Effect of Zebra Mussels

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Effect of Zebra Mussels
Lake Ecosystems as an Indicator of Health and
Change The Oneida Lake Story
Edward L. Mills Department of Natural
Resources College of Agriculture and Life
Sciences Cornell University Biological Field
Station 900 Shackelton Point Road Bridgeport, NY
13030
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Oneida Lake
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ONEIDA LAKE
Drainage Area 1382 sq. mi. Surface Area 80
sq. mi. Length 20.9 sq. mi. Depth maximum
55 ft. mean 23 ft. Watershed Population
(2006) 886,000
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Figure 1. Bathymetric map of Oneida Lake.
Created by Jeremy T.H. Coleman (Cornell
Biological Field Station) using ArcView GIS
software, v3.2 (Environmental Systems Research
Institute, Inc.) original data from NOAA chart
interpolation by inverse distance weighting (6
neighbor, 1 power)
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Measuring Change
Oneida Lake Long-term
Ecological Studies
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Cornell Biological Field Station
A wonderful lakeside facility
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Oneida Lake 50 Years of Research
NY Department of Environmental Conservation for
50 years of funding Strong Stakeholder
support Cornell University Support from local,
NYS, federal, and international organizations
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Oneida Lake-Measuring the Pulse
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Understanding the Response of Lakes to Large
Global Events

• Invasives

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Oneida Lake A history of
biotic invasions and crises
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A Timeline of Invasive Species
in Oneida Lake since the 1820s.
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Global Influences!!
Zebra mussels
European amphipod
European frogbit
Rusty crayfish
West Nile virus
Largemouth bass virus
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A Timeline of Invasive Species
in Oneida Lake since the 1820s.
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Sea lamprey have been quietly killing fish in
Oneida Lake for over a century.
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Adult lamprey scars on Oneida Lake ciscoes
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Oneida Lakers and Adult Lamprey
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East Branch Fish Creek
West Branch Fish Creek
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Mobile labs apply carefully calibrated stream
treatments. (Photo courtesy Dr. Robert Young)
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Lamprey abundance indexed from numbers attaching
per hour to the stern of a boat before and after
lamprey control.
Before
After
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A Timeline of Invasive Species
in Oneida Lake since the 1820s.
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White Perch
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Oneida Gill Net Catch
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A Timeline of Invasive Species
in Oneida Lake since the 1820s.
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Zebra Mussels
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Zebra mussels first observed in 1991
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Effect of Zebra Mussels
Zebra Mussels - Changing the Landscape!
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Zebra mussel
Populations in Oneida Lake since 1992.
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Record Water Clarity!!
and changing light
conditions
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Secchi Disc Transparency
?
Arrow indicates timing of zebra mussel invasion
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Increase in Aquatic Plants
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Oneidas Coast in August
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Oneidas Fall Coastline
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Oneidas Fall Coastline
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Oneida Lake Invasive Plants
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Common Reed or Phragmites
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Water Chestnut
Water Chestnut
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Water Chestnut
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Purple Loosestrife
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European Frog-bit
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Eurasian Milfoil
Acentria larva (top) and moth (bottom) US Army
Corps of Engineers
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Water-borne Diseases
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Largemouth Bass Virus
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Largemouth Bass Virus
Photo courtesy of J. Grizzle
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Transmission and spread of LMBV

• Present range (Yellow)) includes Eastern United
  States.

Distribution of states with LMBV detected
including recent d2005 detection in New York
State and Pennsylvania.
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West Nile Virus
Mosquito borne viruses
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VHS - Viral Hemorrhagic SepticemiaNo Record Yet
Walleye Conesus Lake
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Understanding the Response of Lakes to Large
Global Events

• Invasives

• Global Climate
• Change

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Duration Ice Cover 1900 112 days 2006 95 days
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Ice residence time is an average of 17 days
shorter now than in the last half of the 19th
century
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Oneida Lake and Summer Heat 5 YEAR RUNNING
AVERAGE INCREASING AT A RATE OF 0.04 C/YEAR
(1974-2005) 0.08 C/YEAR (Since 1990)
r2 0.68
r2 0.68
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Global Climate Change
Bay of Quinte
Y(temp) -24.71 0.0215X(year) N50 r0.386
P0.006
Mean Apr - Sep Water Temperature (0C)
1950
1960
1970
1980
1990
2000
(After Casselman)
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Economic Benefits of Managed Ecosystems
Nutrient Management
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Lots spent on municipal waste treatment
improvements


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Water quality improvements and a decline in
total phosphorus.
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Phosphorus Fish fishing?
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Oneida Lake Fishing Recreation
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Economic Benefits of Managed Ecosystems
Walleye and Yellow Perch
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The Role of Research Forecasting Future Walleye
Populations
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Smallmouth bass
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Smallmouth bass gill net catch
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Oneida Lake Enriching the Central New York
Region
http//www.rochesterbassmasters.com/images/picture
s/tournamentpics/on6.jpg
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Oneida Lake Enriching the Central New York
Region
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Economic Benefits of Managed Ecosystems

The Double Crested Cormorant
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Some chemicals were restricted or banned from use

• Aldrin and Dieldrin
• PCBs
• DDT
• Toxaphene

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Cormorant Stomach Content 10/09/96
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Double crested cormorants in Oneida Lakehazing
vs no hazing
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No Hazing
Hazing
?
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A recovering walleye/ yellow perch sport
fishery???
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Walleye
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Yellow perch adult population
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Conclusions

• Understanding the Response of
• Lakes to Large Global Events

• Economic Benefits of Managed
• Ecosystems
• ?

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Thanks Much!