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Ecological Importance of Submerged Pulpwood Logs in a Maine Reservoir
Author(s) -
Moring John R.,
Eiler Paul D.,
Negus Mary T.,
Gibbs Elizabeth
Publication year - 1986
Publication title -
transactions of the american fisheries society
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.696
H-Index - 86
eISSN - 1548-8659
pISSN - 0002-8487
DOI - 10.1577/1548-8659(1986)115<335:eiospl>2.0.co;2
Subject(s) - catostomus , pulpwood , perch , invertebrate , biomass (ecology) , benthic zone , fishery , ecology , environmental science , habitat , biology , fish <actinopterygii>
Log drives in Maine from the 1830s to 1976 left an estimated 3.6–7.2 × 10 6 m 3 of pulpwood logs submerged in the Kennebec River system, principally in Wyman Lake and Indian Pond. Because favorable economics have led to commercial log salvaging, we assessed the ecological value of submerged pulpwood logs in Wyman Lake. Three species of fishes, longnose suckers Catostomus catostomus, white suckers C. commersoni, and golden shiners Notemigonus crysoleucas, showed an attraction to submerged logs. Yellow perch Perca flavescens, the most numerous fish species collected, did not exhibit a clear association with submerged logs. Food habits of yellow perch shifted from a largely planktonic diet in areas lacking submerged logs to a diet dominated by benthic macroinvertebrates in areas containing logs. The amount of bark in the sediment was highest at the sites containing the most submerged logs, particularly in the former log holding area, but this had no clear effect on invertebrate biomass. Total biomass of macroinvertebrates was significantly greater in the sediment than on logs in all sites. Because logs are being covered with sediment at a relatively rapid rate, the ecological importance of this submerged habitat is continually changing, particularly in shallow areas.