Eastward expansion of Round Goby in New York: Assessment of detection methods and current range
The Round Goby Neogobius melanostomus has spread rapidly around the Great Lakes region since its introduction to North America in 1990. In 2014, a specimen was captured in the New York State Canal System west of Utica, prompting concerns that Round Goby would soon reach the ecologically and economically valuable watersheds of Lake Champlain and the Hudson River estuary. The establishment of Round Goby populations elsewhere has been linked to a number of negative ecological consequences, yet methods for monitoring the invasion front of this species remain limited. The objectives of this study were to assess the current distribution of Round Goby in central New York and to determine the most effective methods for monitoring the invasion front. This was achieved by concurrently using benthic trawling, seining, minnow traps, and environmental DNA (eDNA) twice annually from 2016 to 2019 at 12 sites on the canal system between Oneida Lake and the Hudson River. Of the three traditional gear types, benthic trawling was the most effective method and captured Round Goby as far east as Utica by 2019. This finding suggests only minimal eastward expansion of Round Goby occurred between 2014 and 2019. Round Goby DNA was detected in water samples during all surveys in which individuals were captured with trawling, and the estimated concentration of DNA explained 69% of the variability in trawl catch. At multiple study sites, Round Goby DNA was identified during consecutive surveys before Round Goby were first captured with trawling. This suggests that in lotic waters, eDNA has the potential to forecast or serve as a sentinel for the expansion of Round Goby to new locations. Our results demonstrate the importance of using eDNA in a repeated sampling framework and supplementing eDNA sampling with some level of effort with traditional sampling methods.
Citation Information
| Publication Year | 2021 |
|---|---|
| Title | Eastward expansion of Round Goby in New York: Assessment of detection methods and current range |
| DOI | 10.1002/tafs.10290 |
| Authors | Scott D. George, Barry P. Baldigo, Christopher B. Rees, Meredith L. Bartron, Dylan R. Winterhalter |
| Publication Type | Article |
| Publication Subtype | Journal Article |
| Series Title | Transactions of the American Fisheries Society |
| Index ID | 70219433 |
| Record Source | USGS Publications Warehouse |
| USGS Organization | New York Water Science Center |
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Environmental DNA (eDNA) and fish capture data from Round Goby screening surveys on the Eastern Erie Canal, New York
The dataset is composed of two tables containing data collected during screening surveys for invasive Round Goby (Neogobius melanostomus) on the Eastern Erie Canal in New York. Environmental DNA using water samples and traditional fish surveys using benthic trawling, seining, and trapping were conducted twice annually at 12 sites on the Eastern Erie Canal between Oneida Lake and the Hudson River f - Connect