Andrea T. Stoneman Richard T. Kraus Patrick Kocovsky 2014 <p>Trout-perch<i> Percopsis omiscomaycus</i> is among the most abundant benthic species in Lake Erie, but comparatively little is known about its ecology. Although others have conducted extensive studies on trout-perch ecology, those efforts predated invasions of white perch <i>Morone americana</i>, <i>Dreissena</i> spp., <i>Bythotrephes longimanus</i> and round goby <i>Neogobius melanostomus</i>, suggesting the need to revisit past work. Trout-perch were sampled with bottom trawls at 56 sites during June and September 2010. We examined diets, fecundity, average annual mortality, sex ratio, and long-term population trends at sites sampled since 1961. Trout-perch abundance fluctuated periodically, with distinct shorter- (4-year) and longer-term (over period of 50 years) fluctuations. Males had higher average annual mortality than females. Both sexes were equally abundant at age 0, but females outnumbered males 4:1 by age 2. Diets of trout-perch were dominated by macroinvertebrates, particularly chironomids and <i>Hexagenia</i> sp. Size distributions of trout-perch eggs varied widely and exhibited multiple modes indicative of protracted batch spawning. A review of the few other studies of trout-perch revealed periodic fluctuations in sex ratio of adults, which in light of our evidence of periodicity in abundance suggests the potential for sex-ratio-mediated intrinsic population regulation. Despite the introduction of numerous invasive species in Lake Erie, trout-perch remain one of the most abundant benthic invertivores and the population is relatively stable.</p> application/pdf 10.1016/j.jglr.2013.09.004 en International Association for Great Lakes Research Ecology and population status of trout-perch (<i>Percopsis omiscomaycus</i>) in western Lake Erie article