Fish Community Production Responses to a Large-Scale Coarse-Woody Habitat Addition
Abstract
"Coarse-woody habitat additions are a common management action to restore degraded shoreline habitat and key food-web processes within aquatic ecosystems. However, several questions remain about the ecosystem effects of coarse-woody habitat additions, such as the timeframe to achieve desired results and how fish production responds among different trophic levels. Thus, we aimed to answer these questions by initiating long-term monitoring of fish community and ecosystem responses to a coarse-woody habitat addition in a north-temperate lake. We began monitoring the fish community of Sanford Lake, Vilas Co., WI, in 2015 and performed a large-scale coarse-woody habitat addition in 2018. Preliminary results suggest initial fish production responses occurred several years post-addition, with increases in bluegill (Lepomis macrochirus) and rock bass (Ambloplites rupestris) production. Continual monitoring until 2030 will provide more insight into higher trophic level responses and will be necessary to understand the timeframe of ecosystem responses to habitat alterations.
Presenter: Max Wilkinson, UW-Stevens Point, Wisconsin Cooperative Fishery Research Unit"
Subject
Extension Lakes
Convention
Permanent Link
http://digital.library.wisc.edu/1793/95150Type
Article
Description
"Coarse-woody habitat additions are a common management action to restore degraded shoreline habitat and key food-web processes within aquatic ecosystems. However, several questions remain about the ecosystem effects of coarse-woody habitat additions, such as the timeframe to achieve desired results and how fish production responds among different trophic levels. Thus, we aimed to answer these questions by initiating long-term monitoring of fish community and ecosystem responses to a coarse-woody habitat addition in a north-temperate lake. We began monitoring the fish community of Sanford Lake, Vilas Co., WI, in 2015 and performed a large-scale coarse-woody habitat addition in 2018. Preliminary results suggest initial fish production responses occurred several years post-addition, with increases in bluegill (Lepomis macrochirus) and rock bass (Ambloplites rupestris) production. Continual monitoring until 2030 will provide more insight into higher trophic level responses and will be necessary to understand the timeframe of ecosystem responses to habitat alterations.
Presenter: Max Wilkinson, UW-Stevens Point, Wisconsin Cooperative Fishery Research Unit"