Differential responses of coolwater fishes to a whole‐lake reduction of a warmwater thermal guild
Abstract Climate change is transforming the ecology of lakes at a rapid pace, shifting some lakes toward warmwater‐dominant habitats. As a result, warmwater fishes are increasingly becoming more prevalent in lakes where they already existed, altering the patterning and strength of species interactio...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Wiley
2025-07-01
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| Series: | Ecosphere |
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1002/ecs2.70297 |
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| author | Holly S. Embke Stephen R. Carpenter T. Douglas Beard Jr. Giancarlo Coppola Daniel A. Isermann Eric J. Pedersen Andrew L. Rypel Christopher J. Sullivan Tyler D. Tunney M. Jake Vander Zanden |
| author_facet | Holly S. Embke Stephen R. Carpenter T. Douglas Beard Jr. Giancarlo Coppola Daniel A. Isermann Eric J. Pedersen Andrew L. Rypel Christopher J. Sullivan Tyler D. Tunney M. Jake Vander Zanden |
| author_sort | Holly S. Embke |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Climate change is transforming the ecology of lakes at a rapid pace, shifting some lakes toward warmwater‐dominant habitats. As a result, warmwater fishes are increasingly becoming more prevalent in lakes where they already existed, altering the patterning and strength of species interactions. Understanding shifting species interactions (e.g., competition, predation), and the role of lake management in shaping these interactions, will be critical for lake stewardship in response to climate change. Here, we present results from an intensive 5‐year experimental removal of ~285,000 warmwater fishes from a north‐temperate lake. The goal of the experiment was to test whether warmwater fish reduction is effective for rewiring lake food webs to reverse undesirable conditions for coolwater species, leading to increased recruitment and abundance of coolwater fishes. Throughout the experiment, warmwater fishes were resilient to reductions, with biomass declines of 23% averaged across five species. Among coolwater fishes, the top predator walleye showed no biomass response, while yellow perch biomass increased by ~914%. Fish species biomass changes translated to food web shifts, including a yellow perch trophic position decline of 0.4, decreased zooplankton abundances, and increased zoobenthos abundances. Our results highlight differential species responses to a management action aimed at adapting to climate change. Despite similar thermal tolerances, two coolwater species responded differently to removal of warmwater fishes, highlighting the characteristics (e.g., life history strategies, adaptive capacity) that contribute to species resilience. Given the importance of biotic interactions, climate adaptation may need to go beyond a “one‐size‐fits‐all” approach even when species have similar thermal tolerances. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-9df2d3b94dd14d3a8d11de069963450f |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2150-8925 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-07-01 |
| publisher | Wiley |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Ecosphere |
| spelling | doaj-art-9df2d3b94dd14d3a8d11de069963450f2025-08-20T03:58:41ZengWileyEcosphere2150-89252025-07-01167n/an/a10.1002/ecs2.70297Differential responses of coolwater fishes to a whole‐lake reduction of a warmwater thermal guildHolly S. Embke0Stephen R. Carpenter1T. Douglas Beard Jr.2Giancarlo Coppola3Daniel A. Isermann4Eric J. Pedersen5Andrew L. Rypel6Christopher J. Sullivan7Tyler D. Tunney8M. Jake Vander Zanden9U.S. Geological Survey Midwest Climate Adaptation Science Center Saint Paul Minnesota USACenter for Limnology University of Wisconsin–Madison Madison Wisconsin USAU.S. Geological Survey National Climate Adaptation Science Center Reston Virginia USAU.S. Geological Survey, Wisconsin Cooperative Fishery Research Unit and Fisheries Analysis Center, College of Natural Resources University of Wisconsin–Stevens Point Stevens Point Wisconsin USAU.S. Geological Survey, Wisconsin Cooperative Fishery Research Unit and Fisheries Analysis Center, College of Natural Resources University of Wisconsin–Stevens Point Stevens Point Wisconsin USADepartment of Biology Concordia University Montreal Quebec CanadaDepartment of Wildlife, Fish and Conservation Biology, and Center for Watershed Sciences University of California, Davis Davis California USAU.S. Geological Survey, Wisconsin Cooperative Fishery Research Unit and Fisheries Analysis Center, College of Natural Resources University of Wisconsin–Stevens Point Stevens Point Wisconsin USAFisheries and Oceans Canada, Gulf Region, Freshwater Habitat Section, Centre for Effectiveness Science Moncton New Brunswick CanadaCenter for Limnology University of Wisconsin–Madison Madison Wisconsin USAAbstract Climate change is transforming the ecology of lakes at a rapid pace, shifting some lakes toward warmwater‐dominant habitats. As a result, warmwater fishes are increasingly becoming more prevalent in lakes where they already existed, altering the patterning and strength of species interactions. Understanding shifting species interactions (e.g., competition, predation), and the role of lake management in shaping these interactions, will be critical for lake stewardship in response to climate change. Here, we present results from an intensive 5‐year experimental removal of ~285,000 warmwater fishes from a north‐temperate lake. The goal of the experiment was to test whether warmwater fish reduction is effective for rewiring lake food webs to reverse undesirable conditions for coolwater species, leading to increased recruitment and abundance of coolwater fishes. Throughout the experiment, warmwater fishes were resilient to reductions, with biomass declines of 23% averaged across five species. Among coolwater fishes, the top predator walleye showed no biomass response, while yellow perch biomass increased by ~914%. Fish species biomass changes translated to food web shifts, including a yellow perch trophic position decline of 0.4, decreased zooplankton abundances, and increased zoobenthos abundances. Our results highlight differential species responses to a management action aimed at adapting to climate change. Despite similar thermal tolerances, two coolwater species responded differently to removal of warmwater fishes, highlighting the characteristics (e.g., life history strategies, adaptive capacity) that contribute to species resilience. Given the importance of biotic interactions, climate adaptation may need to go beyond a “one‐size‐fits‐all” approach even when species have similar thermal tolerances.https://doi.org/10.1002/ecs2.70297adaptationclimate changefisheriesfood websfreshwaterspecies interactions |
| spellingShingle | Holly S. Embke Stephen R. Carpenter T. Douglas Beard Jr. Giancarlo Coppola Daniel A. Isermann Eric J. Pedersen Andrew L. Rypel Christopher J. Sullivan Tyler D. Tunney M. Jake Vander Zanden Differential responses of coolwater fishes to a whole‐lake reduction of a warmwater thermal guild Ecosphere adaptation climate change fisheries food webs freshwater species interactions |
| title | Differential responses of coolwater fishes to a whole‐lake reduction of a warmwater thermal guild |
| title_full | Differential responses of coolwater fishes to a whole‐lake reduction of a warmwater thermal guild |
| title_fullStr | Differential responses of coolwater fishes to a whole‐lake reduction of a warmwater thermal guild |
| title_full_unstemmed | Differential responses of coolwater fishes to a whole‐lake reduction of a warmwater thermal guild |
| title_short | Differential responses of coolwater fishes to a whole‐lake reduction of a warmwater thermal guild |
| title_sort | differential responses of coolwater fishes to a whole lake reduction of a warmwater thermal guild |
| topic | adaptation climate change fisheries food webs freshwater species interactions |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1002/ecs2.70297 |
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