The influence of thermal and hypoxia induced habitat compression on walleye (Sander vitreus) movements in a temperate lake
Abstract Background Globally, temperate lakes are experiencing increases in surface water temperatures, extended periods of summer stratification, and decreases of both surface and deep water dissolved oxygen (DO). The distribution of fish is influenced by a variety of factors, but water temperature...
Saved in:
| Main Authors: | , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
BMC
2025-01-01
|
| Series: | Movement Ecology |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1186/s40462-024-00505-6 |
| Tags: |
Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
|
| _version_ | 1841544198609698816 |
|---|---|
| author | J. L. Brooks E. J. I. Lédée S. M. Larocque S. J. Cooke E. Brown J. D. Midwood |
| author_facet | J. L. Brooks E. J. I. Lédée S. M. Larocque S. J. Cooke E. Brown J. D. Midwood |
| author_sort | J. L. Brooks |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Background Globally, temperate lakes are experiencing increases in surface water temperatures, extended periods of summer stratification, and decreases of both surface and deep water dissolved oxygen (DO). The distribution of fish is influenced by a variety of factors, but water temperature and dissolved oxygen are known to be particularly constraining such that with climate change, fish will likely feel the “squeeze” from above and below. Methods This study used acoustic telemetry to explore the effects of both thermal stratification and the deoxygenation of the hypolimnion on walleye (Sander vitreus) movements in a coastal embayment in Lake Ontario. Using historical water quality monitoring data, we documented seasonal and annual fluctuations in availability of both ‘suitable’ (all temperatures, DO > 3 mg/L) and ‘optimum’ (temperatures 18–23 °C, DO > 5mg/L) abiotic habitat for walleye and determined how these changes influenced walleye movements over a three-year period. Results Hypoxia (< 3 mg/L DO) was present in Hamilton Harbour every summer that data were available (32 of the 42 years between 1976 and 2018), with a maximum of 68.4% of the harbour volume in 1990. We found that thermal stratification and a hypoxic hypolimnion greatly reduced the volume of suitable habitat during our telemetry study. The reduction of suitable habitat significantly reduced walleye movement distances, however as the summer progressed, this remaining suitable habitat warmed into their thermal optimum range which was found to increase walleye movement distances. Despite the seemingly poor conditions, tagged walleye remained in the harbour for most of the year, and were the fastest growing individuals compared to other sampled coastal subpopulations in Lake Ontario. Conclusions Although we documented a reduction in the quantity of non-hypoxic habitat available to walleye, the water temperature of the remaining habitat increased throughout the summer into the physiologically optimum range for walleye and increased in metabolic quality. Many abiotic factors influence how, where, and what habitat fish choose to use, and this study reveals the importance of considering both habitat quality (temperature and dissolved oxygen) and quantity when evaluating fish habitat use and behaviour. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-7293312d72c640bb9b98899a8cd31d0e |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2051-3933 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-01-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Movement Ecology |
| spelling | doaj-art-7293312d72c640bb9b98899a8cd31d0e2025-01-12T12:44:33ZengBMCMovement Ecology2051-39332025-01-0113111610.1186/s40462-024-00505-6The influence of thermal and hypoxia induced habitat compression on walleye (Sander vitreus) movements in a temperate lakeJ. L. Brooks0E. J. I. Lédée1S. M. Larocque2S. J. Cooke3E. Brown4J. D. Midwood5Department of Biology, Carleton UniversityDepartment of Biology, Carleton UniversityGreat Lakes Laboratory for Fisheries and Aquatic Science, Fisheries and Oceans CanadaDepartment of Biology, Institute of Environmental and Interdisciplinary Science, Carleton UniversityLake Ontario Management Unit, Glenora Fisheries Station, Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources and ForestryGreat Lakes Laboratory for Fisheries and Aquatic Science, Fisheries and Oceans CanadaAbstract Background Globally, temperate lakes are experiencing increases in surface water temperatures, extended periods of summer stratification, and decreases of both surface and deep water dissolved oxygen (DO). The distribution of fish is influenced by a variety of factors, but water temperature and dissolved oxygen are known to be