First the
benthic part of the study. The information given here is taken from samples
taken in August thru October. The first point to note is that the
rounded gobies appear to have maintained their population. I keep expecting
their population to drop when what ever they eat disappears but so far
this hasn't happened. The Zebra mussel population seem to still be decreasing
though this is very hard to quantify.What is interesting is the mussels
spawning still takes place and the number of young is high. I am
calling all the mussels found Zebra mussels but this isn't correct since
it appears that the Quagga mussel is found more and more on the reef those
not large ones. I have not quantified in any why the proportion of Zebra
to Quagga mussels and have lumped them together.
Bryozoans: All appear to be Fredrecalla(SP) Sultana. There population
is still high and are found on many of the rock samples.
Planarians are increasing in numbers, though they are not approaching the abundance they were found in before the rounded gobies came.
The harpactacoids seem to be increasing in numbers and there was one weird sample when 193 of these critters where found in a water sample. This is more than were found in all the samples for several years. I have no idea why they were all swarming in this one area.
Peritechs, both Zoothamnium and Carchesium, were found in relatively high numbers for late summer, early fall.
One Jellyfish was found in the samples on June 22; I don't know why but I get as excited as a little kid when I find one of these things.
All the other critters
seem to be staying about the same.
The chart below is taken from all
the rock samples taken this year. The rock size is a close approxiamaton
given in centimeters. If there are three numbers given the rock was
triangular. Some of the animal groups are abbreviated
Those abbreviated are:
Ablabesymyia
Peritechs:
Zoothamnium
Carchesium
Colonial hydra Cordylophora lacrustris
Hydracarina
Harpactacoida
Cyclopoid copepod
Calanoid copepod
Bosmina longirostris
Amphipoda
Ostracoda
Mayfly - Stenonema
Caddis fly - Hydrophyse
Zebra mussels
August 07
rock size 11x7x7.5
11x5 4x6.5
ablabs
27
32 18
planarians
1
hydras
5
zoothamiu
Carichesm
1
small z mu
Z-mussels
1 2
Hydracarin
Bryozoan
Mosquito
Aug 13
August 16
8x10 7.5x4
7.5x4 14x8
10x9 8x8
6x5
ablabs
20 25
16 70
6
24 16
planarians
hydras
zoothamiu 14
Carichesm
16
8
4
small z mu
11 24
4
Z-mussels
11
28
Hydracarin
1
1
1
Bryozoan
1
1
Mosquito
1
WATER SURROUNDING ROCKS ABOUT 2.5 LITERS
Harpactaco 13
193
Nematodes 11
Daphnia
1
Cyclo cope
1
Calan cope
1
1
Rotifer
21
11
mayfly
1
Nauplis
Hydracarin
Stentor
Hydra
Amphipods
Bosmina l
Ostracods
Planarian
August 24
August 27
8x11 13x9x13
8x9
11x15 11x9
ablabs
9 15
20
105 27
planarians
1
9
hydras
5
1
zoothamiu
Carichesm
23
1
6
small z mu 83
75
186
230
Z-mussels 2
16
2
Hydracarin
1
Bryozoan 2
1
1
1
Mosquito
Nematode
1
Harpactaco
WATER SURROUNDING ROCKS ABOUT 2.5 LITERS
Harpactaco
15
9
Nematodes
6
Daphnia
Cyclo cope
5
Calan cope
1
Rotifer
6
3
mayfly
8
9
Nauplis
1
Hydracarin
6
Stentor
3
2
Hydra
1
1
Amphipods
14
Bosmina
Ostracods
Planarian
August31
11X14 9X8
ablabs
51 6
planarians
hydras
1
zoothamiu
Carichesm
32
small z mu
134 101
Z-mussels
Hydracarin
Bryozoan
Mosquito
Nematode
Harpactaco
WATER SURROUNDING ROCKS ABOUT 2.5 LITERS
Harpactaco
20
Nematodes
2
Daphnia
1
Cyclo cope
3
Calan cope
1
Rotifer
10
mayfly
7
Nauplis
Hydracarin
3
Stentor
5
Hydra
Amphipods
Bosmina
2
Ostracods
2
Planarian
1
Sept 7
7X12
5X8 10X7
8X7
ablabs
40
8
14
6
planarians
1
hydras
zoothamiu
Carichesm
small z mu
65 135
105
95
Z-mussels
10
1
Hydracarin
1
Bryozoan
3
1
1
1
Mosquito
Nematode
Harpactaco
Colon hydra
Amphipods
Caddis fly
WATER SURROUNDING ROCKS ABOUT 2.5 LITERS
Harpactaco
9
Nematodes
1
Daphnia
Cyclo cope
Calan cope
Rotifer
1
mayfly
8
Nauplis
5
Hydracarin
6
Stentor
Hydra
Amphipods
Bosmina l
Ostracods
Planarian
Snail P.Ac
Anniled
Bosmina lo
Sept 10th
Sept 14th
10X7 13X17
18X17X15
8X7
ablabs
33 57
3
5
planarians
hydras
zoothamiu
4
Carichesm 1
small z mu 270
125
21
31
Z-mussels 1
3
1
Hydracarin
1
Bryozoan 1
3
1
Mosquito
Nematode
Harpactaco
Colon hydra
Amphipods
Caddis fly
WATER SURROUNDING ROCKS ABOUT 2.5 LITERS
Harpactaco
5
5
Nematodes
5
Daphnia
Cyclo cope
4
Calan cope
Rotifer
4
mayfly
5
5
Nauplis
Hydracarin
4
4
Stentor
Hydra
Amphipods
7
Bosmina l
Ostracods
Planarian
Snail P.Ac
1
Anniled
Bosmina lo
Sept 21st
Sept 28th
18X14
28x12
10X14
ablabs
26
18
1
planarians
1
hydras
zoothamiu
53
27
4
Carichesm
1
small z mu
350
4
Z-mussels
4
Hydracarin
1
1
Bryozoan
1
1
Mosquito
Nematode
Harpactaco
Colon hydra
1
Amphipods
3
Caddis fly
1
WATER SURROUNDING ROCKS ABOUT 2.5 LITERS
Harpactaco
5
Nematodes
2
Daphnia
Cyclo cope
1
Calan cope
Rotifer
mayfly
3
4
Nauplis
3
Hydracarin
8
1
Stentor
1
Hydra
Amphipods
11
Bosmina l
Ostracods
1
Planarian
Snail P.Ac
Anniled
1
Bosmina lo
9