The Huron River Fish Community

1. The Huron River Fish Community

2. The Pleistocene Epoch • Most recent ice age to date • Forced native species south in refugia • Completely reshaped the topography of Michigan • Opened up new niches for colonizers to occupy

3. The Huron River Watershed • Comprises an area of approximately 1000 mi.2 • Main branch: 136 miles • Main branch + tributaries: 367 miles • Headwaters at Big Lake near Huron Swamp in Oakland county • Flows out into northwest corner of Lake Eerie

5. Early Human Colonization • European settlers arrived in the 1600’s. • Utilized for trade and transportation • Development of the surrounding area increased over time • Draining swamps • Channelization • Lake-level control structures • Hydroelectric Dams

7. Physiology of temperate, freshwater, lotic fishes • Thermoregulation • Osmoregulation • Morphology

8. Thermoregulation • Ectothermal (“ecto” = external; “thermal” = heat) • Refers to the source of heat • not variability in body temperature (i.e. homeotherm/poikilotherm), which are outdated terms • Most fishes are ectotherms • Exceptions: Tunas (large bodied fishes) Source: http://esi.stanford.edu/temperature/temperature3.htm

9. Thermoregulation • Fish Responses to Temperature : • Behavioral • Dormancy • Swimming rates • Feeding behaviors • Physiological • Metabolism • Enzymatic structure/activity • Gene expression • Morphological • Size changes

10. Osmoregualtion • Freshwater is more dilute than body fluids • FW fishes maintain water balance by excreting dilute urine.

11. Morphology • Increased swimming velocity to overcome strong currents • Streamline body, symmetrical caudal fin, derived locomotion • Most adaptations to lotic environments are behavioral Source: Long Term Ecological Research Network, http://www.lternet.edu/research/keyfindings/river-continuum

12. Life History • Freshwater is most diverse group of fishes due to diversity of habitats • High seasonality means that fish must cope with differing environments throughout the year • Different environments will favor different suites of traits

13. Types of Strategies • Opportunistic: small body size, early maturation, low juvenile survivorship • Habitat: areas with high disturbance rates

14. Types of Strategies • Equilibrium: small to medium body size, moderate age at maturation, low fecundity per reproductive cycle, high juvenile survivorship (usually due to parental care) • Habitat: low environmental disturbance rates

15. Types of Strategies • Periodic: large body size, late maturation, high fecundity, low juvenile survivorship • Habitat: highly seasonal but otherwise stable • Example:

16. Community Structure • Northern brook lamprey Ichthyomyzonfossor(rare) • Silver lamprey Ichthyomyzonunicuspis(rare) • American brook lamprey Lampetra appendix • Sea lamprey Petromyzonmarinus • Spotted gar Lepisosteusoculatus(rare) • Longnose gar Lepisosteusosseus • Bowfin Amiacalva • Mooneye Hiodontergisus(endangered) • Alewife Alosapseudoharengus • Gizzard shad Dorosomacepedianum • Central stoneroller Campostomaanomalum • Goldfish Carassiusauratus • Redside dace Clinostomuselongatus(threatened) • Spotfin shiner Cyprinellaspilotera • Common carp Cyprinuscarpio • Striped shiner Luxiluschrysocephalus • Common shiner Luxiluscornatus • Redfin shiner Lythrurusumbratilis(rare) • Silver chub Macrhybopsisstoreriana(rare) • Hornyhead chub Nocomisbigutatus • River chub Nocomismicropogon • Golden shiner Notemigonuscrysoleucas • Pugnose shiner Notropisanogenus(rare) • Emerald shiner Notropisatherinoides • Silverjaw minnow Notropisbuccatus(rare) • Bigmouth shiner Notropisdorsalis(rare) • Blacknose shiner Notropisheterolepis • Blackchin shiner Notropisheterodon • Spottail shiner Notropishudsonius • Silver shiner Notropisphotogenis(threatened) • Rosyface shiner Notropisrubellus • Sand shiner Notropisstramineus • Mimic shiner Notropisvolucellus • Pugnose minnow Opsopoeodusemiliae(rare) • Northern redbelly dace Phoxinuseos(rare) • Southern redbelly dace Phoxinuserythrogaster(threatened) • Bluntnose minnow Phimephalesnotatus • Fathead minnow Pimephalespromelas • Blacknose dace Rhinichthysatratulus • Creek chub Semotilusatromaculatus • White sucker Catostomuscommersoni • Lake chubsuckerErimyzonsucetta • Northern hogsuckerHypenteliumnigricans • Spotted sucker Minytremamelanops • Black redhorseMoxostomaduquesnei(declining) • Golden redhorseMoxostomaerythrurum • ShortheadredhorseMoxostomamacrolepidotum • Greater redhorse Moxostoma valenciennesi (rare) • Black bullhead Ameiurusmelas • Yellow bullhead Ameiurusnatalis • Brown bullhead Ameiurusnebulosus • Channel catfish Ictaluruspunctatus • Stonecat Noturusflavus • Tadpole madtomNoturusgyrinus • Brindled madtomNoturusmiurus(declining) • Northern madtomNoturusstigmosus(endangered) • Grass pickerel Esoxamericanusvermiculatus • Northern pike Esoxlucius • Central mudminnowUmbra limi • Cisco (lake herring) Coregonusartedi • Coho salmon Oncorhynchuskisutch • Rainbow trout Oncorhynchusmykiss • Chinook salmon Oncorhynchustshawytscha • Brown trout Salmotrutta • Trout-perch Percopsisomiscomaycus • Banded killifish Fundulusdiaphanus • Blackstripe topminnow Fundulusnotatus • Brook silversides Labidesthessicculus • Brook stickleback Culaeainconstans • Mottled sculpinCottusbairdi • White perch Moroneamericana • White bass Moronechrysops • Rock bass Ambloplitesrupestris • Green sunfish Lepomiscyanellus • Pumpkinseed Lepomisgibbosus • Warmouth Lepomisgulosus • Bluegill Lepomismacrochirus • Longear sunfish Lepomismegalotis • Redear sunfish Lepomismicrolophus • Smallmouth bass Micropterusdolomieui • Largemouth bass Micropterussalmoides • White crappie Pomoxisannularis • Black crappie Pomoxisnigromaculatus • Eastern sand darter Ammocryptapellucida(threatened) • Greenside darter Etheostomablennioides • Rainbow darter Etheostomacaeruleum • Iowa darter Etheostoma exile • Fantail darter Etheostomaflabellare • Least darter Etheostomamicroperca • Johnny darter Etheostomanigrum • Yellow perch Percaflavescens • Northern logperchPercinacaprodes • Blacksidedarter Percinamaculata (Hay-Chiemewlskiet al. 1995)

