Bluegill Population Demographics as Related to Abiotic and Biotic Factors in Florida Lakes

Research on Bluegills, Lepomis macrochirus R., is abundant but typically focuses water bodies with similar environmental conditions. We assessed Bluegill density, relative abundance (catch per unit effort [CPUE] by electrofishing), growth, and size structure in 60 lakes wide-ranging surface areas (2–12,412 ha), trophic states (oligotrophic–hypereutrophic), macrophyte abundances (0.3–100 percent of lake volume inhabited [PVI]) across Florida, USA. density CPUE increased productivity decreased abundance. growth stock-length Florida Bass, Micropterus floridanus L., a predator. density. Results indicate that fisheries individuals quality (≥150 mm) require productive (>25 μg/L chlorophyll-a concentration) moderate to high coverage (PVI 50–100), Bass (>40 fish/h densities <300 fish/ha. This study provides an approach predict population demographics based abiotic biotic factors, establish management expectations, develop regional lake-specific tools.