Invasion history, proliferation, and offshore diet of the round goby Neogobius melanostomus in western Lake Huron, USA

Journal of Great Lakes Research
By: , and 

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Abstract

We used data from three trawl surveys during 1996–2003 to document range expansion, population trends, and use of offshore habitats by round gobies in the U.S. waters of Lake Huron. Round gobies (Neogobius melanostomus) were not detected in any survey until 1997, but by 2003 they had been recorded at 18 of the 28 sites sampled. The only areas not colonized were offshore habitats in northern Lake Huron. Round goby abundance increased during 1997–2001, thereafter overall abundance either increased (offshore) or became variable (near shore and Saginaw Bay). Mean lengths varied among surveys primarily due to high abundance of age-0 gobies in Saginaw Bay samples. Round gobies were found up to 34 km offshore at depths of 73 m. Round gobies consumed a wide range of invertebrate prey, but focused on dreissenids in shallow water (27–46 m), and native invertebrates at greater depths. The pattern of round goby dispersal was consistent with a pattern of simultaneous initial introductions at shipping ports followed by natural dispersal, and lake wide population size has probably not stabilized.

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Publication type Article
Publication Subtype Journal Article
Title Invasion history, proliferation, and offshore diet of the round goby Neogobius melanostomus in western Lake Huron, USA
Series title Journal of Great Lakes Research
DOI 10.1016/S0380-1330(05)70273-2
Volume 31
Issue 4
Year Published 2005
Language English
Publisher Elsevier
Contributing office(s) Great Lakes Science Center
Description 12 p.
First page 414
Last page 425
Country United States
Other Geospatial western Lake Huron
Online Only (Y/N) N
Additional Online Files (Y/N) N
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