Continued monitoring of the ecosystem dynamics of Moe Pond following the introduction of largemouth bass ( Micropterus salmoides ) and smallmouth bass ( M . dolomieu )

Content Provider	Semantic Scholar
Author	Underwood, Emily Pond, Moe
Copyright Year	2008
Abstract	Moe Pond is a shallow 38.6 acre water body owned by the SUNY Oneonta Biological Field Station, and located just outside of Cooperstown, New York (McCoy et al. 2000). It was documented in 1971 as an atypically eutrophic water body, with a high density of planktonic algae and resultant low transparency (Harman 1972). McCoy et al. (2000) assumed that phytoplankton were abundant due to the prevalence of golden shiners (Notemigonus crysoleucas), which fed primarily on zooplankton and reduced their density in the pond. Low water clarity impaired macrophyte growth, decreasing available habitat for benthic invertebrates and creating a paucity of both (Harman 1972). In 1999, the first piscivorous fish species, largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides) and smallmouth bass (M. dolomieu), were illegally introduced to Moe Pond (Wilson et al. 2000). This new predator eventually extirpated the golden shiner population. Consequentially, zooplankton density increased, phytoplankton abundance decreased, Secchi depth readings improved, and macrophyte cover expanded through 2003 (Albright et al. 2004). Golden shiners became absent from fish community samples starting in 2004, the same year that zooplankton were found in bass stomach content samples for the first time. This suggests that after the elimination of shiners as a staple prey item, bass necessarily began to exploit zooplankton for an additional food source. From 2004 to 2005 the pond’s water quality reverted to pre-bass introduction conditions as the stunted bass population effectively replaced the planktivorous shiners, reducing zooplankton density (Dresser 2006). These trends continued into 2006, with the exception of a perplexing, substantial increase in water transparency and decrease in total phosphorus. Water quality in 2007 was consistent with conditions in 2006. However, zooplankton and benthic invertebrate abundances increased. It is challenging to explain the propulsion behind these changes in 2007 due to the complexity of ecosystem dynamics.
File Format	PDF HTM / HTML
Alternate Webpage(s)	http://www.oneonta.edu/academics/biofld/PUBS/ANNUAL/2007/moereport.pdf
Language	English
Access Restriction	Open
Content Type	Text
Resource Type	Article