Food web and feeding influences on PCB bioavailability.
Gene W. Kim, Ph.D. student, Susan W. Fisher (Department of Entomology), Elizabeth A. Marschall, and Roy A. Stein. Funded by: Lake Erie Protection Fund.

Given that round gobies ingest zebra mussels, round gobies have been implicated as an influential link in contaminant cycling in Lake Erie. We have shown an increase in PCB concentration of 2-3 fold at each trophic level in a laboratory zebra mussel--round goby--smallmouth bass food chain. However, in nature, round gobies and smallmouth bass both eat a diversity of benthic organisms. Given that diet influences PCB uptake greatly, these exotic species could indirectly alter PCB uptake from contaminated sediments by changing the benthic community. Our study will evaluate the potential of such biotic influences on PCB uptake from sediments to smallmouth bass, a growing sport fishery in Lake Erie.

In this project, we have completed and are still working on the following:

• Field samples of smallmouth bass, round gobies, zebra mussels, and sediment have been collected at various sites in Lake Erie. These sites are Maumee Harbor, Sandusky Harbor, Grand River Harbor, and Ashtabula Harbor.
   
• A mesocosm experiment has been completed quantifying how benthic-pelagic coupling Lake Erie by gizzard shad. Gizzard shad are an abundant prey fish in Lake Erie. A manuscript is ready for submission.
   
• Macroinvertebrate samples have been completed for our Lake Erie samples. Identification has been completed to the family level.
   
• Caloric estimates for round gobies have been completed for about 140 round gobies.
   
• PCB analysis is finished on fish and sediment samples.
   
• The in-laboratory experiment has been conducted comparing uptake of radio-labeled PCBs to different benthic macroinvertebrates. These data were the focus of a Master’s student in Entomology (Advisor: Dr. Susan Fisher):

Lawrence, James Matthew. 2004. Bioaccumulation of sediment-associated 2,2',4,4',5,5' hexachlorobiphenyl by Chironomus riparius, Lumbriculus variegatus, and Hyalella azteca. Master’s thesis. The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio.

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Gene Kim can be emailed at kim.985 "at" osu.edu

Gene Kim collects a sediment sample on Lake Erie.

Lake Erie invaders pass harmful agents up the food chain
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A smallmouth bass (top) and a round goby. Although round gobies are non-indigenous to the Great Lakes, they are found in high densities and alter the food web in Lake Erie.