Trends in the Benthic Macroinvertebrate Community of Saginaw Bay, Lake Huron, 1987 to 1996: Responses to Phosphorus Abatement and the Zebra Mussel, Dreissena polymorpha

Trends in benthic macroinvertebrate populations were examined in inner and outer Saginaw Bay, Lake Huron, from 1987 to 1996. These years represent the time period after phosphorus abatement, but immediately before (1987 to 1990) and after (1991 to 1996) colonization of the bay by the zebra mussel, Dreissena polymorpha. In 1987 to 1990, densities of the major macroinvertebrate groups in the inner and outer bay were not significantly different from, or were greater than, densities reported just prior to abatement efforts in the early 1970s. Oligochaete densities in the deepwater/silt region of the inner bay were trending downward between 1988 and 1991, but pollution-tolerant forms dominated the community, indicating the system was eutrophic just prior to Dreissena colonization. Dreissena impacts on the macroinvertebrate community varied depending on the particular habitat. At shallow-water/sand sites in the inner bay, Gammarus increased, and sphaeriids declined after Dreissena colonization, but no changes were observed in oligochaetes and chironomids, and overall species diversity showed little change. At deepwater/silt sites in the inner bay, densities of oligochaetes and chironomids declined just after the peak in Dreissena, but then returned to levels generally similar to those found prior to Dreissena. The oligochaete trophic index at deepwater/silt sites indicated a shift from eutrophic to more oligotrophic indicator species after Dreissena became established, and species diversity increased. In the outer bay, Diporeia and sphaeriids declined after Dreissena peaked, but few other changes were observed. Total non-dreissenid macroinvertebrate biomass (AFDW) in the inner bay, and in shallow areas of the outer bay, did not change as a result of Dreissena colonization. On the other hand, biomass in the deeper regions of the outer bay decreased because of the loss of Diporeia. Changes in the inner and outer bay typify the growing dichotomy between nearshore and offshore in the Great Lakes since Dreissena became established.

[1]  D. Strayer,et al.  The zoobenthos of the freshwater tidal Hudson River and its response to the zebra mussel (Dreissena polymorpha) invasion , 2001 .

[2]  G. Milbrink.  An improved environmental index based on the relative abundance of oligochaete species , 1983, Hydrobiologia.

[3]  J. T. Curtis,et al.  An Ordination of the Upland Forest Communities of Southern Wisconsin , 1957 .

[4]  R. Dermott.  Sudden Disappearance of the Amphipod Diporeia from Eastern Lake Ontario, 1993–1995 , 2001 .

[5]  S. Mozley,et al.  Distribution of Oligochaetes in Lake Michigan and Comments on Their use as Indices of Pollution , 1985 .

[6]  V. J. Bierman,et al.  Retrospective analysis of the response of Saginaw Bay, Lake Huron, to reductions in phosphorus loadings. , 1984, Environmental science & technology.

[7]  T. Reynoldson,et al.  Oligochaete Fauna of Western Lake Erie 1961 and 1982: Signs of Sediment Quality Recovery , 1995 .

[8]  R. Dermott,et al.  Changes to the deepwater benthos of eastern Lake Erie since the invasion of Dreissena: 1979-1993 , 1997 .

[9]  K. A. Krieger,et al.  Changes in the Benthic Macroinvertebrate Community of the Cleveland Harbor Area of Lake Erie From 1978 to 1989 , 1993 .

[10]  G. Lang,et al.  Declines in benthic macroinvertebrate populations in southern Lake Michigan, 1980-1993 , 1998 .

[11]  Paul D. Jones,et al.  Caspian Tern Reproduction in the Saginaw Bay Ecosystem Following a 100-Year Flood Event , 1993 .

[12]  R. Brinkhurst,et al.  Production of Benthic Macroinvertebrates of Bay of Quinte and Lake Ontario , 1971 .

[13]  James A. Wojcik,et al.  Initial Colonization of the Zebra Mussel (Dreissena polymorpha) in Saginaw Bay, Lake Huron: Population Recruitment, Density, and Size Structure , 1995 .

[14]  E. Smith,et al.  Diversity indices, community comparison indices and canonical discriminant analysis: Interpreting the results of multispecies toxicity tests , 1989 .

[15]  F. J. Margraf,et al.  Eutrophication effects on prey size and food available to yellow perch in lake Erie , 1987 .

[16]  R. Lowe,et al.  Shifts in Benthic Algal Community Structure and Function Following the Appearance of Zebra Mussels (Dreissena polymorpha) in Saginaw Bay, Lake Huron , 1995 .

[17]  Gregory A. Lang,et al.  Effects of Zebra Mussel (Dreissena polymorpha) Colonization on Water Quality Parameters in Saginaw Bay, Lake Huron , 1995 .

[18]  H. MacIsaac,et al.  Fouling mussels (Dreissena spp.) colonize soft sediments in Lake Erie and facilitate benthic invertebrates , 2000 .

[19]  J. A. Dahl,et al.  Benthic and Pelagic Secondary Production in Lake Erie after the Invasion of Dreissena spp. with Implications for Fish Production , 2000 .

[20]  B. Boström,et al.  Coupling between benthic biomass of Microcystis and phosphorus release from the sediments of a highly eutrophic lake , 1992, Hydrobiologia.

[21]  S. Brandt,et al.  Changes in Diet and Body Condition of Lake Whitefish in Southern Lake Michigan Associated with Changes in Benthos , 2001 .

