Building on over 20 years expertise in Lake Erie plankton, Dr. David Culver (Professor Emeritus, The Ohio State University) started the LEPAS monitoring program in 1995 in collaboration with the Ohio Department of Natural Resources–Division of Wildlife (ODNR–DOW). Biweekly, between approximately May and October, the ODNR–DOW collects samples from eight western basin and eight central basin sites in the Ohio waters of Lake Erie (Fig. 1). Two western and two central basin sites contribute to the Forage Task Group (FTG) lower trophic level dataset, which was commissioned by the Great Lakes Fishery Commission to monitor the abundance of food for planktivores. 

In addition to supporting research and management by the ODNR–DOW and FTG, LEPAS has contributed to 7 Masters theses, 9 PhD dissertations, and 32 publications.  This research has contributed to our understanding of responses of Lake Erie plankton communities and food webs to invasive species, nutrient enrichment, hypoxia, and prey availability for larval Walleye and Yellow Perch.

We are eager to facilitate the use of LEPAS data in research. Please see the document linked below for our full methods, and if you would like access to LEPAS data, please contact Jim Hood (hood.211@osu.edu).

LEPAS data is used by numerous academic as well as state and federal research groups including:

• Ohio Department of Natural Resources Division of Wildlife
• Great Lakes Fishery Commission
• US Geological Survey
• University of Toledo
• US EPA
• University of California, Berkeley
• University of North Carolina
• University of South Carolina

