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1.
Abstract – Bull trout, a species of char listed as threatened under the US Endangered Species Act, have been displaced from portions of their historic range following the introduction of nonnative lake trout. It has been suggested that competitive exclusion as a result of trophic overlap between bull trout and lake trout may be the causal mechanism associated with displacement of bull trout. This study used stable isotope data to evaluate trophic relationships among native bull trout, nonnative lake trout and other fishes in seven lakes in Glacier National Park (GNP), Montana. Bull trout and lake trout had greater δ15N values relative to other fishes among lakes (δ15N ≥ 3.0‰). Lake trout had greater δ15N values relative to bull trout (δ15N = +1.0‰). Bull trout had greater δ13C values relative to lake trout in six of the seven lakes examined. Although both bull trout and lake trout had greater δ15N values relative to other fishes within lakes in GNP, differences in δ15N and δ13C between bull trout and lake trout suggest that they are consuming different prey species or similar prey species in different proportions. Therefore, displacement of bull trout as a direct result of complete overlap in food resource use is not anticipated unless diet shifts occur or food resources become limiting. Additionally, future studies should evaluate food habits to identify important prey species and sources of partial dietary overlap between bull trout and lake trout.  相似文献   

2.
Introduced fishes may have major impacts on community structure and ecosystem function due to competitive and predatory interactions with native species. For example, introduced lake trout (Salvelinus namaycush) has been shown to replace native salmonids and induce major trophic cascades in some North American lakes, but few studies have investigated trophic interactions between lake trout and closely related native Arctic charr (S. alpinus) outside the natural distribution of the former species. We used stomach content and stable isotope analyses to investigate trophic interactions between introduced lake trout and native Arctic charr in large subarctic Lake Inarijärvi in northern Finland. Both salmonids had predominantly piscivorous diets at >280 mm total length and were mainly caught from the deep profundal zone. However, lake trout had a more generalist diet and showed higher reliance on littoral prey fish than Arctic charr, whose diet consisted mainly of pelagic planktivorous coregonids. According to length at age and condition data, lake trout showed slightly faster growth but lower condition than Arctic charr. The results indicate that introduced lake trout may to some extent compete with and prey upon native Arctic charr, but currently have only a minor if any impact on native fishes and food web structure in Inarijärvi. Future monitoring is essential to observe potential changes in trophic interactions between lake trout and Arctic charr in Inarijärvi, as well as in other European lakes where the two salmonids currently coexist.  相似文献   

3.
Anadromous Arctic charr, Salvelinus alpinus (L.), was introduced to a sub‐Arctic river–lake system near the village of Kujjuuaq, Nunavik, and the stable isotope values and diets of key resident fish species were used to assess changes in feeding patterns. Stable isotope values for most species did not differ significantly between the pre‐ and post‐introduction periods, with observed shifts being within the bounds of expected natural variation. Lake chub, Couesius plumbeus (Agassiz), were the single species to show a difference between study periods, with a small but significant increase in δ15N. No significant post‐introduction changes were seen in lake trout, Salvelinus namaycush (Walbaum), omnivory or in any of the assessed quantitative food web metrics. Gut contents of major fish species similarly showed significant temporal overlap between the pre‐ and post‐introduction periods, and there was no significant change in species' weight–length relationships. The minor ecological impact was interpreted in relation to the availability of open niches exploitable by ecological generalists such as Arctic charr. The explanation accords with the known habitat and feeding flexibility of Arctic charr and the ecological immaturity of sub‐Arctic lakes known to have driven adaptive variation among Arctic charr. Findings suggest that anadromous Arctic charr may be introduced at moderate densities to other sub‐Arctic watersheds without major negative food web consequences for other resident fish species.  相似文献   

4.
Habitat use, food composition and growth of stocked and native brown trout, Salmo trutta L., were studied in the subarctic Lake Muddusjärvi in northern Finland. Stocked brown trout and native brown trout preferred littoral and pelagic areas. Trout were stocked in October. In June stocked trout fed primarily on invertebrates while native fish were piscivorous. From July onwards the composition of the diet of both stocked and native trout was similar and consisted almost entirely of small‐sized whitefish. Brown trout were already piscivorous at a length of about 20 cm. The mean length of prey consumed was about 12 cm. Mean length‐at‐age was similar from the second year in the lake despite of the larger size of stocked fish during the first year in the lake.  相似文献   

