Whole-lake addition of coarse woody habitat: response of fish populations |
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Authors: | Greg G Sass Stephen R Carpenter Jereme W Gaeta James F Kitchell Tyler D Ahrenstorff |
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Institution: | (1) Illinois River Biological Station, Illinois Natural History Survey, Institute of Natural Resource Sustainability, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 704 North Schrader Avenue, Havana, IL 62644, USA;(2) Center for Limnology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 680 North Park Street, Madison, WI 53706, USA;(3) Department of Biology, University of Minnesota-Duluth, 207 Swenson Science Building, 1035 Kirby Drive, Duluth, MN 55812, USA |
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Abstract: | Lakeshore residential development (LRD) reduces coarse woody habitat (CWH) in lakes resulting in negative effects on fishes.
We tested whether the addition of CWH could reverse those effects. We added CWH to Camp Lake, a lake with CWH abundances similar
to developed lakes, following 2 years of study of the fish populations in the reference and treatment basins. Both basins
were monitored for 4 years following the manipulation. Specifically, we tested for changes in the population dynamics (densities,
size-structure, growth), diet, and behavior (habitat use) of bluegill (Lepomis macrochirus) and largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides). CWH addition had no discernible effect on fish population dynamics. Diet and behavioral responses were more pronounced
in the treatment basin. Prey diversity and availability increased. Piscivory increased, with decreased reliance upon terrestrial
prey, for largemouth bass. Habitat use was positively correlated with CWH branching complexity and abundance. Our study suggests
that negative effects observed in fish populations through CWH reductions cannot be reversed in the short-term by adding CWH.
We recommend that regulations governing the LRD process be protective of CWH. |
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