Review
Limnology
Jonathan J. Borrelli, Rick A. Relyea
Summary: Lakes are under various human pressures, and modeling community dynamics is essential to understand their response to changing environments. Current models have focused on pelagic organisms and treated lakes as uniform communities, but there is actually heterogeneity within lakes due to environmental conditions, leading to compartmentalization in food web structure. Lakes can be represented as three-dimensional meta-ecosystems, with connected compartments of food webs with varying degrees of mobility. However, current modeling approaches have limitations in representing spatial heterogeneity. The use of allometric trophic networks is recommended to facilitate spatially explicit food web modeling.
LIMNOLOGY AND OCEANOGRAPHY
(2022)
Article
Fisheries
Christopher A. Osborne, Jason M. Robinson, Brian F. Lantry, Brian C. Weidel, Ian Harding, Michael J. Connerton
Summary: In this study, coded wire tags were used to establish true ages for Lake Trout and assess the accuracy and precision of age interpretations made from transverse-sectioned otoliths. The researchers identified sources of potential age interpretation error and provided a digital reference collection for training and monitoring purposes.
NORTH AMERICAN JOURNAL OF FISHERIES MANAGEMENT
(2022)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Seth R. Smith, Eric Normandeau, Haig Djambazian, Pubudu M. Nawarathna, Pierre Berube, Andrew M. Muir, Jiannis Ragoussis, Chantelle M. Penney, Kim T. Scribner, Gordon Luikart, Chris C. Wilson, Louis Bernatchez
Summary: In this study, an annotated, chromosome-anchored genome assembly for Lake Trout was generated using various sequencing techniques, resulting in a highly contiguous assembly. Analysis revealed insights into homeologs resulting from a salmonid-specific autotetraploid event and homologous chromosomes in related taxa, providing valuable resources for future genomic research.
MOLECULAR ECOLOGY RESOURCES
(2022)
Article
Fisheries
Hayley C. Glassic, David D. Chagaris, Christopher S. Guy, Lusha M. Tronstad, Dominique R. Lujan, Michelle A. Briggs, Lindsey K. Albertson, Travis O. Brenden, Timothy E. Walsworth, Todd M. Koel
Summary: This study investigated the recovery of Yellowstone Cutthroat Trout in Yellowstone Lake and found that predation, drought, and disease have caused a decline in their population. However, the implementation of a Lake Trout suppression program has led to a partial recovery. Nevertheless, incorporating the influence of disease and climate change, the conservation benchmarks for the trout have not been achieved. Therefore, the researchers suggest including additional factors in the conservation benchmarks for a better assessment of management actions and environmental conditions on the trout.
Article
Zoology
Tyler J. Firkus, Frederick W. Goetz, Gregory Fischer, Cheryl A. Murphy
Summary: This study examined the changes in energy allocation in two salmon species with different life history strategies following parasitism. The results showed significant differences in the response to parasitism between the two fish, suggesting that life history strategies can be used to generalize stressor response between populations.
INTEGRATIVE AND COMPARATIVE BIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Biology
Christian Beuvard, Albert K. D. Imsland, Helgi Thorarensen
Summary: In this experiment, the effect of temperature on the survival, growth rate, metabolism, and physiological indices of juvenile Arctic charr in Iceland was examined. The results showed that high temperatures resulted in decreased survival and growth rate, reduced feed intake, and increased stress on the cardiovascular system. However, growth rate was not limited by temperature at lower temperatures.
JOURNAL OF THERMAL BIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Fisheries
Eric S. Torvinen, Jeffrey A. Falke, Christopher D. Arp, Benjamin M. Jones, Matthew S. Whitman, Christian E. Zimmerman
Summary: This study used biochronology techniques and modeling to examine the growth patterns of lake trout in the Arctic region. The results showed that annual growth varied by year, with fish growth slowing as individuals aged, and females growing faster than males. The study also found that lake trout had higher growth in flow-through lakes compared to lakes that were perennially or seasonally connected. Moreover, the study indicated that there was no clear warming trend for the period 1998-2014, but modeled temperatures predicted increasing annual growth from 1950-2014.
