Lake Michigan is a spatially diverse system of habitat types supporting food webs, fish assemblages and fisheries. Habitat differences in abiotic conditions, productivity and prey availability may strongly influence community and population dynamics. Moreover, movement of organisms and connectivity among habitats can influence the performance of fish populations and the functioning of food webs. For this session, we invite presentations focusing on Lake Michigan habitats and how they support food webs, fish and fisheries. We encourage presentations exploring the roles of diverse habitats—including pelagic, benthic, nearshore zones, offshore regions, embayments (Green Bay, Traverse Bay), river mouths, plumes, coastal wetlands, and tributaries—and habitat heterogeneity.
Supported by:
- Purdue University
- Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant
- Grand Valley State University
Organizers:
- Les Warren, Department of Forestry and Natural Resources, Purdue University, [email protected]
- Tomas Hook, Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant
- Carl Ruetz, Annis Water Resources Institute, Grand Valley State University