Researchers at the Great Lakes Science Center characterize and quantify linkages between the fish community and other biotic and abiotic components of the aquatic ecosystem.

Scientists are studying ways to determine the effects of ecological disturbances on Lake Michigan using fish community data. Fish communities may serve as indicators of ecosystem health and together with other such indicators, may form the basis of an index of biological well being in the lakes.

Some preliminary work in this area has revealed a few candidate measures which have strong associations with indices of disturbance (such as human population growth in the basin and contaminant concentrations in top predator species). The approach under investigation has been useful in summarizing community-level changes that occurred in Lake Michigan, and may possibly be useful for other large lakes. Eventually, studies on aquatic indicators will be incorporated in the Lakewide Management Plan for Lake Michigan.

Preyfish Population Assessment Fact Sheet