[22]  J. Robbins,et al.  Sediments of Saginaw Bay, Lake Huron : elemental composition and accumulation rates / , 1986 .

[23]  G. Lang,et al.  Measurement of amphipod body length using a digitizer , 1989, Hydrobiologia.

[24]  Wayne W. Carmichael,et al.  Zebra mussel (Dreissena polymorpha) selective filtration promoted toxic Microcystis blooms in Saginaw Bay (Lake Huron) and Lake Erie , 2001 .

[25]  A. Beeton,et al.  PHYSICAL LIMNOLOGY OF SAGINAW BAY, LAKE HURON , 1967 .

[26]  E. Stoermer,et al.  Phytoplankton Distribution in Saginaw Bay , 1985 .

[27]  R. Bailey,et al.  Development of macroinvertebrate community structure associated with zebra mussel (Dreissena polymorpha) colonization of artificial substrates. , 1995 .

[28]  W. Bossert,et al.  The Measurement of Diversity , 2001 .

[29]  Wayne S Gardner,et al.  Ecosystem-Level Effects of Zebra Mussels (Dreissena polymorpha): An Enclosure Experiment in Saginaw Bay, Lake Huron , 1995 .

[30]  Thomas F. Nalepa,et al.  Recent declines in benthic macroinvertebrate densities in Lake Ontario. , 2001 .

[31]  D. Cook,et al.  Benthic Macroinvertebrates of the St. Lawrence Great Lakes , 1974 .

[32]  T. Nalepa,et al.  Dreissena polymorpha in the Saginaw Bay, Lake Huron Ecosystem: Overview and Perspective , 1995 .

[33]  D. Jude,et al.  Benthic Community Structure and Composition Among Rocky Habitats in the Great Lakes and Keuka Lake, New York , 1987 .

[34]  T. Nalepa,et al.  Physical and chemical variables of Saginaw Bay, Lake Huron, in 1994-1996 , 1996 .

[35]  B. A. Patterson,et al.  Zebra Mussel Effects on Benthic Invertebrates: Physical or Biotic? , 1996, Journal of the North American Benthological Society.

[36]  Thomas G. Coon,et al.  Increased Abundance and Depth of Submersed Macrophytes in Response to Decreased Turbidity in Saginaw Bay, Lake Huron , 1995 .

[37]  Thomas E. Lauer,et al.  Impact of Zebra Mussels (Dreissena polymorpha) on Fingernail Clams (Sphaeriidae) in Extreme Southern Lake Michigan , 2001 .

[38]  O. A. Sæther.  Chironomid communities as water quality indicators , 1979 .

[39]  L. Wood.  Bottom sediments of Saginaw Bay, Michigan , 1964 .

[40]  T. Nalepa,et al.  Seasonal and Annual Variation in Weight and Biochemical Content of the Zebra Mussel, Dreissena polymorpha, in Lake St. Clair , 1993 .

[41]  J. Saylor,et al.  Measurements of the Summer Currents in Saginaw Bay, Michigan☆ , 1977 .

[42]  R. C. Haas,et al.  Effects of Long-Term Changes in the Benthic Community on Yellow Perch in Saginaw Bay, Lake Huron , 2000 .

[43]  M. Munawar,et al.  A Comparative Review of Phytoplankton and Primary Production in the Laurentian Great Lakes , 1974 .

[44]  G. Cook,et al.  Benthic Macroinvertebrate Communities in Southwestern Lake Ontario Following Invasion of Dreissena: Continuing Change , 1999 .

[45]  A. Ricciardi,et al.  The role of the zebra mussel (Dreissena polymorpha) in structuring macroinvertebrate communities on hard substrata , 1997 .

[46]  K. Pontasch,et al.  Diversity and community comparison indices: assessing macroinvertebrate recovery following a gasoline spill , 1988 .

[47]  G. Fahnenstiel,et al.  Recent climatic trends in nearshore water temperatures in the St. Lawrence Great Lakes , 1999 .

[48]  R. Bailey,et al.  Factors Influencing Changes in the Nearshore Benthic Community on the Canadian Side of Lake Ontario , 2000 .

[49]  Larue Wells.  Food of alewives, yellow perch, spottail shiners, trout-perch, and slimy and fourhorn sculpins in southeastern Lake Michigan , 1980 .

[50]  D. C. Erman,et al.  Macroinvertebrate Composition and Production in Some Sierra Nevada Minerotrophic Peatlands , 1975 .

[51]  C. Marvin,et al.  Changes in Environmental Conditions During Dreissena Colonization of a Monitoring Station in Eastern Lake Erie , 1996 .

[52]  T. Hruby.  Using similarity measures in benthic impact assessments , 1987, Environmental monitoring and assessment.

[53]  Jeffrey G. Miner,et al.  Quantifying Mechanisms for Zebra Mussel Effects on Benthic Macroinvertebrates: Organic Matter Production and Shell-Generated Habitat , 1998, Journal of the North American Benthological Society.

[54]  A. Karatayev,et al.  THE EFFECTS OF DREISSENA POLYMORPHA (PALLAS) INVASION ON AQUATIC COMMUNITIES IN EASTERN EUROPE , 1997 .

[55]  G. Lang,et al.  Phytoplankton Productivity in Saginaw Bay, Lake Huron: Effects of Zebra Mussel (Dreissena polymorpha) Colonization , 1995 .