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Research Document - 2014/043

Application of the Ecologically Significant Species Criteria to the Aquatic Community of the Bay of Quinte, Lake Ontario

By William R. Glass, Nicholas E. Mandrak and Marten A. Koops

Abstract

The Bay of Quinte is a large, Z-shaped bay on the north shore of Lake Ontario’s eastern basin. The bay is a highly productive system and has a wide range of fish habitats, including shallow vegetated areas, sand and gravel flats and steep sided, thermally stratified areas. This report applies the ecologically significant species (ESS) criteria used in marine ecosystems to identify species that are important to maintain the ecosystem function in the Bay of Quinte, and evaluate the application of these criteria in a freshwater context.

A comprehensive species list of aquatic organisms was compiled from sampling records, index monitoring records and published data sets. Species were evaluated by a group of experts for their potential to be ecologically significant based on one or more of the following criteria:

  1. important trophodynamic role;
  2. providing three-dimensional structure;
  3. posing a threat to ecosystem function; or,
  4. sensitive species that are easily depleted by human activity.

Of the 456 species of aquatic organisms present in the Bay of Quinte, 13 were identified as ecologically significant. Species accounts were written for each of the identified species. All of the ESS criteria developed for marine systems were found to be useful and applicable in a freshwater context. The application of the ESS criteria in fresh water, similar to its use in the marine environment, is reliant on the use of expert opinion, and will benefit from greater inclusion of published information.

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