Carp Exclusion, Food-web Interactions, and the Restoration of Cootes Paradise Marsh

Lougheed, Vanessa L.; Theÿsmeÿer, Tÿs; Smith, Tyler; Chow‐Fraser, Patricia

doi:10.1016/s0380-1330(04)70328-7

Cited by 66 publications

(61 citation statements)

References 29 publications

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“…The prominence of Daphnia in the water coincided with significant increases in Secchi depth that returned to low values when the alewife arrived in early June. This was followed by an eventual resurgence of algal biomass in both Cootes Paradise and Hamilton Harbour that were similar in magnitude to levels observed during pre-biomanipulation years (Lougheed et al, 2004;Chow-Fraser, unpublished data).…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 57%

“…4). However, Lougheed et al (2004) has shown that the delayed migration of planktivores into the marsh due to an exceptionally cool spring induced a trophic cascade that led to a clear-water phase. Large Daphnia, which had been released from predation in early summer, reached unprecedented numbers in the open-water areas, and grazed down the algal community to the point that Z max uncharacteristically exceeded seasonal mean depth at Site 1 in 1997 (Fig.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…1) was built at the mouth of Cootes Paradise to obstruct the passage of migratory fish (including carp) (see Wilcox & Whilllans, 1999;Smith et al, 2001 for details on how the Fishway is operated). In Spring of 1997, the Cootes Paradise Fishway became operational: all fish other than carp were prevented entry into the marsh, and this reduced the contribution of common carp to only 10% of the total fish community biomass, whereas in the previous 2 years, they accounted for up to 90% (Lougheed et al, 2004). One of the main goals of carp exclusion is therefore to reduce sediment resuspension and bioturbation associated with spawning and feeding behaviours of carp, in order to provide better light penetration for the growth of submergent vegetation.…”

Section: Description Of Study Site and The Remedial Action Planmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…1). Data from Lougheed et al (2004) showed that Potamogeton pectinatus, which was the only species reported in the embayment prior to biomanipulation Lundholm & Simser, 1999), remained the dominant species after biomanipulation from 1997 to 2000 (Fig. 5).…”

Section: Submergent Vegetationmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…More recently, investigators have documented post-manipulation conditions, focusing on the response of the aquatic vegetation (Lundholm & Simser, 1999;Smith et al, 2001), water quality and zooplankton community , 2002 and the interaction between the lower food web and the planktivore community (Lougheed et al, 2004). However, investigators have not accounted for the direct and indirect effects of water-level fluctuations when assessing the effectiveness of carp exclusion on the emergent and submergent communities.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Ecosystem response to changes in water level of Lake Ontario marshes: lessons from the restoration of Cootes Paradise Marsh

Chow‐Fraser

2005

Hydrobiologia

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A general understanding of how aquatic vegetation responds to water-level fluctuations is needed to guide restoration of Great Lakes coastal wetlands because inter-annual and seasonal variations often confound effects of costly remedial actions. In 1997, common carp (Cyprinus carpio) was removed from Cootes Paradise Marsh (L. Ontario) to reduce sediment resuspension and bioturbation, and thus regenerate marsh plants that had declined dramatically since the 1930s. Data from 1934 to 1993 were re-assembled from the literature to relate percentage cover of emergent vegetation to mean summer water level. A non-linear regression equation explained close to 90% of the variation compared with 80% for a non-linear equation, and this trend was confirmed for the dominant species, Typha latifolia. A modest recovery of emergent vegetation in 1999 following carp exclusion could have been predicted from declining water level alone, without invoking any effects of the biomanipulation. An unusually cool spring in 1997 delayed the migration of spawning planktivores into the marsh. This resulted in a grazer-mediated clear-water phase that coincided with a resurgence of the submersed aquatic vegetation (SAV) community in 1997, which declined again in 1999 when low water levels occurred. Even though decrease in water level was significantly related to increased suspended solids and greater light attenuation, light conditions appeared to have been adequate in marsh embayments to support SAV growth, according to a published relationship between maximum depth of SAV colonization and light extinction coefficient. I suggest that wave disturbance and propagule burial associated with shallow water depths may have been the main reasons for the decline of the SAV in 1999 and 2000.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 57%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Description Of Study Site and The Remedial Action Planmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Submergent Vegetationmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Ecosystem response to changes in water level of Lake Ontario marshes: lessons from the restoration of Cootes Paradise Marsh

Chow‐Fraser

2005

Hydrobiologia

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Eutrophication management in a Great Lakes wetland: examination of the existence of alternative ecological states

et al. 2021

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The degradation and loss of ecologically important wetlands has been a topical issue in the Great Lakes region, where 60–80% of the coastal wetlands have been lost since the 1800s. The present modeling study aims to guide the restoration efforts in Cootes Paradise marsh, one of the most degraded shallow wetlands in Southern Ontario. We use a process‐based eutrophication model designed to reproduce the biotic competition among multiple phytoplankton and macrophyte functional groups. Our primary focus is to offer guidelines for wetland restoration by characterizing the ecophysiological processes of the autotrophic assemblage, such as the nutrient uptake from the water column and/or the sediment pore waters, the relative ability to harvest light and fuel photosynthesis, and temperature control of the algal/macrophyte growth and basal metabolism. We predict that the additional reduction of external phosphorus loading in Cootes Paradise could induce an abrupt, non‐linear shift from the current turbid phytoplankton‐dominated state to a desirable clear macrophyte‐dominated state. The emergence of this critical (or tipping) point, where the shift to another ecological state may occur, can be accelerated by the presence of a thriving macrophyte community with an enhanced ability to sequester phosphorus. However, it may also be delayed by the presence of a suite of biogeochemical mechanisms (often referred to as “feedback loops”), such as the remobilization of legacy P due to sediment diagenetic processes, wind resuspension, bioturbation, hydraulic loading from local tributaries, water‐level fluctuations, and the leachable P pool of dead plant material that can be returned into the water column through senescence. Our study identifies the restoration actions required to minimize the likelihood of prolonged hysteresis and to facilitate a shift to a desirable ecological state in the foreseeable future. The areal expansion of aquatic vegetation will not only lead to the establishment of a thriving meadow and emergent vegetation community, but may also pave the way for submerged macrophytes through a suite of synergistic mechanisms. Additional point‐source loading reductions will facilitate the transition to an alternative stable clear macrophyte‐dominated state, but could also consolidate the future resilience of the marsh.

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Process-Based Modeling of Nutrient Cycles and Food-Web Dynamics

Arhonditsis

Recknagel

Joehnk

2017

Ecological Informatics

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Carp Exclusion, Food-web Interactions, and the Restoration of Cootes Paradise Marsh

Cited by 66 publications

References 29 publications

Ecosystem response to changes in water level of Lake Ontario marshes: lessons from the restoration of Cootes Paradise Marsh

Ecosystem response to changes in water level of Lake Ontario marshes: lessons from the restoration of Cootes Paradise Marsh

Eutrophication management in a Great Lakes wetland: examination of the existence of alternative ecological states

Process-Based Modeling of Nutrient Cycles and Food-Web Dynamics

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