Lake Huron Coastal Ecosystems
Over the past 20+ years the abundance of double-crested cormorants has increased exponentially in coastal regions of Lake Huron, as well as other Laurentian Great Lakes. Cormorants are found in densities ranging from 1 to 5 birds per square kilometer along the coasts of Georgian Bay and the North Channel. The purpose of this project is to better understand the relationship between coastal fish populations and the abundance of double-crested cormorants.
This is a large scale project with extensive monitoring and assessment in Georgian Bay and the North Channel. The question was: Do indexes of coastal fish abundance and biomass increase in response to experimental egg oiling? This question was addressed using a staircase design. The above figure of northern Lake Huron shows seven sample frames used in this research project. Each frame is 20km x 20km. More information on methods and study sites is available in a pdf report. The report is 16 megs so be patient during the download.
The database on fish and bird abundance and distribution is extensive and capable of addressing a number of questions beyond the ecology of double-crested cormorants.
We have completed early stages of bottom typing based on the hydroacoustic data from 2003 and 2004. Read more here.
Current questions being addressed are:
- What is the relative distribution of cormorants among coastal regions of Lake Huron and Manitoulin Island?
- What is the relative role of anglers and cormorants in removal of annual fish yield among Manitoulin Island lakes?
- What is the response of fish to experimental egg oiling of double-crested cormorant nests on the coast of Lake Huron?