Chris Pennuto | SUNY: Buffalo State College (original) (raw)

Papers by Chris Pennuto

Research paper thumbnail of Fish and Macroinvertebrate Communities in Tributary Streams of Eastern Lake Erie with and without Round Gobies (Neogobius melanostomus, Pallas 1814)

Journal of Great Lakes Research, 2008

Research paper thumbnail of Lake Erie nutrients: From watersheds to open water

Journal of Great Lakes Research, 2014

Research paper thumbnail of Twenty five years of changes in Dreissena spp. populations in Lake Erie

Journal of Great Lakes Research, 2014

Research paper thumbnail of Physical and chemical characteristics of the nearshore zone of Lake Ontario

Journal of Great Lakes Research, 2012

ABSTRACT A long-term, 7-year lake-wide study was paired with a short-term intensive nearshore stu... more ABSTRACT A long-term, 7-year lake-wide study was paired with a short-term intensive nearshore study to characterize water quality conditions of coastal Lake Ontario in New York. Mean total phosphorus (TP) concentrations in rivers (84.3 ± 7 μg P/L), embayments (129.7 ± 9.6 μg P/L), and shoreside sites (61.9 ± 7.4 μg P/L) exceeded the IJC goal of 10 μg P/L for Lake Ontario waters and were significantly higher than in offshore waters (L0-100 m, 9.5 ± 0.7 μg P/L; LO-30 m, 10.4 ± 0.08 μg P/L). In three 5 × 20-km regions of the nearshore located at Oak Orchard, Rochester, and Mexico Bay, TP levels exceeded the 10 μg P/L goal for Lake Ontario in 48% and 32% of the samples in June and August, respectively. Also, shoreside and embayment chlorophyll a were significantly higher than in offshore waters. Elevated sodium levels observed at shoreside sites of Lake Ontario are likely due to the heavy use of salt during the winter to deice roads. The elevated phosphorus concentrations observed at the shoreside sites extended into Lake Ontario. For example, at the Rochester nearshore sites in June, both TP and turbidity were elevated out to at least 4 km from the shoreline, whereas temperature and specific conductance were elevated out to 3 km from the shoreline. Shoreside sites had some chemical characteristics distinct from both the offshore (LO-30 m and LO-100 m) and river sites within the sampling polygon. A thin band of water with a unique water chemistry compared to both the offshore waters and tributaries extends up to 4 km into the open waters along the southern coast of Lake Ontario during the late spring and summer.

Research paper thumbnail of Dreissena population status in nearshore Lake Ontario

Journal of Great Lakes Research, 2012

ABSTRACT Dreissenid mussels are ecosystem engineers in the Great Lakes, affecting benthic and wat... more ABSTRACT Dreissenid mussels are ecosystem engineers in the Great Lakes, affecting benthic and water column communities and production. We surveyed mussel populations at four Canadian and three U.S. locations in summer 2008 to update population status and examine correlations with water column data. We measured mussel length, density, shell-free dry mass (SFDM), condition index, and phosphorus content of both shells and mussel tissue. The water column variables of chlorophyll a, turbidity, and total phosphorus (TP) were correlated with each other lake-wide, but exhibited only a few correlations with mussel metrics within seasons or shorelines. Quagga mussels (Dreissena rostriformis bugensis) represented ~ 99% of the mussel community in nearshore collections. Mussel length declined in a west-to-east direction and increased with depth in both U.S. and Canadian nearshore waters. Mussel density declined west-to-east in U.S. water, but exhibited no difference among sites in Canadian waters. Mussel condition index and phosphorus concentrations were correlated and increased west-to-east within the U.S. nearshore. There were significant declines in both tissue and shell P content with season in U.S. mussels, but no clear patterns in Canadian mussels. We estimated there were 9.7 × 1012 mussels (mean = 3402.9/m2) in the Lake Ontario nearshore totalling 1.2 × 105 mT of mussel tissue which could filter the entire Lake Ontario nearshore volume (0–20 m depth = 30.9 km3) in roughly 1 to 7 days. It appears that mussel density has declined since the last large surveys of 5 or 10 years ago (Canadian nearshore or U.S. nearshore, respectively), however the data were either only slightly supportive of, or showed no support for, food limitation or goby predation as the most parsimonious explanation for the decline in mussel abundance.

