attributes (i.e. guilds) are likely to be more efficient than those that target species individually, particularly in taxonomically diverse systems. We explored the guild structure of 220 Great Lakes freshwater fishes based on morphological, phenological, physiological and behavioural attributes associated with passage and movement. We identified five distinct guilds as well as the attributes most important for defining these groupings: maximum total length, trophic level, relative eye size, spawning temperature, spawning season, presence/absence of ampullary electroreceptors and the presence/absence of hearing specialisations. The approaches outlined in this work can be generalised to enhance selective fish passage in aquatic ecosystems worldwide.

Fish and Fisheries↗

USGS2023

FishPass sortable attribute database: Phenological, morphological, physiological, and behavioural characteristics related to passage and movement of Laurentian Great Lakes fishes

In-stream barriers pose threats to fishes, including habitat loss, constraints on migration, and reduced connectivity between populations. Despite many negative consequences, barriers can serve to protect native species by limiting the spread of invasive species. For example, in the Laurentian Great Lakes, physical barriers have long been used to control invasive sea lamprey ( Petromyzon marinus ) populations by limiting access to potential upstream spawning and rearing habitat. Selective fish passage systems could solve this management trade-off, termed the “connectivity conundrum”, but must efficiently pass multiple native or desirable species while blocking invasive species. Designing such fish passage systems requires an understanding of the attribute dimensions of the fish community, specifically, the phenology, morphology, physiology, and behaviour of each species. Here, we describe the first comprehensive collection of sortable attributes associated with fish passage. The integrated database consists of 21 biological attributes that influence the movement and passage of 220 species in the Great Lakes, including native species, established non-native species, and unestablished but potentially invasive fishes. Data coverage varies with species, taxonomic orders, and attribute dimensions. Behavioural attributes were typically underrepresented in the literature, and the ecology of potential invaders was not well understood. The synthesis described herein is a critical step towards a holistic approach to fish passage design and may help to inform management actions related to population connectivity. The database is openly accessible online and is expected to be updated periodically.

Laurentian Great Lakes↗

USGS2021

Implications of tagging effects for interpreting the performance of sea lamprey traps in a large river

Abundance estimates can be crucial for managing species of economic concern. The accuracy of these estimates can depend on the methods used to track animals and to estimate abundance from tracking data. We tested experimentally if disparate estimates of trapping efficiency calculated for sea lamprey ( Petromyzon marinus ) in the St. Marys River near Sault Ste. Marie, Canada could be explained by effects related to the invasiveness and handling involved in tagging or the tag size used in the marking procedures. Trapping is used to gauge adult abundance, trapping efficiency, and success of a binational sea lamprey control program in the Laurentian Great Lakes, North America. Our experiment compared nightly catches of sea lamprey marked with external fin clips, surgically-implanted passive integrated transponder tags (PIT-only), and surgically-implanted PIT and acoustic tags (PIT+acoustic). We found no evidence that the probability of being trapped was affected by the added invasiveness and handling of internal tagging. Nightly recaptures of PIT-only tagged sea lamprey, relative to fin-clipped sea lamprey, were not different from expectations based on the numbers of individuals released from each treatment group. Conversely, there was evidence of effects related to tag size. Nightly recaptures of PIT+acoustic tagged sea lamprey, relative to PIT-only tagged sea lamprey, were lower than expected based on numbers of individuals released from each treatment group. Effects related to tag size partially explain the disparate estimates in trapping efficiency observed for sea lamprey.

Ontario↗

USGS2021

Foreword: Control and conservation of lampreys beyond 2020 - Proceedings from the 3rd Sea Lamprey International Symposium (SLIS III)

Introduction to the special issue on the 3rd Sea Lamprey International Symposium. The compiled papers in this special issue consist of a combination of syntheses requested in advance of the symposium and perspectives that emerged from the symposium break-out discussions. These written contributions address the symposium goals of updating our understanding of sea lamprey control and research on lampreys since SLIS II and of exploring new ideas and posing new methods for controlling sea lamprey in the Great Lakes and supporting conservation of lampreys in their native ranges.

