|
Hydrodynamics, Chlorophyll and Larval Fishes
The strength of each year class of fish is largely determined by the end of its larval stage. In spring, when larval fish emerge, the hydrodynamics of changing water temperatures and density in Lake Michigan cause wedges of warm coastal water to be carried away from shore, creating plumes of relatively warm water that temporarily concentrate chlorophyll and the plankton that larval fish feed on. This continuing project will examine the effect of such thermal structures on the survival and growth of nearshore and open-water populations of larval fish. If variations in year-class strength of these can be related to hydrodynamic changes in chlorophyll concentrations, it will be strong evidence that fish recruitment can be affected by changes in chlorophyll concentration caused by invasive plankton consumers like zebra mussels as well as changes in climate.
< Back
to Fisheries
<< Back to list of Theme Areas
|
