Importance of Great Salt Lake to Pelagic Birds: Eared Grebes, Phalaropes, Gulls, Ducks, and White Pelicans

Conover, Michael R.; Bell, Mark

doi:10.1007/978-3-030-40352-2_8

Cited by 22 publications

(23 citation statements)

References 41 publications

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“…However, at present, it is becoming more and more obvious that the value of such reservoirs is not limited to this. In different regions, they play a vital role in preserving bird diversity (Bildstein et al., 1993; Conover & Bell, 2020; Gajardo & Redón, 2019; Verkuil et al., 1993), and have a high potential for using their biological resources, including for the aquaculture development (Anufriieva, 2018; Bray & Lawrence, 1998; Van Stappen et al., 2020). Because of the increasing problem of freshwater scarcity, it is becoming increasingly necessary to reduce the aquaculture load on freshwaters with the replacement of its development in the hypersaline waters (Anufriieva, 2018).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

CanGammarus aequicauda(Amphipoda) suppress a population ofBaeotendipes noctivagus(Chironomidae) in a hypersaline lake? A case of Lake Moynaki (Crimea)

Shadrin

Yakovenko

Anufriieva

2020

Aquaculture Research

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The ecosystems of hypersaline waters are characterized by the simplified trophic webs with the ‘loss’ of predators. In the absence of predators, their role can be effectively performed by omnivorous as Gammaridae species. In Lake Moynaki, a small hypersaline lake, Gammarus aequicauda is one of the most abundant animal species along with chironomid larvae Baeotendipes noctivagus. Both these species are promising objects to use in polyaquaculture, and this adds an importance to know their trophic relations. To analyse G. aequicauda feeding on B. noctivagus, the field and experimental studies were conducted in 2018 and 2019. In two habitats (Ruppia thickets and free water), the abundance of both species significantly differed, and in the thickets of Ruppia, the Gammarus abundance was higher, and of chironomid larvae was less. Taking into account our experimental results and chironomid larvae abundance in the lake during the study period (from 460 to 3,200 ind./m2), the authors conclude that larvae abundance did not limit the rate of their consumption in the lake by G. aequicauda, and one can consume up to 4 larvae per day. Thus, G. aequicauda could receive a diet of about 45% of their weight consuming about 2% of the available larvae daily in areas without the marine grass Ruppia thickets. In Ruppia thickets, chironomid larvae are not important food of G. aequicauda because the Ruppia leaves play a more important role in gammarid diet. With sufficient plant food resources, G. aequicauda can be successfully cultivated together with chironomid larvae.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

CanGammarus aequicauda(Amphipoda) suppress a population ofBaeotendipes noctivagus(Chironomidae) in a hypersaline lake? A case of Lake Moynaki (Crimea)

Shadrin

Yakovenko

Anufriieva

2020

Aquaculture Research

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“…Reduced flow of freshwater into Great Salt Lake has begun to affect the capacity of the lake to produce the large abundance of macroinvertebrates upon which red‐necked phalaropes and Wilson's phalaropes depend. We had intended to study phalaropes on Bear River and Ogden bays but could not because they were dry due to reduced water volume (Conover and Bell 2020). Great Salt Lake's primary production decreases by about the same proportion as its size; this, in turn, decreases brine shrimp and brine fly populations and capacity of Great Salt Lake to sustain avian populations.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…All water loss from Great Salt Lake is through evaporation because it is a terminal lake; thus, any decrease in water volume of Great Salt Lake corresponds with a proportional increase in its salinity. The effect of increasing salinity has been observed, with large areas of Great Salt Lake no longer supporting brine shrimp or brine flies due to high salinity (Conover and Bell 2020). The largest of these areas is the entirety of Gunnison Bay, which constitutes ~39% of Great Salt Lake when the lake is at an elevation of 1,280 m. After the construction of a semi‐porous railroad causeway, Gunnison Bay's salinity gradually increased until it was above the tolerance level of brine shrimp and brine flies (White et al 2015).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Some parts of Farmington Bay and Bear River Bay are brackish (1–12%) and contain invertebrates common in freshwater, such as corixids (Corixidae), chironomids (Chironomidae), and Daphnia ( Daphnia spp.). In pelagic bays, brine flies ( Ephydra hians, Ephydra cinerea ) and brine shrimp ( Artemia franciscana ) are the only 2 macroinvertebrate species that can survive the high salinities (13–16%) of pelagic areas, and both species are incredibly abundant; adult brine shrimp numbers in Great Salt Lake reach 1 × 10 13 (Conover and Bell 2020). To exploit brine flies and brine shrimp, birds have to be able to catch large numbers of these small prey to meet daily caloric needs; for example, adult brine shrimp are so tiny that an eared grebe ( Podiceps nigricollis ) must consume 26,000–30,000 of them daily to survive (Conover and Caudell 2009).…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

“…A related threat is the increasing salinity of Great Salt Lake that occurs as its water volume decreases. If Great Salt Lake salinity exceeds the tolerance levels of brine shrimp and brine flies, birds dependent on these invertebrate prey for their survival may be severely affected (Conover and Bell 2020).…”

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confidence: 99%

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Diets of Staging Phalaropes at Great Salt Lake, Utah

Frank¹,

Conover

2021

Wildlife Society Bulletin

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Great Salt Lake, Utah, USA, is a critical staging area for Wilson's (Phalaropus tricolor) and red‐necked (Phalaropus lobatus) phalaropes. Both phalarope species depend upon abundant invertebrate prey in Great Salt Lake to fuel fall migrations, but the lake currently faces the threat of becoming increasingly saline due to water diversions and climate change. The lake changes may decrease the ability of Great Salt Lake to support the large populations of phalaropes that currently depend upon it. Assessing how a smaller and more saline Great Salt Lake will affect phalaropes is difficult without knowing what phalaropes are consuming during staging. We collected phalaropes from 4 different Great Salt Lake bays from 2012 through 2015 and identified prey items in their upper digestive tracts. We measured wet weights of different food items and examined total mass of food consumed by weighing gizzard contents. Phalarope diets differed across time and bays, and between phalarope species. Red‐necked phalaropes primarily consumed corixids (Corixidae) and brine fly (Ephydra hians, Ephydra cinerea) larva, pupa, and adults, whereas Wilson's phalaropes consumed brine flies, chironomids (Chironomidae) and Daphnia (Daphnia magna). Despite the abundance of brine shrimp (Artemia franciscana) in Great Salt Lake, both phalarope species rarely consumed them. Our results documented that phalaropes of Great Salt Lake are dependent for food in the less‐saline Farmington Bay and on brine flies produced in the hypersaline bays. Such information is critical for wildlife managers who are tasked with ensuring that Great Salt Lake will continue to support the large phalarope populations that depend on the lake's resources. © 2021 The Wildlife Society.

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