Publications

1. Zhang, H., L. Boegman, D. Scavia, and D.A. Culver. 2016. Spatial distributions of external and internal phosphorus loads in Lake Erie and their impacts on phytoplankton and water quality.  Journal of Great Lakes Research 42(6):1212-1227.
2. Kane, D.D., S. Ludsin, R.D. Briland, D.A. Culver.  2015. Ten+ years gone: Continued degradation of offshore planktonic communities in U.S. waters of Lake Erie's western and central basins (2003–2013).  Journal of Great Lakes Research 41:930-933.
3. Kane, D.D., J.D. Conroy, R.P. Richards, D.B. Baker, D.A. Culver. 2014. Re-eutrophication of Lake Erie: Correlations between tributary nutrient loads and phytoplankton biomass. Journal of Great Lakes Research 40:496-501.
4. Conroy, J.D., D.D. Kane, R.D. Briland, D.A. Culver. 2014.  Systemic, early-season Microcystis blooms in western Lake Erie and two of its major agricultural tributaries (Maumee and Sandusky rivers).  Journal of Great Lakes Research 40:518-523.
5. Scavia, D., J.D. Allan, K.K. Arend, S. Bartell, D. Beletsky, N.S. Bosch, S.B. Brandt, R.D. Briland, I. Daloğlu, J.V. DePinto, D.M. Dolan, M.A. Evans, T.M. Farmer, D. Goto, H. Han, T.O. Höök, R. Knight, S.A. Ludsin, D. Mason, A.M. Michalak, R.P. Richards, J.J. Roberts, D.K. Rucinski, E. Rutherford, D.J. Schwab, T.M. Sesterhenn, H. Zhang, Y. Zhou. 2014. Assessing and addressing the re-eutrophication of Lake Erie: Central basin hypoxia. Journal of Great Lakes Research 40:226-246.
6. Roy, E.D., J.F. Martin, E.G. Irwin, J.D. Conroy, and D.A. Culver. 2011.  Living within dynamic social-ecological freshwater systems:  system parameters and the role of ecological engineering.  Ecological Engineering 37(11): 1661-1672.
7. Conroy, J.D., L. Boegman, H. Zhang, W.J. Edwards, and D.A. Culver. 2011. “Dead Zone” dynamics in Lake Erie: the importance of weather and sampling intensity for calculated hypolimnetic oxygen depletion rates. Aquatic Sciences 73(2): 289-304, DOI: 10.1007/s00027-010-0176-1
8. Zhang, H., D.A. Culver, and L. Boegman.  2011.  Dreissenids in Lake Erie: an algal filter or a fertilizer?  Aquatic Invasions 6(2):175-194.
9. Roy, E.D., J.F. Martin, E.G. Irwin, J.D. Conroy, and D.A. Culver. 2010.  Transient social ecological stability: The effects of invasive species and ecosystem restoration on nutrient management compromise in Lake Erie.  Ecology and Society 15(1): 20 (found online, 29 pages).
10. Kane, D.D., S.I. Gordon, M. Munawar, M.N. Charlton, D.A. Culver. 2009.  The Planktonic Index of Biotic Integrity (P-IBI): An approach for assessing lake ecosystem health.  Ecological Indicators 9: 1234–1247.
11. Zhang, H., D.A. Culver, and L. Boegman.  2008.  A two-dimensional ecological model of Lake Erie: Application to estimate dreissenid impacts on large lake plankton populations.  Ecological Modelling 214:219-241.
12. Conroy, J.D., D.D. Kane, and D.A. Culver.  2008.  Declining Lake Erie ecosystem health – Evidence from a multi-year, lake-wide plankton study. In: M. Munawar, R. Heath (Eds.), Checking the Pulse of Lake Erie.  Ecovision World Monograph Series, Aquatic Ecosystem Health and Management Society, Canada, pp. 369–408.
13. Kane, D.D., S.I. Gordon, M. Munawar, M.N. Charlton, D.A. Culver.  2008.  A Planktonic Index of Biotic Integrity (P-IBI) for Lake Erie: a new technique for checking the pulse of Lake Erie.  In: M. Munawar, R. Heath (Eds.), Checking the Pulse of Lake Erie.  Ecovision World Monograph Series, Aquatic Ecosystem Health and Management Society, Canada, pp. 347-367.
14. Boegman, L., M.R. Loewen, D.A. Culver, P.F. Hamblin, M.N. Charlton. 2008. Spatial-dynamic modeling of lower trophic levels in Lake Erie: Relative impacts of zebra mussels and nutrient loading. Journal of Environmental Engineering–American Society of Civil Engineers 134(6): 456-468.
15. Culver, D.A., J.D. Conroy, J.T. Tyson, V.C. Crane, and H. Zhang, 2008. “Optimal” P loading in large lakes affects fish communities: Do you prefer walleye or yellow perch?  Verhandlungen der Internationale Vereiningung für Theoretische und Angewandte Limnologie 30: 1070-1072 (Peer reviewed).
16. Crane, V.C., and D.A. Culver. 2008.  Trends in the western Lake Erie zooplankton community: Evidence for top-down control by age-0 percids.  Verhandlungen der Internationale Vereiningung für Theoretische und Angewandte Limnologie 30(1):95-99. (Peer reviewed).
17. Boegman, L., M.R. Loewen, P.F. Hamblin, D.A. Culver.  2008.  Vertical mixing and weak stratification over zebra mussel colonies in western Lake Erie.  Limnology and Oceanography 53(3):1093-1110.
18. Conroy, J.D., E.L. Quinlan, D.D. Kane, and D.A. Culver.  2007.  Cylindrospermopsis in Lake Erie: testing its association with other cyanobacterial genera and major limnological parameters.  Journal of Great Lakes Research 33: 519-535.
19. Conroy, J.D., W.J Edwards, R.A. Pontius, D.D. Kane, H. Zhang, J.F. Shea, J.N. Richey, and D.A. Culver.  2005.  Soluble nitrogen and phosphorus excretion of exotic freshwater mussels (Dreissena spp.):  potential impacts for nutrient remineralisation in western Lake Erie.  Freshwater Biology 50:1146-1162.
20. Conroy, J.D., D.D. Kane, D.M. Dolan, W.J. Edwards, M.N. Charlton, and D.A. Culver.  2005.  Temporal trends in Lake Erie plankton biomass: roles of external phosphorus loading and dreissenid mussels.  Journal of Great Lakes Research 31(supplement 2):89-110.
21. Conroy, J.D. and D.A. Culver.  2005.  Do dreissenids affect Lake Erie ecosystem stability processes?  American Midland Naturalist 153:20-32.
22. Kane, D.D., J.E. Gannon, and D.A. Culver. 2004.  The status of Limnocalanus macrurus (Copepoda: Calanoida: Centropagidae) in Lake Erie.  Journal of Great Lakes Research 30: 22-30.
23. Kane, D.D., Haas, E.M., and Culver, D.A.  2003.  The characteristics and potential ecological effects of the exotic crustacean zooplankter Cercopagis pengoi (Cladocera: Cercopagidae), a recent invader of Lake Erie. The Ohio Journal of Science 103(4): 79-83.  (Cover Article; Peer reviewed).
24. Babcock-Jackson, L., W.W. Carmichael, and D.A. Culver.  2002.  Dreissenid mussels increase exposure of benthic and pelagic organisms to toxic microcystins. 1082-1085. Verhandlungen Internationale Vereiningung für Theoretische und Angewandte Limnologie 28: 1082-1085.
25. Therriault, T.W., I.A. Grigorovich, D.D. Kane, E.M. Haas, D.A. Culver, and H.J. MacIsaac.  2002.  Range expansion of the exotic zooplankter Cercopagis pengoi (Ostroumov) into western Lake Erie and Muskegon Lake.  Journal of Great Lakes Research 28: 698-701.
26. Budd, J.W., A.M. Beeton, R.P. Stumpf, D.A. Culver, and W.C. Kerfoot.  2000.  Satellite observations of Microcystis blooms in western Lake Erie and Saginaw Bay, Lake Huron. Verhandlungen Internationale Vereinigung für Theoretische und Angewandte Limnologie 27: 3787-3793.
27. Boegman, L., M.R. Loewen, P.F. Hamblin, and D.A. Culver.  2001. Application of a two-dimensional hydrodynamic reservoir model to Lake Erie.  Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences 58:858-869.
28. Frost, P.C., and D.A. Culver. 2001.  Spatial and temporal variability of phytoplankton and zooplankton in western Lake Erie.  J. Freshwater Ecology 16:435-443.
29. Pontius, R.A., and D.A. Culver. 2001.  Estimating zebra mussel impact on pelagic food webs:  The role of size-specific grazing rates.   Verhandlungen Internationale Vereinigung für Theoretische und Angewandte Limnologie 27(5):3025-3028.
30. Culver, D.A. 2000.  Ecological modeling of Lake Erie trophic dynamics – 1999, Pages 65-70.  In L. A. Tulen and J. V. DePinto, Eds.  Great Lakes Modeling Summit: Focus on Lake Erie.  Council of Great Lakes Research Managers, International Joint Commission on the Great Lakes, Windsor, Ontario.  Invited White Paper, peer reviewed.
31. Brittain, S.M., J. Wang, L. Babcock-Jackson, W.W. Carmichael, K.L. Rinehart, and D.A. Culver. 2000.  Isolation and characterization of microcystins, cyclic heptapeptide hepatotoxins, from a Lake Erie strain of Microcystis aeruginosa.  Journal of Great Lakes Research 26:241-249. (LEPF)
32. Gopalan, G., D.A. Culver, L. Wu, and B.K. Trauben.  1998.  The effect of recent ecosystem changes on the recruitment of young-of-year fish in western Lake Erie.  Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences 55:2572-2579. (O-SeaGrant)

