Predation, Body Size, and Composition of Plankton: The effect of a marine planktivore on lake plankton illustrates theory of size, competition, and predation.

The absence of clear water phase maxima for the 2003-2005 interval, after 16 consecutive years of occurrence, reflects the loss of Daphnia associated with major increases in the alewife population.

“The absence of the clear water phase maxima for the 2003-2005 interval, after 16 consecutive years of occurrence, reflects the loss of Daphnia associated with major increases in the alewife population ( Alosa pseudoharengus ; an obligate and efficient planktivore; Brooks and Dodson 1965).”

Phytoplankton biomass depends both on nutrient availability and grazing pressure from large-bodied zooplankton like Daphnia.

“Phytoplankton biomass depends both on nutrient availability and grazing pressure from large bodied zooplankton like Daphnia (Brooks and Dodson 1965, Carpenter and Kitchell 1984, Lampert et al. 1986, McQueen et al. 1986).”

The continued low abundance of Daphnia through 2007 is characteristic of lakes with landlocked alewives because these fish select for large zooplankton.

“The continued low abundance of Daphnia through 2007 is characteristic of lakes with landlocked alewives because these fish select for large zooplankton (Brooks and Dodson 1965, Meyer and Effler 1980, Post et al. 2008).”

The decline of large zooplankton potentially allows increased algal biomass and reduced water transparency, in accordance with trophic cascade theory and specifically documented in alewife populations.

“The decline of large zooplankton potentially allows increased algal biomass (and reduced water transparency) in accordance with trophic cascade theory and specifically documented in alewife populations (Brooks and Dodson 1965, Carpenter et al. 1985, Harman et al. 2002).”