Research paper thumbnail of Changes in Lake Erie benthos over the last 50years: Historical perspectives, current status, and main drivers

Journal of Great Lakes Research, 2014

Research paper thumbnail of Spatiotemporal characteristics of nitrogen and phosphorus in the benthos of nearshore Lake Erie

Journal of Great Lakes Research, 2014

Research paper thumbnail of Urban influences on Cladophora blooms in Lake Ontario

Journal of Great Lakes Research, 2012

ABSTRACT Cladophora biomass and bloom occurrences were highly variable across Lake Ontario during... more ABSTRACT Cladophora biomass and bloom occurrences were highly variable across Lake Ontario during 2008. Cladophora growth rates were strongly phosphorus (P) limited, and P loading from local watersheds appeared to be the underlying driver for the spatial variability in Cladophora biomass. Cladophora growth rates are likely more sensitive to P loading than prior to dreissenid invasion, since these mussels can transform particulate P into soluble forms with increased bioavailability. While increased P bioavailability due to dreissenid mussel excretion was likely important in many areas, there was little evidence that P from metabolic waste products of dreissenid mussels was sufficient to produce severe blooms in absence of localized P enrichment. Our results indicated that the effective management of Cladophora blooms in Lake Ontario should occur through managing P loading at local scales while ensuring lake-wide P concentrations do not increase. When monitoring and managing these blooms in Lake Ontario it will be important to consider that ambient concentrations of soluble reactive phosphorus (SRP) are likely under biological control in areas with extensive Cladophora blooms, that Cladophora may obtain SRP from underlying dreissenid beds, and that SRP concentrations in overlaying waters may not reflect the sum of P available for growth. As dreissenids can transform particulate P into bio-available P, management of P from localized sources should focus on reducing both total P and soluble P loading to nearshore waters.

Research paper thumbnail of Assessment of phytoplankton distribution in the nearshore zone using continuous in situ fluorometry

Journal of Great Lakes Research, 2012

Research paper thumbnail of Relationships among round gobies, Dreissena mussels, and benthic algae in the south nearshore of Lake Ontario

Journal of Great Lakes Research, 2012

ABSTRACT Round goby (Neogobius melanostomus) populations are established in all the Great Lakes, ... more ABSTRACT Round goby (Neogobius melanostomus) populations are established in all the Great Lakes, subsequent to the success of the Dreissena mussel invasion. Additionally, localized resurgence of the nuisance alga, Cladophora glomerata, also has been reported across several of the Great Lakes post-Dreissena. We examined the relationship among round goby size and population density and Dreissena mussel metrics and Cladophora biomass in three regions of the nearshore environment of U.S. waters of Lake Ontario during summer 2008. We also estimated the size of the round goby population in these regions. Correlations between round goby population metrics and Dreissena mussel metrics suggest a low potential for lakewide control of mussel populations by round gobies. In August but not June, fish density was positively correlated with Dreissena density, biomass, and size, suggesting round gobies did not depress mussel numbers, but may selectively remove some smaller mussel size classes. Round goby length was positively correlated with Cladophora biomass, which probably is best explained as a sampling artifact. Seasonal changes in the round goby population density with depth were suggestive of an offshore migration in late summer. Fish were generally smaller but equally abundant, moving west-to-east along the nearshore environment of the lake. We estimated that the nearshore population size of round gobies was 0.7 billion fish, equivalent to 2.2 fish/m2. This translated into approximately 1287 tonnes of round gobies or about 40 kg/ha. Coupled with the broad diet selection of this invasive fish, results suggest that round gobies will have a substantial impact on the structure of the nearshore benthic community.

Research paper thumbnail of Use of Benthic Macroinvertebrate Indices to Assess Aquatic Health in a Mixed-Landuse Watershed

Journal of Freshwater Ecology, 2007

Research paper thumbnail of Oviposition Site Preference and Factors Influencing Egg Mass Characteristics of the Saw-Combed Fishfly (Megaloptera: Corydalidae) in Southern Maine

Journal of Freshwater Ecology, 2001

Research paper thumbnail of Mercury in the Northern Crayfish, Orconectes virilis (Hagen), in New England, USA

Research paper thumbnail of Seasonal abundance, diet, and energy consumption of round gobies (Neogobius melanostomus) in Lake Erie tributary streams

Ecology of Freshwater Fish, 2010

... An understanding of YOY swimming performance might reveal limits on the current velocity whic... more ... An understanding of YOY swimming performance might reveal limits on the current velocity which they can overcome, and shed more light ... gobies in lake habitats (Sapota & Skóra 2005), suggesting this may be a robust behaviour with the potential for invasion management. ...

