Date of Award

4-2006

Degree Name

Master of Arts

Department

Geography

First Advisor

Dr. Chansheng He

Second Advisor

Dr. James Biles

Third Advisor

Dr. Kathleen Baker

Access Setting

Masters Thesis-Open Access

Abstract

Zebra mussel (Dreissena polymorpha) proliferation has become a serious problem in the Great Lakes Basin. This study uses bathymetry, vegetation distribution, and substratum data to assess their relationship with zebra mussel measurements in Gull Lake, Michigan. Different statistical tests were performed in order to investigate the relationship between the variables and to infer any significance among the variables in relation to zebra mussel abundance. Dreissena polymorpha data include 16 sites on Gull Lake, collected in July of 1999. Vegetation, substratum, and bathymetric datasets were obtained and analyzed by using Geographic Information Science (GIS) techniques.

Analysis of variance (ANOVA) concluded that the average size of zebra mussel was significant (P = .026, α = .10) between the depths of 5 and 10 meters. Tests show that the average size of zebra mussels decreases with depth. Chi-Square Analysis revealed there was a significant relationship between depth, substrate type, and the number of zebra mussels. There was also a significant relationship between substratum type, vegetation type, and the number of zebra mussels. Chi-Square also exposed a significant relationship between depth, vegetation type, and the number of zebra mussels. Although this research only provides a microcosmus of the vast area of Gull Lake's zebra mussel population, its findings may be applicable in other inland lakes as well.

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