Abstract
Migrations between spawning, growth and refuge habitats are critical for many fish species. Partially migratory populations of brook charr Salvelinus fontinalis (known as brook trout in the United States), in which a portion of the population migrates, were once widespread in the Great Lakes region of North America, but are now scarce and a rehabilitation priority. Great Lakes fishery managers lack a simple, non-lethal means to determine whether a large brook charr caught in a Great Lakes accessible stream reach represents a stream-resident fish or migrant that previously spent time foraging and growing in Great Lakes waters. We explored a relatively inexpensive and non-lethal stable isotope approach for documenting lake to stream movements of brook charr, using fin clips from brook charr captured in streams in fall prior to spawning. Using fin tissue from juvenile and adult coho salmon captured in Michigan tributaries to Lake Superior, we confirmed distinct stable isotope signatures indicative of prior stream and Lake Superior foraging. We identified brook charr from tributaries accessible to Lake Superior whose stable isotope signatures were similar to those of lake-captured brook charr, lake charr and splake (a brook charr–lake charr hybrid) and distinct from stable isotope signatures of brook charr in streams inaccessible to Lake Superior fishes, suggestive of an adfluvial migratory pattern. Brook charr from two streams had elevated δ15N values, indicative of previous residency in a downstream lake receiving water from a sewage treatment facility. Our findings demonstrate the utility of stable isotope analysis as a non-lethal technique for confirming adfluvial movements of brook charr from Lake Superior to streams.
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Acknowledgments
This study would not have been possible without the efforts of numerous field personnel who helped with field sampling. K. Sanford, G. Kleaver, T. Traynor and L. Doerr played lead roles in field sampling, data entry, fish aging and gear maintenance. Additional field assistance was provided by K. Rathbun, C. Little, E. Baker, C. Adams, staff from Marquette State Fish Hatchery and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Ashland Fish and Wildlife Conservation Office. Support for field sampling was provided with funds from the Federal Aid in Sport Fish Restoration Act (Study 230773, Project F-61-R-6, Michigan). A grant from the Dead River Mitigation Fund supported processing and isotopic analysis of biosamples. Comments from Y. Kanno and two anonymous reviewers helped improve this manuscript.
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Zorn, T.G., Rudh, B.C. & Gerig, B.S. Use of stable isotopes to document lake to stream movements of brook charr Salvelinus fontinalis: a case study from southern Lake Superior. Ichthyol Res (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10228-024-00961-5
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10228-024-00961-5