 |
|
MSU researchers recommend ways to fight lake trout invasion in Glacier National Park
April 25, 2008BOZEMAN -- Natural barriers like waterfalls play an important role in preventing lake trout from spreading through Glacier National Park, so maintaining those barriers should be a priority, Montana State University researchers said after conducting a four-year study in the park.
Park workers might have to remove ice, logs or debris to keep the water from rising behind those barriers, said graduate student Michael Meeuwig and his adviser Christopher Guy. If they don't, lake trout will have an easier time swimming up the rivers and invading new lakes.
Monitoring and maintaining natural barriers are easier than trying to get rid of lake trout after they've entered a lake, Guy said. He pointed to the expense and effort spent at Yellowstone National Park where lake trout prey on native cutthroat trout in Yellowstone Lake. In Glacier National Park, lake trout compete with native bull trout.
Guy, assistant unit leader for the Montana Cooperative Fishery Research Unit at MSU, heads the Glacier research project with Wade Fredenberg of the Creston Fish and Wildlife Center near Kalispell. The U.S. Geological Survey funds the research.
Non-native lake trout were introduced into Flathead Lake about 100 years ago and are believed to be the source of the lake trout that are threatening Glacier's native bull trout population. Meeuwig's and Fredenberg's work have found that lake trout have since invaded eight lakes on the west side of the park: Bowman Lake, Harrison Lake, Kintla Lake, Lake McDonald, Logging Lake, Lower Quartz Lake, Quartz Lake and Rogers Lake.
"Quartz Lake was one of the last big lakes on the west side of the park that had intact native species assemblages," Meeuwig said. "That was a little bit of a surprise to find lake trout there."
Guy said park visitors can be awed by the park's scenery without realizing the unfolding drama within its lakes.
"What's going on in those lakes is a train wreck," Guy said. "A non-native species is replacing a native species."
Meeuwig said he doesn't have all the answers about potential competition between lake trout and native bull trout, but both are top-level predators and grow to similar sizes. Bull trout are getting "pinched" by downstream threats like lake trout and upstream threats such as reduced runoff from glaciers.
To study Glacier's fish, Meeuwig spent the summers of 2004 through 2006 in the park. He camped in the back country and floated across mountain lakes in innertubes and kayaks. Together with one or two technicians per year, he hiked to 17 lakes on the west side of the park. In addition to the previously-mentioned lakes, they counted fish and collected samples in Akokala Lake, Arrow Lake, Cerulean Lake, Lake Isabel, Lincoln Lake, Middle Quartz Lake, Trout Lake, Upper Kintla Lake and Upper Lake Isabel.
To get to those lakes, Meeuwig and his team stumbled through streams, bushwhacked their way through the back country, carried loads of equipment, and endured snow and cold. Some of the lakes were so remote that they had never been sampled before and had no trails to them.
"It's a tremendous amount of work," Guy said. "The reason we didn't have a data set like this before is because of all that hard work.
The Glacier study had two purposes, Guy said. One was to develop management recommendations for the park, which Guy and Meeuwig presented to park managers in January. Besides maintaining natural barriers, they suggested establishing a sampling program that would allow scientists to document changes in the bull trout populations.
The second goal of the Glacier study was to advance the scientific knowledge regarding the interaction between the park's landscape and bull trout population genetics. This will be covered in Meeuwig's doctoral dissertation.
Montana State University
Guy, assistant unit leader for the Montana Cooperative Fishery Research Unit at MSU, heads the Glacier research project with Wade Fredenberg of the Creston Fish and Wildlife Center near Kalispell. The U.S. Geological Survey funds the research.
Non-native lake trout were introduced into Flathead Lake about 100 years ago and are believed to be the source of the lake trout that are threatening Glacier's native bull trout population. Meeuwig's and Fredenberg's work have found that lake trout have since invaded eight lakes on the west side of the park: Bowman Lake, Harrison Lake, Kintla Lake, Lake McDonald, Logging Lake, Lower Quartz Lake, Quartz Lake and Rogers Lake.
"Quartz Lake was one of the last big lakes on the west side of the park that had intact native species assemblages," Meeuwig said. "That was a little bit of a surprise to find lake trout there."
Guy said park visitors can be awed by the park's scenery without realizing the unfolding drama within its lakes.
"What's going on in those lakes is a train wreck," Guy said. "A non-native species is replacing a native species."
Meeuwig said he doesn't have all the answers about potential competition between lake trout and native bull trout, but both are top-level predators and grow to similar sizes. Bull trout are getting "pinched" by downstream threats like lake trout and upstream threats such as reduced runoff from glaciers.
To study Glacier's fish, Meeuwig spent the summers of 2004 through 2006 in the park. He camped in the back country and floated across mountain lakes in innertubes and kayaks. Together with one or two technicians per year, he hiked to 17 lakes on the west side of the park. In addition to the previously-mentioned lakes, they counted fish and collected samples in Akokala Lake, Arrow Lake, Cerulean Lake, Lake Isabel, Lincoln Lake, Middle Quartz Lake, Trout Lake, Upper Kintla Lake and Upper Lake Isabel.