Research paper thumbnail of Short-term predator avoidance behavior by invasive and native amphipods in the Great Lakes

Research paper thumbnail of Fish and Macroinvertebrate Communities in Tributary Streams of Eastern Lake Erie with and without Round Gobies (Neogobius melanostomus, Pallas 1814)

Journal of Great Lakes Research, 2008

Research paper thumbnail of Lake Erie nutrients: From watersheds to open water

Journal of Great Lakes Research, 2014

Research paper thumbnail of Twenty five years of changes in Dreissena spp. populations in Lake Erie

Journal of Great Lakes Research, 2014

Research paper thumbnail of Physical and chemical characteristics of the nearshore zone of Lake Ontario

Journal of Great Lakes Research, 2012

ABSTRACT A long-term, 7-year lake-wide study was paired with a short-term intensive nearshore stu... more ABSTRACT A long-term, 7-year lake-wide study was paired with a short-term intensive nearshore study to characterize water quality conditions of coastal Lake Ontario in New York. Mean total phosphorus (TP) concentrations in rivers (84.3 ± 7 μg P/L), embayments (129.7 ± 9.6 μg P/L), and shoreside sites (61.9 ± 7.4 μg P/L) exceeded the IJC goal of 10 μg P/L for Lake Ontario waters and were significantly higher than in offshore waters (L0-100 m, 9.5 ± 0.7 μg P/L; LO-30 m, 10.4 ± 0.08 μg P/L). In three 5 × 20-km regions of the nearshore located at Oak Orchard, Rochester, and Mexico Bay, TP levels exceeded the 10 μg P/L goal for Lake Ontario in 48% and 32% of the samples in June and August, respectively. Also, shoreside and embayment chlorophyll a were significantly higher than in offshore waters. Elevated sodium levels observed at shoreside sites of Lake Ontario are likely due to the heavy use of salt during the winter to deice roads. The elevated phosphorus concentrations observed at the shoreside sites extended into Lake Ontario. For example, at the Rochester nearshore sites in June, both TP and turbidity were elevated out to at least 4 km from the shoreline, whereas temperature and specific conductance were elevated out to 3 km from the shoreline. Shoreside sites had some chemical characteristics distinct from both the offshore (LO-30 m and LO-100 m) and river sites within the sampling polygon. A thin band of water with a unique water chemistry compared to both the offshore waters and tributaries extends up to 4 km into the open waters along the southern coast of Lake Ontario during the late spring and summer.

Research paper thumbnail of Dreissena population status in nearshore Lake Ontario

Journal of Great Lakes Research, 2012

ABSTRACT Dreissenid mussels are ecosystem engineers in the Great Lakes, affecting benthic and wat... more ABSTRACT Dreissenid mussels are ecosystem engineers in the Great Lakes, affecting benthic and water column communities and production. We surveyed mussel populations at four Canadian and three U.S. locations in summer 2008 to update population status and examine correlations with water column data. We measured mussel length, density, shell-free dry mass (SFDM), condition index, and phosphorus content of both shells and mussel tissue. The water column variables of chlorophyll a, turbidity, and total phosphorus (TP) were correlated with each other lake-wide, but exhibited only a few correlations with mussel metrics within seasons or shorelines. Quagga mussels (Dreissena rostriformis bugensis) represented ~ 99% of the mussel community in nearshore collections. Mussel length declined in a west-to-east direction and increased with depth in both U.S. and Canadian nearshore waters. Mussel density declined west-to-east in U.S. water, but exhibited no difference among sites in Canadian waters. Mussel condition index and phosphorus concentrations were correlated and increased west-to-east within the U.S. nearshore. There were significant declines in both tissue and shell P content with season in U.S. mussels, but no clear patterns in Canadian mussels. We estimated there were 9.7 × 1012 mussels (mean = 3402.9/m2) in the Lake Ontario nearshore totalling 1.2 × 105 mT of mussel tissue which could filter the entire Lake Ontario nearshore volume (0–20 m depth = 30.9 km3) in roughly 1 to 7 days. It appears that mussel density has declined since the last large surveys of 5 or 10 years ago (Canadian nearshore or U.S. nearshore, respectively), however the data were either only slightly supportive of, or showed no support for, food limitation or goby predation as the most parsimonious explanation for the decline in mussel abundance.

