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ZOOPLANKTON SIZE-SPECTRA AS AN INDICATOR IN GREAT LAKES COASTAL WATERS
Citation:
Yurista, P. M., J. R. Kelly, AND S E. Miller. ZOOPLANKTON SIZE-SPECTRA AS AN INDICATOR IN GREAT LAKES COASTAL WATERS. Presented at American Society of Limnology and Oceanography 2003 Aquatic Sciences Meeting, Salt Lake City, UT, February 8-14, 2003.
Description:
Zooplankton size-spectra has the potential to be used as an indicator of ecological condition. Mean size and size-distribution are effected by planktivore pressure and therefore reflect trophic cascade interactions as well as size selective predation. We used an optical plankton counter (OPC) to survey and assess zooplankton size-spectra for twenty locations in Lakes Superior, Michigan, Huron and Erie. The surveys were conducted in near-shore regions (5m to 20m depth) and on associated transects to offshore regions (>8km from shore or >100m depth). The near-shore regions were randomly chosen across a landuse stress gradient based on >200 parameters (GLEI Star project). The near-shore region consisted of paired sub-segments, one centered on a tributary receiving area for a 2nd order or greater stream and the second one centered on open unbroken shoreline greater than 2km from the tributary. The statistical distribution function for zooplankton size (Pareto type II) was determined and compared for all locations. The correlation between size-spectra and stressor gradient and additionally trophic gradient (by lake) will be reported. This abstract does not necessarily reflect EPA policy.