Temporal variation: impacts on species and food webs
To help anticipate the consequences of climate change and hydrologic alterations on aquatic ecosystem functioning, I am exploring how species, via their physiology and behavior, and food webs, via structural shifts, cope with existing environmental fluctuations in a variety of ecosystem types.
photo: Bailey McMeans
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Arctic Seas
Arctic Seas are among the most seasonally variable ecosystems on the planet. In collaboration with Aaron Fisk (University of Windsor), Michael Arts (Ryerson University), Kevin McCann and Neil Rooney (University of Guelph), we are exploring how seasonal fluctuations impact Arctic species physiology and ecology. |
For more information see:
- A short video describing some of this research
McMeans et al. 2013. MEPS 482: 17-28
Related Publications:
McMeans, B. C., N. Rooney, M. T. Arts and A. T. Fisk. 2013. Food web structure of an arctic marine ecosystem and implications for stability. Marine Ecology Progress Series 482: 17-28.
Marcoux, M., B. C. McMeans, A. T. Fisk, and S. H. Ferguson. 2012. Composition and temporal variation in the diet of the threatened population of belugas in Cumberland Sound. Marine Ecology Progress Series 471: 283-291.
McKinney, M. A., B. C. McMeans, G. T. Tomy, B. Rosenber, S. H. Ferguson, A. Morris, D. C. G. Muir and A. T. Fisk. 2012. Transfer of persistent organic pollutants in a changing arctic. Environmental Science & Technology 46(18): 9914-9922.
McMeans, B. C., N. Rooney, M. T. Arts and A. T. Fisk. 2013. Food web structure of an arctic marine ecosystem and implications for stability. Marine Ecology Progress Series 482: 17-28.
Marcoux, M., B. C. McMeans, A. T. Fisk, and S. H. Ferguson. 2012. Composition and temporal variation in the diet of the threatened population of belugas in Cumberland Sound. Marine Ecology Progress Series 471: 283-291.
McKinney, M. A., B. C. McMeans, G. T. Tomy, B. Rosenber, S. H. Ferguson, A. Morris, D. C. G. Muir and A. T. Fisk. 2012. Transfer of persistent organic pollutants in a changing arctic. Environmental Science & Technology 46(18): 9914-9922.
McMeans, B. C., M. A. Arts, S. Rush and A. T. Fisk. 2012. Seasonal patterns in fatty acids of Calanus hyperboreus (Copepoda, Calanoida) from Cumberland Sound, Baffin Island, Nunavut. Marine Biology 159(5): 1095-1105.
Dennard, S. T., B. C. McMeans, and A. T. Fisk. 2009. Preliminary assessment of Greenland halibut diet in Cumberland Sound using stable isotopes. Polar Biology 32(6): 941-945.
Dennard, S. T., B. C. McMeans, and A. T. Fisk. 2009. Preliminary assessment of Greenland halibut diet in Cumberland Sound using stable isotopes. Polar Biology 32(6): 941-945.
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Subalpine Lakes
With Martin Kainz (WasserCluster Lunz) and Apostolos-Manuel Koussoroplis (University of Potsdam), I am exploring how temperature and resource variability impact freshwater zooplankton in the lab and the field. We are particularly interested in how zooplankton use alternative resources to support growth when algae are limiting, and how fatty acids can be used to trace such resource use in the field. |
photo: Kevin Coghill
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Related publications:
McMeans, B. C., A.-M. Koussoroplis, and M. J. Kainz. 2015. Effects of seasonal seston and temperature changes on lake zooplankton fatty acids. Limnology and Oceanography doi: 10.1002/lno.10041
McMeans, B. C., A.-M. Koussoroplis, and M. J. Kainz. 2015. Effects of seasonal seston and temperature changes on lake zooplankton fatty acids. Limnology and Oceanography doi: 10.1002/lno.10041
photo: Bailey McMeans
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Tropical Lakes
The Tonle Sap lake in Cambodia supports one of the most productive and diverse inland fisheries in the world, and provides a crucial protein source for millions of people. This poorly studied system, which undergoes massive physical changes between the wet and dry seasons, is threatened by both dams and climate change. |
Building on my previous work in highly seasonal Arctic and subalpine systems, Kevin McCann, Neil Rooney, and I (along with many other collaborators) are exploring spatial and temporal energy flows and possible stabilizing mechanisms for the Tonle Sap food web and floodplain ecosystems in general. This work is producing basic and applied knowledge that has ecological and sociological implications.
For more information, check out:
Related Presentations:
McMeans, B. C. and K. S. McCann. 10 - 15 August 2014. The adaptive capacity of food webs in fluctuating environments. Ecological Society of America, Sacramento, California, USA (platform)
For more information, check out:
- An article about the Tonle Sap project in the NY Times
- A feature post on the blog "Stream Stories" by Ruth O'Connor
- This video from scientists at Boston University
Related Presentations:
McMeans, B. C. and K. S. McCann. 10 - 15 August 2014. The adaptive capacity of food webs in fluctuating environments. Ecological Society of America, Sacramento, California, USA (platform)
Top predators in aquatic food webs
photo: Adam Morris
Top predators tend to be highly mobile and to feed as generalists on prey from a variety of habitats and trophic levels. I am interested in the role top predators play in marine and freshwater food web structure, stability and contaminant transfer.
