%0 Journal Article
%T Rainbow smelt (Osmerus mordax) influence on walleye (Sander vitreus) recruitment decline: mtDNA evidence supporting the predation hypothesis.
%A Lepak JM
%A Hansen AG
%A Cristan ET
%A Williams DA
%A Pate WM
%J J Fish Biol
%V 103
%N 6
%D 2023 Dec 8
%M 37551915
%F 2.504
%R 10.1111/jfb.15523
%X Rainbow smelt (Osmerus mordax) have been introduced widely but are associated with declines in walleye (Sander vitreus) recruitment. A primary hypothesis for these declines is that O. mordax consume larval S. vitreus. We confirmed overlapping spatial-temporal distributions of larval S. vitreus and O. mordax in our study system and used mtDNA analyses to determine if O. mordax stomach contents contained S. vitreus. Approximately 20% of O. mordax composite stomach samples were considered positive for S. vitreus consumption. These findings support the predation hypothesis and have S. vitreus management/stocking implications.