Evidence for predatory control of the invasive round goby

C.P. Madenjian; M.A. Stapanian; L.D. Witzel; D.W. Einhouse; S.A. Pothoven; H.L. Whitford

doi:10.1007/s10530-010-9884-7

Home/Archive/USGS

USGS · 70034229

Evidence for predatory control of the invasive round goby

C.P. Madenjian·M.A. Stapanian·L.D. Witzel·D.W. Einhouse·S.A. Pothoven·H.L. Whitford

View original source ↗Export metadata ↓

Abstract

We coupled bioenergetics modeling with bottom trawl survey results to evaluate the capacity of piscivorous fish in eastern Lake Erie to exert predatory control of the invading population of round goby Neogobius melanostomus . In the offshore (>20 m deep) waters of eastern Lake Erie, burbot Lota lota is a native top predator, feeding on a suite of prey fishes. The round goby invaded eastern Lake Erie during the late 1990s, and round goby population size increased dramatically during 1999–2004. According to annual bottom trawl survey results, round goby abundance in offshore waters peaked in 2004, but then declined during 2004–2008. Coincidentally, round goby became an important component of burbot diet beginning in 2003. Using bottom trawling and gill netting, we estimated adult burbot abundance and age structure in eastern Lake Erie during 2007. Diet composition and energy density of eastern Lake Erie burbot were also determined during 2007. This information, along with estimates of burbot growth, burbot mortality, burbot water temperature regime, and energy densities of prey fish from the literature, were incorporated into a bioenergetics model application to estimate annual consumption of round goby by the adult burbot population. Results indicated that the adult burbot population in eastern Lake Erie annually consumed 1,361 metric tons of round goby. Based on the results of bottom trawling, we estimated the biomass of yearling and older round goby in offshore waters eastern Lake Erie during 2007–2008 to be 2,232 metric tons. Thus, the adult burbot population was feeding on round goby at an annual rate equal to 61% of the estimated round goby standing stock. We concluded that the burbot population had high potential to exert predatory control on round goby in offshore waters of eastern Lake Erie.

Explore related subjects

Biological Invasions Article

Source-reported bounding extent: 41.3971° to 43.2635° latitude; -83.4797° to -78.8539° longitude. This indicates report coverage, not an exact sampling location. View area on OpenStreetMap.

Keep this discovery

Explore connections, maps & timelines

BibTeX RIS

C.P. Madenjian, M.A. Stapanian, L.D. Witzel, D.W. Einhouse, S.A. Pothoven, H.L. Whitford. 2010-10-26. Evidence for predatory control of the invasive round goby. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10530-010-9884-7

Cite the original work for its findings. Save a collection to share your selection of sources.

KEEP EXPLORING

Related USGS reports

USGS2026

Identifying potential invasion hotspots for non-native fluvial fishes throughout the conterminous United States

Identifying habitats that non-native fluvial fishes are likely to invade provides information for proactive management, conservation planning, and understanding the ecology of biological invasions. We identified streams in the conterminous United States with high invasion risk from 20 non-native fluvial fish species. Specifically, we (1) developed habitat suitability models for each species using nine natural and six anthropogenic predictors within nine large ecoregions, identifying the potential invasion hotspots; (2) evaluated the relative importance of natural and anthropogenic predictors for each species; and (3) assessed potential invasion risk to protected stream habitats. Predicted invasion hotspots included much of Florida, coastal regions of Texas and Louisiana, and areas surrounding major metropolitan centers such as Chicago, New York, and Phoenix. Model predictions indicate that goldfish ( Carassius auratus ), pirapitinga ( Piaractus brachypomus ), and pond loach ( Misgurnus anguillicaudatus ) could occupy extensive suitable habitats across the conterminous United States. The most influential natural predictor across species was network catchment area (a surrogate for stream size), while the most influential anthropogenic predictor was human population density. Goldfish were predicted to be present in protected areas across all nine ecoregions, highlighting their high invasion potential. Collectively, our results provide critical information on regions vulnerable to invasion and the species most likely to become established and identify areas at risk of invasion within protected landscapes.

conterminous United States↗

USGS2026

Warming causes modest increase in the consumptive demands of invasive Northern Pike (Esox lucius) in Alaska freshwaters

Warming freshwaters can have profound effects on species composition and community structure and can increase the consumptive demand of predators. Here we explore synergistic impacts of warming and invasion within a freshwater community in Southcentral Alaska (USA). We quantified changes in population structure and predator diet composition using observed data for an introduced population of Northern Pike ( Esox lucius ) spanning a decade of warming temperatures and declining salmon returns. We used bioenergetics models to estimate past and contemporary predator consumptive demands and then estimated future consumption demands by applying forecasted future simulated temperatures under high emissions scenarios for the mid and late century compared to a baseline from the last twenty years. During the last decade, the population structure of Northern Pike shifted towards younger individuals with increased growth rates in young of year and Age-1 fish. The biomass of juvenile salmon in Northern Pike diets decreased 30–74% across all age classes of predators, corresponding to a 42% reduction of mean abundance of adult Chinook Salmon ( Oncorhynchus tshawytscha ) in the system from 2014–2018 to 2019–2023. Consumption of all fish species was highly variable and all increased, 5% to 63%, consistent with prey switching towards other fishes reflecting possible declines in availability of preferred salmon prey. Bioenergetic simulations revealed modest increases in total per-capita consumption of prey by Northern Pike across mid-century and late-century scenarios, with the largest increases in consumption predicted in individuals three years of age and greater. We also observed increased numbers of Coho Salmon ( Oncorhynchus kisutch ) in diets and smaller mean size suggesting a shift to young of year individuals as well as an absence of Sockeye Salmon ( Oncorhynchus nerka ) from diets, which differed from historical baseline data. These findings collectively suggest that changing thermal regimes may have modest but meaningful overall effects, disproportionately affecting the consumptive demands of larger Northern Pike, and may increase total consumption enough to appreciably increase mortality of salmon and other preferred prey.

Alaska↗

USGS2026

Reservoir cascades as directional invasion corridors

Reservoir cascades in large river systems impose directional pathways that can structure biological invasions, yet how these pathways interact with propagule supply and lock-mediated passage opportunity to influence arrival timing remains poorly understood. We used interval- and right-censored time-to-event models to evaluate spread dynamics of silver carp ( Hypophthalmichthys molitrix ) across the Tennessee River and Cumberland River reservoir cascades and test whether the timing of first detection was explained by position within the cascade, annual water locked, or accumulated propagule exposure from downstream source populations. The timing of first detection was related to distance from the invasion source, but cumulative exposure metrics offered no supplementary model support, suggesting that arrival timing was mostly associated with position within the cascade. Models incorporating annual water locked offered modest supplementary support, suggesting that lock-mediated passage opportunity may partially influence the progression of the invasion front. Spread progressed directionally but was not complete in the Tennessee River cascade, indicating that pathway structure alone does not guarantee arrival. Patterns were consistent across both rivers, suggesting that spread through reservoir cascades can follow repeatable patterns in which arrivals are constrained by downstream source populations and lock-mediated connectivity. From a management perspective, our results suggest distinct leverage points across spatial and temporal scales, including early detection and containment at downstream reservoirs, suppression of source populations to slow spread, and interventions at invasion fronts or key connectivity points to limit further expansion. Recognizing reservoir cascades as directional dispersal pathways provides a simple and transferable basis for anticipating and managing invasions in large river networks.

Tennessee↗