ECOLOGY OF FRESHWATER FISH
(2023)
Article
Zoology
Peter M. Baker, Christian A. Therrien, Carlie A. Muir, Shawn R. Garner, Bryan D. Neff
Summary: The consumption of invasive, high-thiaminase prey fishes can lead to thiamine deficiency, posing a major barrier for lake trout restoration in the Great Lakes. However, little is known about the effect of thiamine deficiency on cardiac function in fishes. This study found that a high-thiaminase diet resulted in significant heart enlargement and reduced cardiac performance at high temperatures in lake trout, suggesting that dietary thiaminase impairs cardiac function and may become more important with increasing water temperatures due to climate change.
CANADIAN JOURNAL OF ZOOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Ecology
Fredrik Jutfelt, Tommy Norin, Eirik R. Asheim, Lauren E. Rowsey, Anna H. Andreassen, Rachael Morgan, Timothy D. Clark, Ben Speers-Roesch
Summary: The research proposes a hypothesis about water-breathing ectothermic animals, suggesting that they regulate peak specific dynamic action response during times of warming by reducing meal sizes to protect postprandial residual aerobic scope, leading to reductions in growth.
FUNCTIONAL ECOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Fisheries
Silviya Ivanova, Sarah M. Larocque, Aaron T. Fisk, Timothy B. Johnson
Summary: Animal interactions are crucial components of community function, with non-native species in freshwater ecosystems potentially impacting the restoration of native species. This study highlights the importance of depth in understanding fish interactions and the value of considering pairwise species interactions for ecosystem community function.
CANADIAN JOURNAL OF FISHERIES AND AQUATIC SCIENCES
(2021)
Article
Evolutionary Biology
Louise Chavarie, Steve Voelker, Michael J. Hansen, Charles R. Bronte, Andrew M. Muir, Mara S. Zimmerman, Charles C. Krueger
Summary: Phenotypic variation among individuals can be influenced by the stability or predictability of the environment, leading to intraspecific diversity. By investigating variability in morphology and annual growth increments of lake charr, a rapid phenotypic shift was found within a short period of time, suggesting similar pathways caused the variation.
EVOLUTIONARY APPLICATIONS
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Krista K. Bartz, Michael P. Hannam, Tammy L. Wilson, Ryan F. Lepak, Jacob M. Ogorek, Daniel B. Young, Collin A. Eagles -Smith, David P. Krabbenhoft
Summary: Mercury is a harmful pollutant in its organic form that poses risks to fish, wildlife, and humans. This study assessed mercury concentrations in lake trout collected from 14 lakes in southwest Alaska and identified factors associated with the variation in fish mercury concentrations. The results showed that mercury concentrations in water were consistently low, while mercury concentrations in lake trout varied greatly and were influenced by fish age and body condition.
ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION
(2023)
Article
Ecology
Louise Chavarie, Kimberly L. Howland, Les N. Harris, Colin P. Gallagher, Michael J. Hansen, William M. Tonn, Andrew M. Muir, Charles C. Krueger
Summary: In the polyphenic species of lake trout from Great Bear Lake, Canada, individual trophic specialization was found within the generalist piscivore ecotype, with four distinct dietary patterns identified based on fatty acid composition. These differences were linked to spatial patterns within the lake, but not associated with detectable morphological or genetic differentiation. This suggests that behavioral plasticity is responsible for the trophic differences, and individual trophic specialization can occur within a genetically diverse ecotype inhabiting a geologically young system.
ECOLOGY AND EVOLUTION
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Andrew Jasonowicz, Shawn Sitar, Michael Seider, Frederick Goetz
Summary: Lake charr exhibit morphological diversity and can thrive in cold lakes by optimizing the use of the entire water column. Lean lake charr maintain shallow depths throughout the year, while redfin and siscowet lake charr have different depth patterns. Siscowet lake charr show extreme vertical movements and may feed near the surface.
JOURNAL OF GREAT LAKES RESEARCH
(2022)
Article
Fisheries
Wesley A. Larson, Matthew S. Kornis, Keith N. Turnquist, Charles R. Bronte, Mark E. Holey, S. Dale Hanson, Theodore J. Treska, Wendylee Stott, Brian L. Sloss
Summary: This study utilized genotypes from 36 microsatellites to investigate hatchery strain contribution to naturally produced lake trout across Lake Michigan. Results showed variation in strain composition and performance by area, with potential adaptive advantages of certain strains in specific environmental conditions. Thorough strain evaluations are essential for informing management and conservation strategies.
CANADIAN JOURNAL OF FISHERIES AND AQUATIC SCIENCES
(2021)