Marine
Together with Nigel Hussey, Jill Olin, Aaron MacNeil and Aaron Fisk, I am helping develop tools that allow for unprecedented insight into the physiology and ecology of marine predators, particularly elasmobranchs like the Greenland shark (shown at right).
Related Publications:
B. C. McMeans, M. T. Arts, and A. T. Fisk. 2015. Impacts of food web structure and feeding behavior on mercury exposure in Greenland Sharks (Somniosus microcephalus). Science of the Total Environment 509-510: 216-225
Hussey, N. E., M. A. MacNeil, B. C. McMeans, J. A. Olin, F. J. S. Dudley, G. Cliff, S. P. Wintner, S. Fennessy, and A. T. Fisk. 2014. Rescaling the trophic framework of marine food webs. Ecology Letters 17(2): 239-250
*** Check out the amazing cover art photo by Graham Fenwick associated with our article here
Marine
Together with Nigel Hussey, Jill Olin, Aaron MacNeil and Aaron Fisk, I am helping develop tools that allow for unprecedented insight into the physiology and ecology of marine predators, particularly elasmobranchs like the Greenland shark (shown at right).
Related Publications:
B. C. McMeans, M. T. Arts, and A. T. Fisk. 2015. Impacts of food web structure and feeding behavior on mercury exposure in Greenland Sharks (Somniosus microcephalus). Science of the Total Environment 509-510: 216-225
Hussey, N. E., M. A. MacNeil, B. C. McMeans, J. A. Olin, F. J. S. Dudley, G. Cliff, S. P. Wintner, S. Fennessy, and A. T. Fisk. 2014. Rescaling the trophic framework of marine food webs. Ecology Letters 17(2): 239-250
*** Check out the amazing cover art photo by Graham Fenwick associated with our article here
Lu, Z., A. T. Fisk, K. Kovacs, C. Lydersen, M. A. McKinney, G. T. Tomy, B. Rosenburg, B. C. McMeans, D. C. G. Muir, and C. S. Wong. 2014. Temporal and spatial trends of PCB chiral signatures in the Greenland Shark (Somniosus microcephalus) and its Arctic food web. Environmental Pollution 186: 216-225.
McMeans, B. C., M.T. Arts, C. Lydersen, K. Kovacs, H. Hop, S. Falk-Petersen and A.T. Fisk. 2013. The role of Greenland sharks (Somniosus microcephalus) in Svalbard, Norway assessed via stable isotopes and fatty acids. Marine Biology 160(5):1223-1238.
MacNeil, M. A., B. C. McMeans, N. Hussey, P. Vecsei, J. Svavarsson, K. Kovacs, C. Lydersen, M. Treble, G. B. Skomal, M. Ramsey, and A. T. Fisk. 2012. Biology of Somniosus microcephalus. Journal of Fish Biology (Special edition on elasmobranchs) 80(5): 991-1018.
McMeans, B. C., M. T. Arts, and A. T. Fisk. 2012. Similarity between predator and prey fatty acid profiles is tissue dependent in Greenland sharks (Somniosus microcephalus): implications for diet reconstruction. Journal of Experimental Marine Biology and Ecology 429: 55-63. Hussey, N., J. A. Olin, M. Kinney, B. C. McMeans, and A. T. Fisk. 2012. Lipid extraction effects on stable isotope values (d13C and d 15N) of elasmobranch muscle tissue. Journal of Experimental Marine Biology and Ecology 434: 7-15.
Hussey, N., M. A. MacNeil, J. Olin, B. C. McMeans, M. Kinney, D. Chapman, A. T. Fisk. 2012. Stable isotopes and elasmobranchs: tissue types, methods, applications and assumptions. Journal of Fish Biology (Special edition on elasmobranchs) 80(5): 1449-1484.
McMeans, B. C., J. Svavarsson, S. T. Dennard, and A. T. Fisk. 2010. Diet and resource use among Greenland sharks (Somniosus microcephalus) and teleosts sampled in Icelandic waters, using δ13C, δ15N and total mercury. Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences 67(9): 1428-1438.
McMeans, B. C., J. A. Olin, and G. W. Benz. 2009. Stable isotope comparisons between embryos and mothers of a placentatrophic shark species. Journal of Fish Biology 75: 2464-247
McMeans, B. C., K. Borgå, W. Bechtol, D. Higginbotham, and A. T. Fisk. 2007. Essential and non-essential element concentrations in two sleeper shark species collected in arctic waters. Environmental Pollution 148(1): 281-290.
McMeans, B. C., M.T. Arts, C. Lydersen, K. Kovacs, H. Hop, S. Falk-Petersen and A.T. Fisk. 2013. The role of Greenland sharks (Somniosus microcephalus) in Svalbard, Norway assessed via stable isotopes and fatty acids. Marine Biology 160(5):1223-1238.
