Walleye and Sauger Predation on Paddlefish in Lake Sakakawea, North Dakota

Mero, Steven W.; Willis, David W.; Power, Greg J.

doi:10.1577/1548-8675(1994)014<0226:waspop>2.3.co;2

Cited by 15 publications

(24 citation statements)

References 2 publications

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“…Isotopic similarity of sauger and walleye was high in Lewis and Clark Lake, supporting earlier studies that show high diet overlap between walleye and sauger in riverine environments (Priegel, ; Fitz and Holbrook, ; Mero, ; Bellgraph et al, ). In comparison, mean δ 13 C varied significantly between sauger and walleye in Lake Oahe, implying that diet composition was different between species.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Diet Breadth and Variability in Sander spp. Inferred from Stable Isotopes

Fincel¹,

Chipps

Graeb

et al. 2015

River Research & Apps

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We used stable isotopes of carbon and nitrogen to evaluate trophic similarity between sauger Sander canadensis and walleye S. vitreus in three Missouri River impoundments characterized by unique differences in riverine habitat. Mean δ 15 N was similar for sauger and walleye in each reservoir ranging from 15.7 to 17.8‰ for sauger and 15.2 to 17.7‰ for walleye. However, mean δ 13 C was greater for sauger (À24‰) than for walleye (À25‰) in Lake Oahe (lacustrine habitat), where rainbow smelt Osmerus mordax is an important prey species for walleye. Variation in δ 15 N and δ 13C values was similar between walleye and sauger in Lewis and Clark Lake (riverine habitat), but was greater for sauger than for walleye in Lake Oahe, implying that in pelagic environments, sauger exhibit a larger diet breadth and lower diet consistency compared with walleyes. Isotope analyses support observations from traditional gut content studies that diet overlap between sauger and walleye varies with environmental conditions and is more similar in riverine food webs than in large lakes and impoundments.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Diet Breadth and Variability in Sander spp. Inferred from Stable Isotopes

Fincel¹,

Chipps

Graeb

et al. 2015

River Research & Apps

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“…For example, increased growth rate may have resulted in a decreased period of time in which paddlefish remained small enough to be preyed upon by other fishes. Age 0 paddlefish are commonly eaten by walleye and sauger in Lake Sakakawea (Mero et al, 1995), with larger predators eating more and larger young paddlefish (Parken and Scarnecchia, 2002). The more rapidly young paddlefish grow past a size where they are vulnerable to predation, the better their survival and the stronger the year class.…”

Section: Reservoir Levels and Year Class Strengthmentioning

confidence: 99%

Riverine and Reservoir Influences on Year Class Strength and Growth of Upper Great Plains Paddlefish

Scarnecchia

Ryckman

Lim

et al. 2009

Reviews in Fisheries Science

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A long-term investigation (1991)(1992)(1993)(1994)(1995)(1996)(1997)(1998)(1999)(2000)(2001)(2002)(2003)(2004)(2005)(2006) was conducted on the relation between Yellowstone and Missouri River discharges, water level (elevation) changes of Lake Sakakawea, a Missouri River mainstem reservoir in western North Dakota, and the ecology of the Yellowstone-Sakakawea stock of paddlefish Polyodon spathula, a zooplanktivorous Acipenseriform fish. After impoundment in December 1953, Lake Sakakawea filled gradually over a 13-year period (1953-1966). Water levels were lowered sharply and briefly in 1977 and 1981 and for much more prolonged periods of 1988-1993 and 2000-2006 associated with drought conditions in the central United States and water management decisions by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.The 1995 year class of paddlefish, by far the strongest in the 16-year study period, was associated with the sharp rise in water level from August 1993 through 1995, the longest continuous rise since the initial filling and the only period since initial filling when reservoir levels rose substantially in three consecutive years. High reservoir levels were associated with higher densities of zooplankton (all taxa combined and Leptodora kindtii, the primary food of age 0 paddlefish), stronger year classes (based on counts of age 0 fish along standard transects), greater mean weight and condition of age 0 fish in August, greater mean weights of recruits, higher growth rate of adult fish, and greater weight of gonadal fat bodies (GFBs), an indicator of energy storage, in absolute weight, as a percentage of gonad weight, and as a percentage of fish weight. Sixty-three percent of the variation in the ratio of GFB weight/gonad weight was explained by reservoir level. Fish tagged as adult migrants and recaptured in succeeding years after rearing in rising and high reservoir conditions gained an average of 0.04 kg/yr, whereas fish rearing in falling-and low-reservoir conditions lost an average of 0.19 kg/yr. Missouri River discharge during spring was significantly correlated with estimated age 0 year class strength, but a similar relationship did not hold for the Yellowstone River, which is the river used by most spawning paddlefish. Results of this study are consistent with studies from Lake Sakakawea and other reservoirs indicating that trophic upsurge in recently filled (and refilled) reservoirs favors the development of stronger year classes, faster growth, better condition, and larger size at maturity of fishes. Higher riverine discharges, thought to favor paddlefish reproductive success, were also typically associated with a rising or high reservoir. In contrast, low-reservoir levels over the period [2000][2001][2002][2003][2004][2005][2006] have negatively affected paddlefish year class strength, growth, and energy storage. If, in succeeding years, Lake Sakakawea once again is allowed to rise to full pool as it did over the period 1993-1995, inundation of the shorelines and the vegetation can be expected to result in another ups...

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“…Because walleye are thought to prey on a wide array of suitable-sized (i.e., gape sized) fish species (Ryder and Kerr 1978), smallmouth bass might be a substantial prey item. Walleye predation has been documented to affect other important fish species such as: yellow perch (Forney 1977, Hartrnan andMargraf 1993), juvenile salmonids (Maule and Horton 1984 , Rieman et al 199 1) and paddlefish (Polyodon spathula) (Mero et al 1994, Parken 1996, and numerous studies show that walleye indeed prey on smallmouth bass (Rainey and Lachner 1942, Rosebery 1950, Fedoruk 1966, Paxton and Stevenson 1978, Jones et al 1994. However, the degree to which walleye affect smallmouth bass populations is not well documented.…”

Section: Diet Overlap and Predation Between Smallmouth Bass And Wallementioning

confidence: 99%