By: Don Maryanski

How was Oneida Formed?
• Formed from Lake Iroquois
– Glaciers receded and damned St. Lawrence
– As temp. increased St. Lawrence was able to flow out into ocean and Oneida formed in glacial depression

Physical properties
• It is the largest lake by surface area (207 km 2 ) completely bordered by N.Y.
• Mean depth is 6.8m
• Max depth 16.8m
• 20.9 miles long and 5.8 miles wide

More on Oneida
• Dimictic and eutrophic
• Isothermal in summer
• Increasing population causing increased sediment and nutrient imput
– Population near lake in 1900 was 413,000, today it is over 886,000
• Exotic species causing changes in food web (zebra mussel)
– 8 exotic species in 1900, 18 today

Temperature profile
4
6
8
10
12
14
0
17.4
2
17.45
17.5
17.55
Temperature (celsius)
17.6
17.65
17.7
17.75
17.8

• Epilimnion
• Aulacosira
• Microcystis
• Small flagellates
Phytoplankton
• Metalimnion
• Aulacosira
• Microcystis
• Mallanomous
• Small flagellates
• Hypolimnion
• Aulacosira
• Microcystis
• acinastrum

Macrophytes
• Ceratophyllum
– No roots, dependant on water nutrients
• Elodea
– Grows in wide range of condition
– Good habitat for aquatic animals
• Valisneria
– “eelgrass” or “tapegrass”
– Sometimes forms underwater meadows

Zooplankton
• Cyclopoid and Calanoid Copepods
• Cladocerans (Bosmina, Daphnia and Diaphanosoma)
• Keratella
• Polyarthra

Benthic invertebrates
• Gastropods (snails)
• Zebra mussel
– Introduced
– Filter algae from water and wake it more clear
• Chironomidae
– Non-biting midges

Exotic Species
• Zebra mussel
– Discovered in 1991
– Caused loss of 3 native clam species

Water Chestnut
• Can dramatically cover surface of water preventing little light from entering
• Can also clog waterways

Purple loosestrife
• Displaces native wetland plants
• Less suitable for wildlife than native plants

Round Goby
• Consume zebra mussels but also eat fish eggs

Fishhook waterflea
• Prey on zooplankton
• Not edible by small fish