Meeting Abstract
Asian carp, specifically bighead (Hypophthalmichthys nobilis) and silver (H. molitrix) carp, have potentially begun entry into the Laurentian Great Lakes (LGL). With native aquatic communities at risk, additional invasion pathways outside of the Chicago Area Waterway System are a growing concern. Encompassing 20% of Ohio, the Muskingum River Watershed (MRW) is the largest watershed in the state. Considering the linkage of the Ohio River to Killbuck Creek and the Ohio-Erie Canal, the MRW is a possible invasion pathway for Asian carp into the LGL. The status of Asian carp in the watershed was determined using environmental DNA (eDNA) and digital droplet polymerase chain reaction technology (ddPCR). With positives found within the watershed, we attempted to understand the impacts of Asian carp invasion on fish assemblages using genomic technologies. To do this, we used high throughput sequencing to screen for all fish biodiversity in a number of reaches, from the impacted to the putative invasion front and beyond. The evaluation of fish community structure at each sample site within the MRW is helping to explain the changes occurring near Asian carp invasion fronts.
