Patterns of fish growth along a residential development gradient in north temperate lakes

Residential development of lakeshores is expected to change a variety of ke y lake features that include increased nutrient loading, increased invasion rate of nonnative species, increased exploitation rates of fishes by angle rs, and alteration of littoral habitats. All of these factors may alter the capacity of lakes to support productive native fish populations. Fourteen north temperate lakes were surveyed to examine how growth rates Of two comm on fish species (bluegill sunfish, Leponis macrochirus; largemouth bass, Mi cropterus salmoides) varied along a residential development gradient. Size- specific growth rates for both species were negatively correlated with the degree of lakeshore residential development, although this trend was not st atistically significant for largemouth bass. On average, annual growth rate s for bluegill sunfish were 2.6 times lower in heavily developed lakes than in undeveloped lakes. This effect of lakeshore development on fish growth was not size specific for bluegills between 60 and 140 mm in total length. An index of population production rate that accounted for both the size-spe cific growth rate and the size distribution of fishes showed that bluegill populations were approximately 2.3 times less productive in highly develope d lakes than in undeveloped lakes. Our results suggest that extensive resid ential development of lakeshores may reduce the fish production capacity of aquatic ecosystems.