Sediment processing by gizzard shad, Dorosoma cepedianum (Lesueur), in Acton Lake, Ohio, U.S.A.

Gizzard shad are primarily detritivorous in Acton Lake, a 253-ha impoundment in southwestern Ohio, U.S.A. To determine the magnitude of sediment utilization by the gizzard shad population in Acton Lake. I used data on population density and age structure, daily ration, and feeding selectivity in estimating the mass of sediments processed by shad daily from April through November. At densities of 4595–10 645 fish ha^?1(wet weight biomass = 90–121 kgha ¹), gizzard shad could process 3.8–23.0 kg of dry sediments ha^?1 day ¹. On average throughout the growing season, gizzard shad could process a dry mass of sediments each day equivalent to 13% of shad wet weight biomass. Because of the high rate of sedimentation (> 700 kg dry sediment ha^?1 day^?1) in Acton Lake, gizzard shad can process < 4% of the freshly deposited sediments each day, and therefore are likely to have little effect on benthic community dynamics in the system.