Journal of Great Lakes Research↗

USGS2019

Stream characteristics associated with feeding type in silver( Ichthyomyzon unicuspis ) and northern brook ( I. fossor ) lampreys and tests for phenotypic plasticity

In most lamprey genera, “paired” species exist in which the larvae are morphologically indistinguishable but adult feeding type differs. The lack of diagnostic genetic differences in many pairs has led to suggestions that they constitute a single gene pool with environmentally influenced feeding types. To investigate whether stream characteristics are correlated with feeding type in the parasitic silver lamprey Ichthyomyzon unicuspis and nonparasitic northern brook lamprey I. fossor, eight variables (pH, alkalinity, conductivity, discharge, total dissolved solids, and density of larval sea lamprey Petromyzon marinus, Ichthyomyzon spp., and total larval density) were compared among eight streams with only silver lamprey, 10 with only northern brook lamprey, and 13 with both species, using classification tree analysis. The most parsimonious model had a 24% misclassification rate, with silver lamprey tending to inhabit streams with higher sea lamprey larval density and northern brook lamprey tending to inhabit streams with higher Ichthyomyzon larval density. We then conducted a pilot study investigating phenotypic plasticity in a lab-based common garden experiment and an in situ transplant experiment. These studies encountered myriad difficulties and were unable to demonstrate plasticity, but did identify challenges associated with culturing Ichthyomyzon larvae. Development of effective rearing procedures for Ichthyomyzon lampreys is essential for any future similar studies.

Great Lakes, Lake Champlain basin↗

USGS2018

Rapid evolution meets invasive species control: The potential for pesticide resistance in sea lamprey

Rapid evolution of pest, pathogen and wildlife populations can have undesirable effects; for example, when insects evolve resistance to pesticides or fishes evolve smaller body size in response to harvest. A destructive invasive species in the Laurentian Great Lakes, the sea lamprey (Petromyzon marinus) has been controlled with the pesticide 3-trifluoromethyl-4-nitrophenol (TFM) since the 1950s. We evaluated the likelihood of sea lamprey evolving resistance to TFM by (1) reviewing sea lamprey life history and control; (2) identifying physiological and behavioural resistance strategies; (3) estimating the strength of selection from TFM; (4) assessing the timeline for evolution; and (5) analyzing historical toxicity data for evidence of resistance. The number of sea lamprey generations exposed to TFM was within the range observed for fish populations where rapid evolution has occurred. Mortality from TFM was estimated as 82-90%, suggesting significant selective pressure. However, 57 years of toxicity data revealed no increase in lethal concentrations of TFM. Vigilance and the development of alternative controls are required to prevent this aquatic invasive species from evolving strategies to evade control.

Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences↗

USGS2017

Contribution of manipulable and non-manipulable environmental factors to trapping efficiency of invasive sea lamprey

We identified aspects of the trapping process that afforded opportunities for improving trap efficiency of invasive sea lamprey ( Petromyzon marinus ) in a Great Lake's tributary. Capturing a sea lamprey requires it to encounter the trap, enter, and be retained until removed. Probabilities of these events depend on the interplay between sea lamprey behavior, environmental conditions, and trap design. We first tested how strongly seasonal patterns in daily trap catches (a measure of trapping success) were related to nightly rates of trap encounter, entry, and retention (outcomes of sea lamprey behavior). We then tested the degree to which variation in rates of trap encounter, entry, and retention were related to environmental features that control agents can manipulate (attractant pheromone addition, discharge) and features agents cannot manipulate (water temperature, season), but could be used as indicators for when to increase trapping effort. Daily trap catch was most strongly associated with rate of encounter. Relative and absolute measures of predictive strength for environmental factors that managers could potentially manipulate were low, suggesting that opportunities to improve trapping success by manipulating factors that affect rates of encounter, entry, and retention are limited. According to results at this trap, more sea lamprey would be captured by increasing trapping effort early in the season when sea lamprey encounter rates with traps are high. The approach used in this study could be applied to trapping of other invasive or valued species.

