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Tracking transformation of
low-density populations of larval Sea Lampreys in streams tributary to lakes
Huron and Michigan following treatment with lampricides
1 U. S. Geological Survey, Great
Lakes Science Center, Hammond Bay Biological Station, 11188 Ray Road,
Millersburg, MI 49759
2 Department of Fisheries and
Wildlife, 13 Natural Resources Building, Michigan State University, East
Lansing, MI, USA 48824-1222
3 U. S. Fish and Wildlife
Service, Ludington Biological Station, 229 S. Jebavy
Drive, Ludington, MI 49431
4 Department of Fisheries and
Oceans, Canada, Sea Lamprey Control Centre, 1219 Queen Street East, Sault Ste.
Marie, ON P6A 6W4
5 U. S. Fish and Wildlife
Service, Marquette Biological Station, 3090 Wright St., Marquette, MI 49855-1699
April 2014
ABSTRACT:
Sea lamprey (Petromyzon marinus) control in the Great Lakes primarily involves
application of lampricides to streams where larval
production occurs to kill larvae prior to their metamorphosing and entering the
lakes as parasites (juveniles). Because lampricides are not 100% effective, larvae that survive
treatment may metamorphose before streams are again treated. Larvae that survive treatment have not been
widely studied, so their dynamics are not well understood. We tagged and released larvae in six Great
Lake tributaries following lampricide treatment and
estimated vital demographic rates using multistate tag-recovery models. Model-averaged larval survivals ranged from
56.8 to 57.6%. Model-averaged adult
recovery rates, which were the product of juvenile survivals and adult sampling
efficiencies, ranged from 6.8 to 9.3%.
Using stochastic simulations, we estimated production of juvenile sea
lampreys from a hypothetical population of treatment survivors under different
growth conditions based on parameter estimates from this research. For fast-growing populations, juvenile production
peaked 2 years after treatment. For
slow-growing populations, juvenile production was approximately one-third that
of fast-growing populations, with production not peaking until 4 years after
treatment. Our results suggest that
population dynamics of residual larval populations are very similar to that of
untreated larval populations.
Consequently, residual populations do not necessarily warrant special
consideration for the purpose of sea lamprey control and can be ranked for
treatment along with other populations.
Consecutive annual lampricide treatments,
which are under evaluation by the sea lamprey control program, would be most
effective for reducing juvenile production in large, fast-growing populations.