Changing ecosystem dynamics in the Laurentian Great Lakes: Bottom-up and top-down regulation

David B. Bunnell; Richard P Barbiero; Stuart A Ludsin; Charles P. Madenjian; Glenn J. Warren; David M. Dolan; Travis O. Brenden; Ruth Briland; Owen T. Gorman; Ji X. Hi; Thomas F. Johengen; Brian F. Lantry; Barry M. Lesht; Thomas F. Nalepa; Stephen C. Riley; Catherine M. Riseng; Ted J. Treska; Iyob Tsehaye; Maureen Walsh; David M. Warner; Brian C. Weidel

doi:10.1093/biosci/bit001

Changing ecosystem dynamics in the Laurentian Great Lakes: Bottom-up and top-down regulation

BioScience

By: David B. Bunnell, Richard P Barbiero, Stuart A Ludsin, Charles P. Madenjian, Glenn J. Warren, David M. Dolan, Travis O. Brenden, Ruth Briland, Owen T. Gorman, Ji X. Hi, Thomas F. Johengen, Brian F. Lantry, Barry M. Lesht, Thomas F. Nalepa, Stephen C. Riley, Catherine M. Riseng, Ted J. Treska, Iyob Tsehaye, Maureen Walsh, David M. Warner, and Brian C. Weidel

https://doi.org/10.1093/biosci/bit001

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Abstract

Understanding the relative importance of top-down and bottom-up regulation of ecosystem structure is a fundamental ecological question, with implications for fisheries and water-quality management. For the Laurentian Great Lakes, where, since the early 1970s, nutrient inputs have been reduced, whereas top-predator biomass has increased, we describe trends across multiple trophic levels and explore their underlying drivers. Our analyses revealed increasing water clarity and declines in phytoplankton, native invertebrates, and prey fish since 1998 in at least three of the five lakes. Evidence for bottom-up regulation was strongest in Lake Huron, although each lake provided support in at least one pair of trophic levels. Evidence for top-down regulation was rare. Although nonindigenous dreissenid mussels probably have large impacts on nutrient cycling and phytoplankton, their effects on higher trophic levels remain uncertain. We highlight gaps for which monitoring and knowledge should improve the understanding of food-web dynamics and facilitate the implementation of ecosystem-based management.

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Additional publication details
Publication type	Article
Publication Subtype	Journal Article
Title	Changing ecosystem dynamics in the Laurentian Great Lakes: Bottom-up and top-down regulation
Series title	BioScience
DOI	10.1093/biosci/bit001
Volume	64
Issue	1
Year Published	2014
Language	English
Publisher	Oxford Academic
Contributing office(s)	Great Lakes Science Center
Description	11 p.
First page	29
Last page	39
Country	Canada, United States
State	Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, new York, Ontario, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin
Other Geospatial	Laurentian Great Lakes
Google Analytic Metrics	Metrics page