Journal of Great Lakes Research↗

USGS2017

Spatial mismatch between sea lamprey behaviour and trap location explains low success at trapping for control

Crucial to the management of invasive species is understanding space use and the environmental features affecting space use. Improved understanding of space use by invasive sea lamprey ( Petromyzon marinus ) could help researchers discern why trap success in large rivers is lower than needed for effective control. We tested whether manipulating discharge nightly could increase trap success at a hydroelectric generating station on the St. Marys River. We quantified numbers of acoustically tagged sea lampreys migrating up to, and their space use at, the hydroelectric generating station. In 2011 and 2012, 78% and 68%, respectively, of tagged sea lampreys reached the generating station. Sea lampreys were active along the face, but more likely to occur at the bottom and away from the traps near the surface, especially when discharge was high. Our findings suggest that a low probability of encountering traps was due to spatial (vertical) mismatch between space use by sea lamprey and trap locations and that increasing discharge did not alter space use in ways that increased trap encounter. Understanding space use by invasive species can help managers assess the efficacy of trapping and ways of improving trapping success.

Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences↗

USGS2015

Fine-scale pathways used by adult sea lampreys during riverine spawning migrations

Better knowledge of upstream migratory patterns of spawning Sea Lampreys Petromyzon marinus , an invasive species in the Great Lakes, is needed to improve trapping for population control and assessment. Although trapping of adult Sea Lampreys provides the basis for estimates of lake-wide abundance that are used to evaluate the Sea Lamprey control program, traps have only been operated at dams due to insufficient knowledge of Sea Lamprey behavior in unobstructed channels. Acoustic telemetry and radiotelemetry were used to obtain movement tracks for 23 Sea Lampreys in 2008 and 18 Sea Lampreys in 2009 at two locations in the Mississagi River, Ontario. Cabled hydrophone arrays provided two-dimensional geographic positions from acoustic transmitters at 3-s intervals; depth-encoded radio tag detections provided depths. Upstream movements occurred at dusk or during the night (2015–0318 hours). Sea Lampreys were closely associated with the river bottom and showed some preference to move near banks in shallow glide habitats, suggesting that bottom-oriented gears could selectively target adult Sea Lampreys in some habitats. However, Sea Lampreys were broadly distributed across the river channel, suggesting that the capture efficiency of nets and traps in open channels would depend heavily on the proportion of the channel width covered. Lack of vertical movements into the water column may have reflected lamprey preference for low water velocities, suggesting that energy conservation was more beneficial for lampreys than was vertical searching in rivers. Improved understanding of Sea Lamprey movement will assist in the development of improved capture strategies for their assessment and control in the Great Lakes.

Mississagi River↗

USGS2012

Unintended consequences and trade-offs of fish passage

We synthesized evidence for unintended consequences and trade-offs associated with the passage of fishes. Provisioning of fish passageways at dams and dam removals are being carried out increasingly as resource managers seek ways to reduce fragmentation of migratory fish populations and restore biodiversity and nature-like ecosystem services in tributaries altered by dams. The benefits of provisioning upstream passage are highlighted widely. Possible unwanted consequences and trade-offs of upstream passage are coming to light, but remain poorly examined and underappreciated. Unintended consequences arise when passage of native and desirable introduced fishes is delayed, undone (fallback), results in patterns of movement and habitat use that reduce Darwinian fitness (e.g. ecological traps), or is highly selective taxonomically and numerically. Trade-offs arise when passage decisions intended to benefit native species interfere with management decisions intended to control the unwanted spread of non-native fishes and aquatic invertebrates, or genes, diseases and contaminants carried by hatchery and wild fishes. These consequences and trade-offs will vary in importance from system to system and can result in large economic and environmental costs. For some river systems, decisions about how to manage fish passage involve substantial risks and could benefit from use of a formal, structured process that allows transparent, objective and, where possible, quantitative evaluation of these risks. Such a process can also facilitate the design of an adaptive framework that provides valuable insights into future decisions.

Fish and Fisheries↗