Changes in the crustacean communities of Lakes Michigan, Huron, and Erie following the invasion of the predatory cladoceran Bythotrephes longimanus

• Published in: Canadian journal of fisheries and aquatic sciences Vol. 61; no. 11; pp. 2111 - 2125
• Main Authors: Barbiero, Richard P, Tuchman, Marc L
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Ottawa, Canada NRC Research Press 01.11.2004; National Research Council of Canada; Canadian Science Publishing NRC Research Press
• Subjects: Animal and plant ecology; Animal, plant and microbial ecology; Biological and medical sciences; Bythotrephes; Community structure; Copepoda; Crustacea; Crustaceans; Daphnia pulicaria; Daphnia retrocurva; Deep water; Eubosmina coregoni; Fresh water ecosystems; Freshwater; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Holopedium gibberum; Invasive species; Invertebrates; Lakes; Leptodora kindti; Mesocyclops; Mesocyclops edax; Plankton; Predation; Predators; Species richness; Synecology; Vertical distribution; Zooplankton; Lake Michigan; Lake Huron; Great Lakes of America; North America; America; Lake Erie; North America, Erie L; USA, Michigan L; North America, Huron L; USA; Crustacea; Aquatic environment; Animal community; Arthropoda; Trophic cascade; Cladocera; Trophic relation; Invertebrata; Branchiopoda; Population decline; Invasion; Species richness
• ISSN: 0706-652X; 1205-7533
• DOI: 10.1139/f04-149

The crustacean zooplankton communities in Lakes Michigan and Huron and the central and eastern basins of Lake Erie have shown substantial, persistent changes since the invasion of the predatory cladoceran Bythotrephes in the mid-1980s. A number of cladoceran species have declined dramatically since the invasion, including Eubosmina coregoni, Holopedium gibberum, Daphnia retrocurva, Daphnia pulicaria, and Leptodora kindti, and overall species richness has decreased as a result. Copepods have been relatively unaffected, with the notable exception of Meso cyclops edax, which has virtually disappeared from the lakes. These species shifts have for the most part been consistent and equally pronounced across all three lakes. Responses of crustacean species to the Bythotrephes invasion do not appear to be solely a consequence of size, and it is likely that other factors, e.g., morphology, vertical distribution, or escape responses, are important determinants of vulnerability to predation. Our results indicate that invertebrate predators in general, and invasive ones in particular, can have pronounced, lasting effects on zooplankton community structure.