Impacts of predation by the Eurasian round goby (Neogobius melanostomus) on molluscs in the upper St. Lawrence River

An invasive Eurasian fish, the round goby Neogobius melanostomus, has recently spread from the Great Lakes into the St. Lawrence River. We quantified prey preferences of this benthivore and determined whether its predatory impacts on molluscs in the river are similar to those in the Great Lakes. We measured the size structure of gastropods and dreissenid mussels at 13 St. Lawrence River sites where round goby densities ranged from 0 to 6 m− 2. For four of these sites, data were available for multiple years before and after invasion. Contrary to studies in the Great Lakes, there were no consistent effects of round goby density on the size structure of dreissenids, although there was an ontogenetic diet shift toward dreissenids. However, the abundance and richness of small gastropods (≤ 14 mm) was negatively correlated with round goby density across all sites, and declined over time at three of four sites sampled before and after invasion. Median gastropod size also declined across sites with increasing round goby density. Gastropods (as well as chironomid larvae, caddisfly larvae, and ostracods) were consistently among the most preferred prey items consumed by gobies, whereas dreissenids (as well as leeches and freshwater mites) were consistently avoided. These results indicate the major role of the round goby in structuring gastropod populations in the St. Lawrence River, and highlight large-scale spatial variation in its predatory impact on dreissenid populations.

► We linked round goby diet to changes in mollusks in the St. Lawrence River.
► Gastropods were consistently among the most preferred prey items.
► Abundance, richness and median size of gastropods declined with goby density.
► Goby predation did not affect size structure of dreissenid mussels in the river.
► Impacts likely depend on body size and population density of gobies.