Movement and life history diversity of Yellow Perch (Perca flavescens) between Lake Ontario and two barrier beach wetlands in the Braddock Bay Wildlife Management Area

Abstract

Yellow Perch (Perca flavescens) utilize both nearshore and coastal wetland habitats of the Laurentian Great Lakes during their lifetime and are known to exhibit different movement life histories. However, uncertainty persists in quantifying variability in the duration of habitat use and whether such variation manifests as morphometric differences depending on the degree of nearshore use. To explore these uncertainties, I used a multi-metric approach that included water and otolith microchemistry, tissue stable isotopes (𝛿15N, 𝛿13C), and body morphometric analysis. Manganese was useful for identifying movements between wetland and lake habitats while carbon and nitrogen tissue isotopes revealed variable duration of wetland use related to ontogeny. Morphometrically, Yellow Perch caught in Lake Ontario had smaller features relative to wetland caught Yellow Perch. My research suggests that otolith microchemistry is a useful tool for describing habitat transitions of Yellow Perch between these two habitat types. Tissue stable isotopes indicate that some Yellow Perch spend more time in coastal wetland habitats than others, which may influence their susceptibility to recreational harvest. Body morphometrics appear to reflect either use of more open habitats (e.g., Lake Ontario), or use of more complex habitats (e.g., coastal wetland).