Sustaining Walleye Populations: Assessing Impacts of AIS

The overall goal of this project was to assess the impacts of invasive zebra mussels on walleye in Minnesota lakes. 

Project outcome:

Invasive zebra mussels impact lakes supporting walleye in Minnesota. Research demonstrates that zebra mussels are associated with lower recruitment (reproduction and survival) of walleye in their first year. Furthermore, walleye and yellow perch alter their feeding habits in lakes with zebra mussels, which is associated with increased mercury concentrations.

Phase II: AIS impacts on walleye populations and mercury concentrations

Zebra mussel-induced changes in walleye recruitment, mercury concentrations, and food webs have important implications for harvest, stocking, and consumption of walleye in Minnesota lakes. The impacts of zebra mussels on walleye likely depend upon their ability to switch to alternative food sources if and when invaders cause zooplankton prey to become scarce. This ability to switch food sources likely depends on lake characteristics including size, depth, productivity, and fish community composition. Determining how zebra mussels affect walleye, and identifying characteristics of walleye populations that can withstand these invasions with minimal effect will allow managers to set realistic goals for future walleye production and harvest. Quantifying effects on walleye recruitment will inform proactive management and allow for realistic goal setting and data-driven public communication following species invasions before a crisis hits. Understanding sources of mercury in walleye and how they are influenced by zebra mussels is critical for fish consumption advisories in Minnesota lakes

This phase of this project will be relevant to a broader group of stakeholders by expanding to additional lakes and by including analysis of mercury concentrations. As in Phase I, we continue to leverage ongoing monitoring by the Minnesota DNR valued at hundreds of thousands of dollars, which allows us to sample many lakes at low cost. Additionally, the mercury measurements for this project will be provided in-kind, which presents an unprecedented opportunity to understand how AIS affect contaminant cycling and human health. Through these partnerships, we are able to maximize the relevance of our results at relatively low cost.

In 2021, graduate student Holly Kundel worked on gathering both stocking data and environmental data including water temperature, water clarity, and annual trends in the lakes of interest. Most of the temperature metrics that will be utilized come from a process-based lake temperature model of Minnesota lakes developed by our collaborators at the USGS. Holly, and PI Dr. Gretchen Hansen have run preliminary models with the data to better understand trends and are in discussion with collaborators over how to properly structure the final model. The team plans to finalize data analysis and to begin writing a manuscript by the end of 2021. 

Fish samples have been collected from lakes and over 2,600 samples have been processed and analyzed for C13 and N15 isotope data, and preliminary data analysis has begun. However, most of the mercury data analysis from samples of walleye and yellow perch by the USGS Mercury Research Lab in Middleton, WI is behind schedule. More walleye and perch tissue samples will be prepped and sent out for analysis once the results from the previous samples are received. Data analysis will be complete by December 2021.

This project is highly collaborative, and collaborators from the MN DNR, USGS, and the U.C Davis Stable Isotope lab have offered this project incredible assistance, and information; however due to shutdowns from COVID it has been difficult to quickly relay information and samples. With labs back online, the team expects to move forward with no additional delays.


Phase I

This project will quantify the impacts of invasive zebra mussels and spiny waterfleas on food webs and growth rates of young fish in Minnesota’s nine largest walleye-supporting lakes. The lakes – Cass, Red, Kabetogama, Rainy, Vermilion, Lake of the Woods, Leech, Winnibigoshish, and Mille Lacs – are at varying stages and combinations of invasion from spiny waterflea and/or zebra mussels. Red Lake was not infested with either species during field work.  

Zebra mussels and spiny waterflea impact the food web by reducing native zooplankton and filtering algae from the water column. The ability of walleye to sustain high populations following invasion is likely based on their ability to adjust to alternative food sources as energy is shunted out of the open water zone and down to the bottom of the lake. Understanding what makes a walleye population more successful following an invasion will allow managers to more precisely target early intervention tactics, more accurately predict walleye production levels following invasion, and better understand impacts.

Researchers will collect samples of zooplankton, other invertebrates, and fish from both the nearshore zone and the open water zone of the lakes. Stable isotope analysis will be used to determine what the fish have been eating, what habitat in the lake is supporting their production, and at what trophic level they’re eating. This will tell us to what degree walleye rely on zooplankton as a food source, and how their diet changes when an invasive species is present. Researchers will also assess the effects of reduced zooplankton on the growth rates of walleye and yellow perch in their first year of life. It’s possible that young fish may be less impacted by invasive species if they can learn to pivot their diet as zooplankton abundance declines.

Understanding how these invasive species disrupt walleye food sources will allow managers to better project realistic levels of walleye production and harvest.

Phase I Final outcomes:

Researchers compared age-0 walleye and yellow perch growth over 35 years, including pre- and post-invasion. Age-0 walleye were >10% smaller at the end of summer following invasion by either AIS. Age-0 yellow perch growth decreased following zebra mussel invasion, although this effect was not statistically significant. Smaller length at the end of the growing season was associated with decreased survival to later life stages for walleye in 7 of the 9 study lakes. Using stable isotope analysis, researchers documented a high degree of variability in the resources supporting all life stages of walleye. In general, juvenile walleye relied on offshore prey resources in invaded lakes. Combined with reduced growth rates, these results suggest that as zooplankton food resources decline following invasion, young walleye are not sufficiently accessing alternative prey resources to maintain pre-invasion growth rates. Variability in walleye diets among lakes may reflect differences in lake productivity or morphology, not necessarily the presence of AIS.

These results demonstrate that zebra mussels and spiny water flea influence the growth rates of age-0 walleye and that a wide range of food resources and habitats support walleye in these lakes. Declines in growth rates of young walleye are an early signal of potential negative effects on walleye. This information can guide managers on the most effective and sustainable walleye harvest and stocking strategies in invaded lakes.  

Phase II

Project manager: Gretchen Hansen

Funded by: Environment and Natural Resources Trust Fund as recommended by the Legislative-Citizen Commission on Minnesota Resources

Project start date: 2019

Project end date: 2021


Phase I

Project manager: Gretchen Hansen

Funded by: Environment and Natural Resources Trust Fund as recommended by the Legislative-Citizen Commission on Minnesota Resources

Project start date: 2017

Project end date: 2019