Theses & Dissertations

1. Briland, R.D. (2018) Evaluating the causes and consequences of ecosystem change in Lake Erie: From plankton to fish. Ph.D. Dissertation, The Ohio State university. pp. 210
2. Huddleston, A.L. (2018) The influence of ice cover on the coupling between Lake Erie larval Walleye and their prey. M.Sc. Thesis, The Ohio State University. pp. 88
3. May, C.J. (2015) The importance of early life processes to future growth and recruitment in Lake Erie Walleye. Ph.D. Dissertation, The Ohio State University. pp. 204
4. Horn, J.D. (2010) Modeling biocomplexity of Lake Erie: the role of yellow perch. M.Sc. Thesis, The Ohio State University. pp. 110
5. Conroy, J.D. (2007) Watershed effects on algal blooms and anoxia in Lake Erie: The Algal Loading Hypothesis. Ph.D. Dissertation, The Ohio State University. pp. 243
6. Crane, V. (2007) Relationships between plankton dynamics and recruitment of young-of-year walleye and yellow perch in Lake Erie. M.Sc. Thesis, The Ohio State University. pp. 105
7. Sathyanarayan, A. (2007) EcoLE-FisH:  Mathematical modeling of lower trophic level – fish- human interactions in Lake Erie. M.Sc. Thesis, The Ohio State University. pp. 110
8. Zhang, H. (2006) Ecological modeling of the lower trophic levels of Lake Erie.  Ph.D. Dissertation, The Ohio State University. pp. 246
9. Kane, D.D. (2004) Construction of an Index of Biotic Integrity for the plankton of the Great Lakes. Ph.D. Dissertation, The Ohio State University. pp. 299
10. Edwards, W.D. (2002) Impacts of the zebra mussel (Dreissena polymorpha) on large lakes: Influence of vertical turbulent mixing. Ph.D. Dissertation, The Ohio State University. pp. 124
11. Babcock-Jackson, L. (2000) Toxic Microcystis in western Lake Erie: Ecotoxicological relationships with three non-indigenous species increase risks to the aquatic community. Ph.D. Dissertation, The Ohio State University. pp. 209
12. Pontius, R.A. (2000) The impact of zebra mussels (Dreissena polymorpha) on pelagic food webs. Ph.D. Dissertation, The Ohio State University. pp. 252
13. Weisgerber, K.M. (1999) Lower trophic level dynamics in western basin, Lake Erie:  Changes in biomass, clearance, and nutrient excretion rates in crustacean zooplankton versus zebra mussels. M.Sc. Thesis, The Ohio State University. pp. 129
14. Gopalan, G. (1998) Recruitment of young-of-the-year fishes in Western Lake Erie. M.Sc. Thesis, The Ohio State University. pp. 58
15. Frost, P.C. (1997) Zooplankton in western Lake Erie: Before and after zebra mussels. M.Sc. Thesis, The Ohio State University. pp. 69
16. Stoeckmann, A.M. (1997) Energy allocation strategies of the zebra mussel, Dreissena polymorpha. Ph.D. Dissertation, The Ohio State University. pp. 78