Aquatic Food Web
The Detroit River and Lake Saint Clair are part of the Great Lakes basin that provides an important food source for the region
and the country. Below are sample species in the Great Lakes Aquatic Food Web.
Top of the Food Chain
Tertiary (Top-Level) Consumers
Humans, certain bird and fish species.
Esox masquinongy
(Muskie)
Ardea herodias
(Great Blue Heron)
Homo sapiens
(Human)
Stizostedion vitreum
(Walleye)
Micropterus dolomieu
(Smallmouth Bass)
Secondary Consumers
Smaller fish and other species. Some species may be both predators and prey.
Acipenser fulvescens
(Lake Sturgeon)
Perca flavescens
(Yellow Perch)
Neogobius melanostomus
(Round Goby)
Primary Consumers
Smaller fish and other species. Some species may be both predators and prey.
Dreissena polymorpha
(Zebra Mussel)
Gammarus
(Amphipod, Scud)
Decapod crustacean
(Crayfish)
Aythya valisineria
Hirudinea
(Leech)
Zooplankton
(Daphnia, Waterflea)
(Canvasback)
Oligochaeta
(Worm)
Physidae
(Pouch Snail)
Ephemeroptera
(Mayfly Nymph)
Chironomidae
(Midge Larvae)
Osmerus mordax
(Rainbow Smelt)
Producers, Decomposers & Nutrients
Base of the Food Chain
Macrophytes, phytoplankton and zooplankton (microscopic plants and animals) and detritus.
Bacteria, Fungi and Detritus
Valisneria americana
(Wild Celery)
Not to scale.
Phytoplankton
(Algae)
Macrophyte
(Aquatic Plant)
Adapted from the Life of the Lakes
MICHU 09-400
Michigan Sea Grant, www.miseagrant.umich.edu