We developed a mixed model to determine whether biotic (alewife, spottail shiner, round goby, yellow perch > age 1 and yellow perch < age 1 abundances) or abiotic (water temperature, water clarity) factors influenced growth rates in the Indiana waters of Lake Michigan during August from 1984 to 2007. This study suggests that young-of-the-year (YOY) yellow perch growth rates in southern Lake Michigan are influenced by temperature, spottail shiner abundance, and round goby abundance. We also collected age-0 yellow perch to identify details of early life history including timing of migration to pelagic waters, timing of return to nearshore waters, and spatial distribution following return to nearshore waters. This study suggests that yellow perch larvae hatch and are in the nearshore waters from June 1 to June 24, return date for demersal YOY yellow perch ranges from July 8 to August 16, with a mean return date of July 25, and spatial distribution of demersal age-0 yellow perch is relatively homogenous in Indiana nearshore waters. / Department of Biology

The relationship between yellow perch Perca flavescens abundance and growth rates were evaluated in the Indiana waters of Lake Michigan from 1984 to 2004. Relative abundance values were taken from trawl catch per unit effort (CPUE), while growth rates were determined by back-calculation. Abundance CPUE during the mid 1980's, was approximately one order of magnitude higher when compared to the 1990 to 2004 period. Growth rates were inversely related to relative abundance and were sexually dimorphic, with females growing faster than males. Regression analysis indicated approximately half of this observed variation in growth was due to abundance, and was most apparent with the smaller and younger fish. Both intraspecific competition and physiological changes associated with maturity are plausible explanations for the relationship. / Department of Biology