What’s causing yellow perch to disappear from Lake Erie’s waters? Ohio State professor of Evolution, Ecology and Organismal Biology Stuart Ludsin is on the case. One part of his research is a look at Lake Erie where he suspects the spiny water flea, a half-inch invasive zooplankton with a barbed spine, to play a role in the declining catch rates of yellow perch. The flea’s abundance may seem like a positive for hungry perch but its impact on perch digestive may causing problems. Elsewhere in the lake, an exploding walleye population may also be devouring young yellow perch after eliminating their preferred prey like gizzard shad and emerald shiners. Listen in to hear how Ludsin’s team uses novel genetics approaches to track walleye diets and understand these ecosystem shifts.
