Reciprocal Relationships Between Exotic Rusty Crayfish,Macrophytes, and <Emphasis Type="Italic">Lepomis</Emphasis> Species in Northern Wisconsin Lakes |
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Authors: | Brian M Roth Jakob C Tetzlaff Mara L Alexander James F Kitchell |
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Institution: | (1) Center for Limnology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin 53706, USA;(2) Botany Department, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin 53706, USA;(3) Present address: Coastal Fisheries Institute, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, Louisiana 70803, USA;(4) Present address: San Marcos National Fish Hatchery and Technology Center, San Marcos, Texas 78666, USA |
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Abstract: | Abstract
The non-native rusty crayfish (Orconectes rusticus) has invaded many lakes of northern Wisconsin, profoundly changing littoral zones in the process. There are other lakes that
have been invaded, but do not exhibit these changes. We hypothesized that endogenous feedbacks could form involving rusty
crayfish, the macrophytes they destroy, and Lepomis species whose abundance is positively related to macrophyte abundance and also consume juvenile crayfish. We assessed this
proposal with long-term data from one lake, a regional comparative study, and a case study of Lepomis predation on crayfish. Through time and across lakes, abundances of rusty crayfish, littoral macrophytes and species of the
genus Lepomis were related in a fashion that indicated a set of feedbacks that regulate the abundance of all three. Intense predation on
juvenile crayfish by abundant Lepomis is capable of maintaining some crayfish populations at low abundance. Thus, some lakes display profound ecological changes
where crayfish achieve high abundance, and others sustain crayfish at low abundance. Consequently, lakes invaded by rusty
crayfish may take on the appearance of alternative ecological regimes. Direct experimentation is necessary to determine if,
and under what conditions, a lake can exist in either regime.
Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users. |
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Keywords: | rusty crayfish Orconectes macrophytes Lepomis bluegill pumpkinseed exotic |
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