MacNeil, M. A., B. C. McMeans, N. Hussey, P. Vecsei, J. Svavarsson, K. Kovacs, C. Lydersen, M. Treble, G. B. Skomal, M. Ramsey, and A. T. Fisk. 2012. Biology of Somniosus microcephalus. Journal of Fish Biology (Special edition on elasmobranchs) 80(5): 991-1018.
McMeans, B. C., M. T. Arts, and A. T. Fisk. 2012. Similarity between predator and prey fatty acid profiles is tissue dependent in Greenland sharks (Somniosus microcephalus): implications for diet reconstruction. Journal of Experimental Marine Biology and Ecology 429: 55-63. Hussey, N., J. A. Olin, M. Kinney, B. C. McMeans, and A. T. Fisk. 2012. Lipid extraction effects on stable isotope values (d13C and d 15N) of elasmobranch muscle tissue. Journal of Experimental Marine Biology and Ecology 434: 7-15.
Hussey, N., M. A. MacNeil, J. Olin, B. C. McMeans, M. Kinney, D. Chapman, A. T. Fisk. 2012. Stable isotopes and elasmobranchs: tissue types, methods, applications and assumptions. Journal of Fish Biology (Special edition on elasmobranchs) 80(5): 1449-1484.
McMeans, B. C., J. Svavarsson, S. T. Dennard, and A. T. Fisk. 2010. Diet and resource use among Greenland sharks (Somniosus microcephalus) and teleosts sampled in Icelandic waters, using δ13C, δ15N and total mercury. Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences 67(9): 1428-1438.
McMeans, B. C., J. A. Olin, and G. W. Benz. 2009. Stable isotope comparisons between embryos and mothers of a placentatrophic shark species. Journal of Fish Biology 75: 2464-247
McMeans, B. C., K. Borgå, W. Bechtol, D. Higginbotham, and A. T. Fisk. 2007. Essential and non-essential element concentrations in two sleeper shark species collected in arctic waters. Environmental Pollution 148(1): 281-290.
photo: Carling Bieg
Freshwater
With Kevin McCann, Tyler Tunney and others, we are exploring how chemical tracers can help study and monitor the responses of lake ecosystems to human impacts across multiple scales, from the behavior of single predators (like the lake trout pictured at left) to the structure of entire food webs.
Related Manuscripts (in prep):
McMeans, B. C., K. S. McCann, T. D. Tunney, A. T. Fisk, A. Muir, N. Lester, B. Shuter, and N. Rooney. The adaptive capacity of lake food webs: from individuals to ecosystems
Parasites
photo: Carlos Idrobo
My first foray into science was by studying parasites under the guidance of George Benz. It is easy to become enraptured by parasites. The ways in which they complete their life cycles boggle the mind (I especially love this Radiolab episode: www.radiolab.org/2009/sep/07/).
The photo on the right shows a female Ommatokoita elongata attached to the cornea of a Greenland shark.
I was incredibly fortunate to work with George on parasites and to be included on this paper:
Benz, G. W., K. Nagasawa, A. Yamaguchi, B. C. McMeans, and A. McElwain. 2006. New host and ocean records for Driocephalus cerebrinoxius (Sphyriidae, Siphonostomatoida) and a reconsideration of phylogeny within Sphyriidae. Acta Ichthyologica et Piscatoria 36(1): 1-9.
I also contributed to a section on Greenland shark parasites in this review paper:
MacNeil, M. A., B. C. McMeans, N. Hussey, P. Vecsei, J. Svavarsson, K. Kovacs, C. Lydersen, M. Treble, G. B. Skomal, M. Ramsey, and A. T. Fisk. 2012. Biology of Somniosus microcephalus. Journal of Fish Biology (Special edition on elasmobranchs) 80(5): 991-1018.
And the samples collected on a research cruise focused mainly on parasite sampling led to this paper:
McMeans, B. C., J. A. Olin, and G. W. Benz. 2009. Stable isotope comparisons between embryos and mothers of a placentatrophic shark species. Journal of Fish Biology 75: 2464-2474.
The photo on the right shows a female Ommatokoita elongata attached to the cornea of a Greenland shark.
I was incredibly fortunate to work with George on parasites and to be included on this paper:
Benz, G. W., K. Nagasawa, A. Yamaguchi, B. C. McMeans, and A. McElwain. 2006. New host and ocean records for Driocephalus cerebrinoxius (Sphyriidae, Siphonostomatoida) and a reconsideration of phylogeny within Sphyriidae. Acta Ichthyologica et Piscatoria 36(1): 1-9.
I also contributed to a section on Greenland shark parasites in this review paper:
MacNeil, M. A., B. C. McMeans, N. Hussey, P. Vecsei, J. Svavarsson, K. Kovacs, C. Lydersen, M. Treble, G. B. Skomal, M. Ramsey, and A. T. Fisk. 2012. Biology of Somniosus microcephalus. Journal of Fish Biology (Special edition on elasmobranchs) 80(5): 991-1018.
And the samples collected on a research cruise focused mainly on parasite sampling led to this paper:
McMeans, B. C., J. A. Olin, and G. W. Benz. 2009. Stable isotope comparisons between embryos and mothers of a placentatrophic shark species. Journal of Fish Biology 75: 2464-2474.
photo: Noah Metuq
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