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Research about Michigan, Ohio

Source-linked reports with geographic coverage including Michigan, Ohio.

23 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
USGS2016

Spatial variation in biofouling of a unionid mussel ( Lampsilis siliquoidea ) across the western basin of Lake Erie

Invasion of North American waters by nonnative Dreissena polymorpha and D. rostriformis bugensis has resulted in declines of the Unionidae family of native North American mussels. Dreissenid mussels biofoul unionid mussels in large numbers and interfere with unionid movement, their acquisition of food, and the native mussels' ability to open and close their shells. Initial expectations for the Great Lakes included extirpation of unionids where they co-occurred with dreissenids, but recently adult and juvenile unionids have been found alive in several apparent refugia. These unionid populations may persist due to reduced dreissenid biofouling in these areas, and/or due to processes that remove biofoulers. For example locations inaccessible to dreissenid veligers may reduce biofouling and habitats with soft substrates may allow unionids to burrow and thus remove dreissenids. We deployed caged unionid mussels ( Lampsilis siliquoidea ) at 36 sites across the western basin of Lake Erie to assess spatial variation in biofouling and to identify other areas that might promote the persistence or recovery of native unionid mussels. Biofouling ranged from 0.03 – 26.33 g per mussel, reached a maximum in the immediate vicinity of the mouth of the Maumee River, and appeared to primarily consist of dreissenid mussels. A known mussel refugium in the vicinity of a power plant near the mouth of the Maumee actually exhibited very high biofouling rates, suggesting that low dreissenid colonization did not adequately explain unionid survival in this refugium. In contrast, the southern nearshore area of Lake Erie, near another refugium, had very low biofouling. A large stretch of the western basin appeared to have low biofouling rates and muddy substrates, raising the possibility that these open water areas could support remnant and returning populations of unionid mussels. Previous observations of unionid refugia and the occurrence of low biofouling rates in large areas of the western basin of Lake Erie raise the possibility that unionid and dreissenid coexistence may be possible here and elsewhere.

Michigan, Ohio↗
USGS2014

Sampling little fish in big rivers: Larval fish detection probabilities in two Lake Erie tributaries and implications for sampling effort and abundance indices

Larval fish are frequently sampled in coastal tributaries to determine factors affecting recruitment, evaluate spawning success, and estimate production from spawning habitats. Imperfect detection of larvae is common, because larval fish are small and unevenly distributed in space and time, and coastal tributaries are often large and heterogeneous. We estimated detection probabilities of larval fish from several taxa in the Maumee and Detroit rivers, the two largest tributaries of Lake Erie. We then demonstrated how accounting for imperfect detection influenced (1) the probability of observing taxa as present relative to sampling effort and (2) abundance indices for larval fish of two Detroit River species. We found that detection probabilities ranged from 0.09 to 0.91 but were always less than 1.0, indicating that imperfect detection is common among taxa and between systems. In general, taxa with high fecundities, small larval length at hatching, and no nesting behaviors had the highest detection probabilities. Also, detection probabilities were higher in the Maumee River than in the Detroit River. Accounting for imperfect detection produced up to fourfold increases in abundance indices for Lake Whitefish Coregonus clupeaformis and Gizzard Shad Dorosoma cepedianum . The effect of accounting for imperfect detection in abundance indices was greatest during periods of low abundance for both species. Detection information can be used to determine the appropriate level of sampling effort for larval fishes and may improve management and conservation decisions based on larval fish data.

Michigan, Ohio↗
USGS2003

Changes in the bottom fauna of western Lake Erie from 1930 to 1961

Samples were collected at 40 stations in western Lake Erie in 1961 to determine the species composition, distribution, and abundance of macrobenthonic organisms and to document changes since 1930, when a similar survey was made. The fauna in 1961 was composed principally of Oligochaeta, Tendipedidae (7 genera), Sphaeriidac (15 species), and Gastropoda (at least 8 species). Stations with a high density of Oligochaeta were near the principal sources of pollution (Maumee, Raisin, and Detroit rivers). Stations with fewer Oligochacta and a more diverse fauna were farthest from the river mouths. The population density of the burrowing mayfly, Hexagenia spp., was reduced from an average of 139/m 2 in 1930 to less than 1/m 2 in 1961. Organisms more abundant near the sources of pollution than in other areas were, in addition to Oligochaeta: the midge, Procladius; the fingernail clam, Sphaerium transversum; and the snail, Valvata sincera (sens. lat.). Organisms sensitive to pollution, such as amphipods, mayfly nymphs, caddisfly larvae, and naiad clams, were scarce and usually at the more lakeward stations. The most important changes in fauna during the 31-year period were: ninefold increase in Oligochacta; fourfold increase in Tendipedidae; twofold increase in Sphaeriidae; sixfold increase in Gastropoda; and a reduction of Hexagenia to less than 1% of former abundance. The area of pollution (as judged from the abundance of Oligochaeta) increased from 263 km 2 in 1930 to 1,020 km 2 in 1961.

Michigan, Ohio↗
USGS1996

Mitigation of unionid mortality caused by zebra mussel infestation: Cleaning of unionids

Exotic zebra mussels Dreissena polymorpha have infested and caused mortality of native unionids in the Great Lakes since 1986; no other such parasitism of native unionids occurs in North America. Survival of unionids threatened by zebra mussel infestation was tested by suspending uncleaned and cleaned unionids in nearshore waters of western Lake Erie. Survival was determined, and newly settled zebra mussels were removed from cleaned unionids at eight intervals that ranged from 21 d to 77 d between 5 July 1990 and 3 July 1991. After 1 year, survival rates of uncleaned and cleaned unionids were 0% and 42%, respectively. Of the 10 species examined, only individuals from 3 species ( Amblema plicata plicata , Fusconaia flava , and Quadrula quadrula ) survived 1 year. These species have relatively thick shells, which may have contributed to their survival. Removal of newly settled zebra mussels may be important to unionid survival because 98% of the zebra mussels removed after the initial cleaning were small mussels (<10 mm long) that could rapidly grow and cover unionids. At present, we do not know how zebra mussels cause mortality of unionids, but the removal of zebra mussels from unionids is the only method known that successfully reduces unionid mortality in waters colonized by zebra mussels.

Michigan, Ohio↗