Research the sea lamprey, an exotic species that has had a great impact on the fish communities of the Great
Lakes.
a) Describe the niche of the sea lamprey.
b) Find out how sea lampreys may have entered the Great Lakes ecosystem.
c) Identify the interspecific interactions of the sea lamprey and its effects on the Great Lakes.
a) The niche of the sea lamprey (Petromyzon marinus) is that of a parasitic fish that feeds on the blood and body fluids of other fish species. They attach themselves to their hosts using their suction cup-like mouth, rasp into the body of the fish with their toothed tongue, and feed on the blood and tissues. Sea lampreys are primarily found in the freshwater lakes and rivers of the Great Lakes system and spend much of their adult lives in these waters.
b) Sea lampreys may have entered the Great Lakes ecosystem through the construction of canals and channels that allowed for the connectedness of different water bodies in the region. In particular, the completion of the Welland Canal in 1829, which bypassed Niagara Falls and connected Lake Ontario to Lake Erie, is believed to have facilitated the entry of sea lampreys into the Great Lakes. This artificial connection provided the lampreys with the opportunity to move between rivers and lakes, expanding their range and establishing populations in new areas.
c) Sea lampreys have had significant impacts on the fish communities of the Great Lakes due to their parasitic feeding behavior. They have negatively affected native fish populations, including commercially important species like lake trout, whitefish, and salmon. The interactions of sea lampreys with these fish species are considered interspecific, as they involve different species affecting each other.
One of the major effects of sea lamprey parasitism is that it weakens and eventually kills the host fish. This leads to reduced population sizes and limits the reproductive potential of the affected fish species. The decline in healthy populations of native fish in the Great Lakes has had cascading effects on the entire ecosystem, affecting the food web and disrupting the balance of the ecosystem.
The introduction of sea lampreys also resulted in changes in fish community structure. Some fish species, such as lake trout, experienced significant declines, while others, such as alewife, a small forage fish, increased in abundance due to reduced predation pressure by native fish species. These changes in the fish community composition have had wide-ranging ecological implications throughout the Great Lakes ecosystem.
Efforts to control and reduce the population of sea lampreys have been ongoing since the discovery of their negative impacts. Various management strategies, including chemical treatments, barriers, and trapping, have been implemented to control sea lampreys and protect native fish populations in the Great Lakes.
To research the sea lamprey and its impact on the fish communities of the Great Lakes, you can follow these steps:
a) Describe the niche of the sea lamprey:
1. Start by searching for basic information about the sea lamprey.
2. Look for scientific articles, books, or credible websites that provide details about the sea lamprey's biology, behavior, and habitat.
3. Read about the sea lamprey's feeding habits, reproductive strategies, and any other relevant ecological information.
4. Based on the information gathered, describe the sea lamprey's niche, including its role in the food web and its interactions with other species.
b) Find out how sea lampreys may have entered the Great Lakes ecosystem:
1. Look for historical records, research papers, or government publications that discuss the introduction of sea lampreys into the Great Lakes.
2. Examine information about the initial sightings or discovery of sea lampreys in the Great Lakes region.
3. Look for studies or reports on human activities that could have allowed sea lampreys to enter the Great Lakes, such as canal construction or ship ballast water exchange.
4. Analyze the information to understand the most likely pathways through which sea lampreys were introduced into the ecosystem.
c) Identify the interspecific interactions of the sea lamprey and its effects on the Great Lakes:
1. Search for scientific studies, ecological surveys, or reports that specifically address the interactions between sea lampreys and other species in the Great Lakes.
2. Look for information on direct predation by sea lampreys on native fish species and the resulting impact on their populations.
3. Investigate how sea lampreys may compete with or affect the feeding behavior of other predatory or herbivorous species in the Great Lakes ecosystem.
4. Analyze the data and evidence to identify the significant interspecific interactions of the sea lamprey and the overall effects it has had on the fish communities of the Great Lakes.
By following these steps and conducting thorough research, you can gather the necessary information to describe the niche of the sea lamprey, find out how it entered the Great Lakes ecosystem, and identify its interspecific interactions and effects on the Great Lakes.