Research paper thumbnail of Changes in Lake Erie benthos over the last 50years: Historical perspectives, current status, and main drivers

Journal of Great Lakes Research, 2014

Research paper thumbnail of Spatiotemporal characteristics of nitrogen and phosphorus in the benthos of nearshore Lake Erie

Journal of Great Lakes Research, 2014

Research paper thumbnail of Urban influences on Cladophora blooms in Lake Ontario

Journal of Great Lakes Research, 2012

ABSTRACT Cladophora biomass and bloom occurrences were highly variable across Lake Ontario during... more ABSTRACT Cladophora biomass and bloom occurrences were highly variable across Lake Ontario during 2008. Cladophora growth rates were strongly phosphorus (P) limited, and P loading from local watersheds appeared to be the underlying driver for the spatial variability in Cladophora biomass. Cladophora growth rates are likely more sensitive to P loading than prior to dreissenid invasion, since these mussels can transform particulate P into soluble forms with increased bioavailability. While increased P bioavailability due to dreissenid mussel excretion was likely important in many areas, there was little evidence that P from metabolic waste products of dreissenid mussels was sufficient to produce severe blooms in absence of localized P enrichment. Our results indicated that the effective management of Cladophora blooms in Lake Ontario should occur through managing P loading at local scales while ensuring lake-wide P concentrations do not increase. When monitoring and managing these blooms in Lake Ontario it will be important to consider that ambient concentrations of soluble reactive phosphorus (SRP) are likely under biological control in areas with extensive Cladophora blooms, that Cladophora may obtain SRP from underlying dreissenid beds, and that SRP concentrations in overlaying waters may not reflect the sum of P available for growth. As dreissenids can transform particulate P into bio-available P, management of P from localized sources should focus on reducing both total P and soluble P loading to nearshore waters.

Research paper thumbnail of Assessment of phytoplankton distribution in the nearshore zone using continuous in situ fluorometry

Journal of Great Lakes Research, 2012

Research paper thumbnail of Relationships among round gobies, Dreissena mussels, and benthic algae in the south nearshore of Lake Ontario

Journal of Great Lakes Research, 2012

ABSTRACT Round goby (Neogobius melanostomus) populations are established in all the Great Lakes, ... more ABSTRACT Round goby (Neogobius melanostomus) populations are established in all the Great Lakes, subsequent to the success of the Dreissena mussel invasion. Additionally, localized resurgence of the nuisance alga, Cladophora glomerata, also has been reported across several of the Great Lakes post-Dreissena. We examined the relationship among round goby size and population density and Dreissena mussel metrics and Cladophora biomass in three regions of the nearshore environment of U.S. waters of Lake Ontario during summer 2008. We also estimated the size of the round goby population in these regions. Correlations between round goby population metrics and Dreissena mussel metrics suggest a low potential for lakewide control of mussel populations by round gobies. In August but not June, fish density was positively correlated with Dreissena density, biomass, and size, suggesting round gobies did not depress mussel numbers, but may selectively remove some smaller mussel size classes. Round goby length was positively correlated with Cladophora biomass, which probably is best explained as a sampling artifact. Seasonal changes in the round goby population density with depth were suggestive of an offshore migration in late summer. Fish were generally smaller but equally abundant, moving west-to-east along the nearshore environment of the lake. We estimated that the nearshore population size of round gobies was 0.7 billion fish, equivalent to 2.2 fish/m2. This translated into approximately 1287 tonnes of round gobies or about 40 kg/ha. Coupled with the broad diet selection of this invasive fish, results suggest that round gobies will have a substantial impact on the structure of the nearshore benthic community.

Research paper thumbnail of Use of Benthic Macroinvertebrate Indices to Assess Aquatic Health in a Mixed-Landuse Watershed

Journal of Freshwater Ecology, 2007

Research paper thumbnail of Oviposition Site Preference and Factors Influencing Egg Mass Characteristics of the Saw-Combed Fishfly (Megaloptera: Corydalidae) in Southern Maine

Journal of Freshwater Ecology, 2001

Research paper thumbnail of Mercury in the Northern Crayfish, Orconectes virilis (Hagen), in New England, USA

Research paper thumbnail of Seasonal abundance, diet, and energy consumption of round gobies (Neogobius melanostomus) in Lake Erie tributary streams

Ecology of Freshwater Fish, 2010

... An understanding of YOY swimming performance might reveal limits on the current velocity whic... more ... An understanding of YOY swimming performance might reveal limits on the current velocity which they can overcome, and shed more light ... gobies in lake habitats (Sapota & Skóra 2005), suggesting this may be a robust behaviour with the potential for invasion management. ...

Research paper thumbnail of Short-term predator avoidance behavior by invasive and native amphipods in the Great Lakes