Jude, D., J. Janssen, G. Crawford, 1995.   Ecology, Distribution, and Impact of the Newly Introduced Round and Tubenose Gobies on the Biota of the St. Clair and Detroit Rivers, University of Michigan and Loyola University.

Reprinted from The Lake Huron Ecosystem: Ecology, Fisheries and Management, pp. 447-460, 1995 with permission of SPB Academic Publishing, P. O. Box 11188, 1001 GD Amsterdam, The Netherlands

Ecology, Distribution, and Impact of the Newly Introduced Round and Tubenose Gobies on the Biota of the St Clair and Detroit Rivers

Summary:
In 1990, two exotic fish species from the Black and Caspian Seas, the round goby Neogobius melanostomus and tubenose goby Proterorhinus marmoratus, were collected from the St. Clair River between Lake Huron and Lake Erie. Tubenose goby populations have remained small, while the round goby has expanded throughout the St. Clair River and into the Detroit River and probably via freighters into the Lake Erie and Michigan basins (Grand and Grand Calumet Rivers, respectively). Round goby populations have expanded rapidly at the Lake Michigan site. Round gobies guard nests, are repeat spawners (from June to August in 1993), and reach lengths of up to 250 mm. They are found in shallow and deep (up to 10 m) habitat in the river. They are mainly benthos feeders when small, but at larger sizes (up to 90 mm) shift to gastropod, zebra mussels Dreissena polymorpha, and fingernail clams Sphaeriidae. Round gobies have well developed lateral line systems and reactive distances to prey in the dark as long as or longer than mottled sculpin Cottus bairdi, conferring a competitive feeding advantage over most other benthic feeding fishes under low light conditions. In the St. Clair River, mottled sculpin populations and those of other benthic species, especially the logperch Percina caprodes, have declined sharply since arrival of the gobies, which we believe to be a result of predation by gobies and competition between these species for food and space, especially spawning sites. Round gobies have been eaten by walleye Stizostedion vitreum, smallmouth bass Micropterus dolomieu, rock bass Ambloplites rupestris, yellow perch Perca flavescens, and stonecats Noturus flavus. Ability to withstand poor water quality conditions, to feed in the dark, and cryptozoic behavior apparently preadapted round gobies for transport alive in the ballast or crevices of transoceanic and intra-Great Lakes basin ships.

Entire Paper
Contact: D. J. Jude, Center for Great Lakes and Aquatic Sciences, the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109-2099
Keywords: Basic_biology, Ecological_interactions, Round_Goby, Environmental_impacts
Product Type: Impact, Research
User Type: Resource_management