particularly constraining such that with climate change, fish will likely feel the “squeeze” from above and below. Methods This study used acoustic telemetry to explore the effects of both thermal stratification and the deoxygenation of the hypolimnion on walleye (Sander vitreus) movements in a coastal embayment in Lake Ontario. Using historical water quality monitoring data, we documented seasonal and annual fluctuations in availability of both ‘suitable’ (all temperatures, DO > 3 mg/L) and ‘optimum’ (temperatures 18–23 °C, DO > 5mg/L) abiotic habitat for walleye and determined how these changes influenced walleye movements over a three-year period. Results Hypoxia (< 3 mg/L DO) was present in Hamilton Harbour every summer that data were available (32 of the 42 years between 1976 and 2018), with a maximum of 68.4% of the harbour volume in 1990. We found that thermal stratification and a hypoxic hypolimnion greatly reduced the volume of suitable habitat during our telemetry study. The reduction of suitable habitat significantly reduced walleye movement distances, however as the summer progressed, this remaining suitable habitat warmed into their thermal optimum range which was found to increase walleye movement distances. Despite the seemingly poor conditions, tagged walleye remained in the harbour for most of the year, and were the fastest growing individuals compared to other sampled coastal subpopulations in Lake Ontario. Conclusions Although we documented a reduction in the quantity of non-hypoxic habitat available to walleye, the water temperature of the remaining habitat increased throughout the summer into the physiologically optimum range for walleye and increased in metabolic quality. Many abiotic factors influence how, where, and what habitat fish choose to use, and this study reveals the importance of considering both habitat quality (temperature and dissolved oxygen) and quantity when evaluating fish habitat use and behaviour.https://doi.org/10.1186/s40462-024-00505-6Habitat compressionHypoxiaMovementAbiotic habitat |
| spellingShingle | J. L. Brooks E. J. I. Lédée S. M. Larocque S. J. Cooke E. Brown J. D. Midwood The influence of thermal and hypoxia induced habitat compression on walleye (Sander vitreus) movements in a temperate lake Movement Ecology Habitat compression Hypoxia Movement Abiotic habitat |
| title | The influence of thermal and hypoxia induced habitat compression on walleye (Sander vitreus) movements in a temperate lake |
| title_full | The influence of thermal and hypoxia induced habitat compression on walleye (Sander vitreus) movements in a temperate lake |
| title_fullStr | The influence of thermal and hypoxia induced habitat compression on walleye (Sander vitreus) movements in a temperate lake |
| title_full_unstemmed | The influence of thermal and hypoxia induced habitat compression on walleye (Sander vitreus) movements in a temperate lake |
| title_short | The influence of thermal and hypoxia induced habitat compression on walleye (Sander vitreus) movements in a temperate lake |
| title_sort | influence of thermal and hypoxia induced habitat compression on walleye sander vitreus movements in a temperate lake |
| topic | Habitat compression Hypoxia Movement Abiotic habitat |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1186/s40462-024-00505-6 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT jlbrooks theinfluenceofthermalandhypoxiainducedhabitatcompressiononwalleyesandervitreusmovementsinatemperatelake AT ejiledee theinfluenceofthermalandhypoxiainducedhabitatcompressiononwalleyesandervitreusmovementsinatemperatelake AT smlarocque theinfluenceofthermalandhypoxiainducedhabitatcompressiononwalleyesandervitreusmovementsinatemperatelake AT sjcooke theinfluenceofthermalandhypoxiainducedhabitatcompressiononwalleyesandervitreusmovementsinatemperatelake AT ebrown theinfluenceofthermalandhypoxiainducedhabitatcompressiononwalleyesandervitreusmovementsinatemperatelake AT jdmidwood theinfluenceofthermalandhypoxiainducedhabitatcompressiononwalleyesandervitreusmovementsinatemperatelake AT jlbrooks influenceofthermalandhypoxiainducedhabitatcompressiononwalleyesandervitreusmovementsinatemperatelake AT ejiledee influenceofthermalandhypoxiainducedhabitatcompressiononwalleyesandervitreusmovementsinatemperatelake AT smlarocque influenceofthermalandhypoxiainducedhabitatcompressiononwalleyesandervitreusmovementsinatemperatelake AT sjcooke influenceofthermalandhypoxiainducedhabitatcompressiononwalleyesandervitreusmovementsinatemperatelake AT ebrown influenceofthermalandhypoxiainducedhabitatcompressiononwalleyesandervitreusmovementsinatemperatelake AT jdmidwood influenceofthermalandhypoxiainducedhabitatcompressiononwalleyesandervitreusmovementsinatemperatelake |