To get to those lakes, Meeuwig and his team stumbled through streams, bushwhacked their way through the back country, carried loads of equipment, and endured snow and cold. Some of the lakes were so remote that they had never been sampled before and had no trails to them.
"It's a tremendous amount of work," Guy said. "The reason we didn't have a data set like this before is because of all that hard work.
The Glacier study had two purposes, Guy said. One was to develop management recommendations for the park, which Guy and Meeuwig presented to park managers in January. Besides maintaining natural barriers, they suggested establishing a sampling program that would allow scientists to document changes in the bull trout populations.
The second goal of the Glacier study was to advance the scientific knowledge regarding the interaction between the park's landscape and bull trout population genetics. This will be covered in Meeuwig's doctoral dissertation.
Montana State University
Canada's pristine freshwater fisheries at risk
If you want to catch a trophy northern pike, walleye or brook trout in the northern Canadian wilderness, better plan your trip soon. That's because according to a report released today by the Wildlife Conservation Society, looming development, including forestry, mining and dam construction, threatens this pristine region of untouched forests, wetlands, lakes and streams.
Eating More Fish - The Answer To Lupus?
New research from the University of Ulster today offered hope to millions of lupus sufferers worldwide. Dr Emeir Duffy, from the School of Biomedical Sciences, and Dr Gary Meenagh, from Musgrave Park Hospital, Belfast, have discovered new evidence to suggest that fish oil can greatly reduce the symptoms of the disease. Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE) or Lupus is a disorder of the Immune System, where the body harms its own healthy cells and tissues. The body tissues become damaged causing painful or swollen joints, unexplained fever, skin rashes, kidney problems, complications to the cardiovascular system and extreme fatigue. There are approximately 500 diagnosed cases of SLE in Northe
More Lake Trout News Articles
 | Alaska's Kenai Peninsula Wildlife Viewing Trail Guide by Doug O'Harra, Katherine Hocker, Kristan Hutchison, Riley Woodford The Kenai Peninsula Wildlife Viewing Trail features 65 carefully selected wildlife viewing sites that highlight the diversity of animals and habitats found on the Kenai Peninsula. Visit all of the sites and you'll have explored Kenai Fjords National Park, the Chigach National Forest, many Alaska State Parks, the Kenai and Alaska Maritime National Wildlife Refuges, and several state refuges.... |
 | Morris & Chan: Fly Fishing Trout Lakes by Skip Morris, Brian M. Chan |
 | View From Rat Lake by John Gierach "In the world of fishing there are magic phrases that are guaranteed to summon the demon. Among them are: 'remote trout lake,' 'fish up to 13 pounds,' 'the place the guides fish on their days off,'" writes John Gierach in this wonderful collection of thirteen essays inspired by a fishing trip to Rat Lake, a remote body of water in Montana. Once again John Gierach does what he does best -- explain... |
 | Trout Fishing in North Georgia: A Comprehensive Guide to Public Lakes, Reservoirs, and Rivers by Jimmy Jacobs An updated version of the highly successful fishing guide first published in 1993, the second edition adds eighteen streams, four new maps, and the latest Georgia fishing regulations. Also included are detailed directions to each stream. TROUT FISHING IN NORTH GEORGIA is a comprehensive guide which addresses all three fishing methods - bait, spinner, and fly. The novice and master angler alike... |
 | So Many Fish, So Little Time: 1001 of the World's Greatest Backcountry Honeyholes, Trout Rivers, Blue Ribbon Waters, Bass Lakes, and Saltwater Hot Spots by Mark D. Williams Ever dreamed of following in Hemingway's footsteps and fishing in the Basque country of Spain? Or casting your line in the urban jungle of New York City? How about reeling in a 150-lb. tarpon off the coast of Florida? In So Many Fish, So Little Time, expert fisherman Mark D. Williams takes you to the 1,001 places all anglers should visit before they go to that great fishing paradise in the... |
 | Upper Midwest Flies That Catch Trout and How to Fish Them: Year-Round Guide by Ross A. Mueller |
 | The Orvis Pocket Guide to Fly Fishing for Stillwater Trout: Flies, Presentations, and Equipment for Taking Trout in Lakes and Ponds by Jim Lepage Longtime tackle designer, fly tyer, and stillwater expert demystifies the challenges of fishing in lakes and ponds, with full-color... |
 | Strategies for Stillwater: The Tackle, Techniques, and Flies for Taking Trout in Lakes and Ponds by Dave Hughes |
 | Lake Trout: North America's Greatest Game Fish by Ross Shickler Based on 30 years of fishing experience, this book offers an in-depth look at this majestic fish including everything from the biology to the... |
 | Trout Fishing: The Tactical Secrets of Lake Fishing by Ed Rychkun |
| © 2008 BrightSurf.com |