17. Community Structure • 99 different species of fish • 5 threatened • Silver shiner • Redside dace • Southern redbelly dace • Eastern sand darter • Sauger • 1 endangered • Northern madtom H

18. Introduced Exotics • Sea lamprey • Alewife • Goldfish • Common carp • Bigmouth shiner • Rainbow trout • Coho salmon • Chinook salmon • Brown trout • White perch • Redear sunfish

19. Riffles and Gravel Substrate • Common shiner • Hornyhead and creek chub • Northern hogsucker • Brindled madtom • Rock bass • Mottled sculpin • Rainbow and greenside darter • Blacknose dace

20. Pools and Abundant Vegetation • Central mudminnow • Grass pickerel • Pugnose minnow • Lake chubsucker • Yellow bullhead • Brook stickleback • Least darter • Blackstripe topminnow

21. Impoundments • Northern pike • Small- and largemouth bass • Black and white crappies • Walleye • Channel catfish • Muskellunge • Bluegill

22. Potamodromous • Below Flat Rock Dam from Lake Erie • Walleye • Chinook salmon • Coho salmon • Steelhead/rainbow trout • White bass • Sauger

23. Anthropogenic Effects of the Huron River • Dams • Invasive Species • Implications

24. Dams • 98 dams in the Huron watershed, most for water level regulation • Dam removal: improved fisheries, increased aquatic species, improved water quality (Riggs 2003) Photo retrieved from: Huron River Watershed Council

25. Invasive Species • Zebra & Quagga Mussels • Harmful species to ecosystem (Mackie 1991) • Stable conditions, little threat (Birkett 2011) • Asian Carp • Rainbow Smelt • Decline of walleye populations (Mercado-Silva 2005) • Alewife

26. Implications • Huron stocked with channel catfish, smallmouth bass, and walleye (Riggs 2003) • Conservation efforts in Huron watershed: dam removal, prevention and control of invasives, maintenance of surrounding ecosystems

27. Literature Cited Birkett K.M. 2011. An Analysis of Spatial and Temporal Changes in Fish and Benthic Macroinvertebrate Communities Associated with Zebra Mussel (Dreissenapolymorpha) Abundance in the Huron River, Southeastern Michigan. University of Michigan, School of Natural Resources & Environment. Hay-Chmielewski, E. M., Paul W. Seelbach, Gary E. Whelan, and Douglas B. Jester Jr. 1995. Huron River Assessment. Michigan Department of Natural Resources Fisheries Division, Fisheries Special Report No. 16. Mackie 1991. Biology of the exotic zebra mussel, Dreissenapolymorpha, to native bivalves and its potential impact in Lake St. Clair. Hydrobiologia 219:241-268 Mercado-Silva, Norman. Invasive species in aquatic systems: Population, community, food web and landscape perspectives. Ann Arbor, MI: ProQuest Dissertations and Theses, 2005. Riggs, Elizabeth H.W. 2003. Ann Arbor, MI. Huron River Watershed Council. Case studies in river restoration through dam removal.