5.
Abstract – In past dietary studies kokanee Oncorhynchus nerka were prominent in the diet of Pend Oreille Lake's large piscivores: native bull trout Salvelinus confluentus, cutthroat trout O. clarki and northern pikeminnow Ptychocheilus oregonensis, and introduced lake trout S. namaycush and Kamloops rainbow trout O. mykiss gairdneri. However, kokanee have declined to 10–20% of their former abundance. We therefore initiated this study to understand current predation demands on kokanee and diet overlap among piscivores, using gut content samples and analysis of stable nitrogen (δ15N) and carbon (δ13C) isotopes from the lake's fish and invertebrate community. In gut content samples, kokanee were the main prey item of large [i.e., ≥400 mm total length (TL)] bull and lake trout; a conclusion that was affirmed by stable isotope analysis. Rainbow trout >500 mm TL consumed mostly kokanee, thus there was a high degree of diet overlap among large bull, lake and rainbow trout. Small (i.e., <400 mm TL) rainbow and cutthroat trout diets overlapped, and were composed mostly of littoral benthic invertebrates. However, gut content and stable isotope analysis did not accord for 400–500 mm TL rainbow trout, small lake trout, and large cutthroat trout. In these instances, a linear mixing model using stable isotope results predicted kokanee consumption for each species, but no kokanee were identified in rainbow or lake trout gut content. Gut content and stable isotope analysis of native northern pikeminnow indicated a diet of mostly littoral benthic invertebrates at smaller (100–150 mm TL) lengths, with kokanee becoming more prominent in the diet of individuals >300 mm TL. Percent of kokanee in the diet of northern pikeminnow has declined from a prior study; otherwise piscivore diets have apparently remained unchanged. In this study, judgments as to the feeding of some piscvores, based on gut content alone, would be tenuous because of small sample sizes, but stable isotope analysis provided an efficient means for confirming diets.  相似文献   

6.
Abstract Non‐native lake trout, Salvelinus namaycush (Walbaum), threaten native salmonid populations in the western United States. Effective management of lake trout requires understanding movements within connected lake and river systems. This study determined the seasonal movements of subadult lake trout in the Flathead River upstream of Flathead Lake, Montana, USA using radio telemetry. The spatiotemporal distribution of lake trout in the river was related to water temperature. Lake trout were detected in the river primarily during autumn, winter and spring, when water temperatures were cool. By contrast, fewer were detected when temperatures were warmest during summer and during high spring flows. Downriver movements to Flathead Lake occurred throughout autumn and winter when water temperature decreased below 5 °C, and in late spring as water temperature rose towards 15 °C and river discharge declined following spring runoff. Upriver movements occurred primarily in October, which coincided with migrations of prey fishes. These results suggest that lake trout are capable of moving throughout connected river and lake systems (up to 230 km) and that warm water temperatures function as an impediment to occupancy of the river during summer. Controlling source populations and maintaining natural water temperatures may be effective management strategies for reducing the spread of non‐native lake trout.  相似文献   

7.
Muskellunge (Esox masquinongy Mitchill), northern pike (Esox lucius L.) and walleye (Sander vitreus Mitchill) often coexist in lake communities, yet uncertainty exists about the potential for interspecific competition among these top predators. Stable isotope data were used to assess niche overlap and diets of these predators in Elk Lake (Minnesota, U.S.A). δ13C indicated primary production sources (e.g. pelagic v. littoral) and δ15N indicated trophic position; the bivariate distribution of these isotopes defined the species’ isotopic niche. Niche overlap probabilities were calculated and stable isotope mixing models were used to quantify diet proportions. Muskellunge and northern pike niches overlapped little (<10%), while walleye overlapped muskellunge (15%–60%) and northern pike (33%–53%) more extensively. Muskellunge diets focused (50%) on cisco (Coregonus artedi Lesueur), walleye primarily assimilated non-cisco prey fish (80%), and northern pike diets were dominated by non-cisco prey fish (45%) and invertebrates (40%). The presence of a cisco population and the flexibility of northern pike to use invertebrate resources may decrease potential competition among these predators. However, cisco are threatened by climate change and eutrophication, and our results suggest that extirpation of cisco may cause major changes in potential competitive interactions among these top predators. Moreover, cisco were unique among prey species in their ability to exploit pelagic energy, such that loss of cisco will likely alter energy flow in lake food webs where they currently exist.  相似文献   

8.
Stable isotope analysis was used to investigate seasonal and spatial variations of the food web structure in a large eutrophic lake ecosystem (Lake Taihu, China). Basal food sources, invertebrates and fish were sampled in two lake regions with different environmental conditions and spatial variations in the isotopic composition of lake food webs were found. Overall, more depleted δ13C and enriched δ15N isotope values of organic matter sources and consumers were found in the phytoplankton-dominated lake region than in the macrophyte-dominated region. Wide seasonal variations in the isotopic ratios were also observed in the lake biota, with a general trend towards enriched δ13C and δ15N values in summer and depleted values in winter. This pattern could be explained by a combination of environmental (e.g., irradiance and nutrient inputs) and biotic (e.g., availability of food sources and plasticity in prey item choice) features. Results of isotope mass balance suggest that macrophytes provide some trophic support in the macrophyte-dominated area, but in both lake regions it is more likely that aquatic food webs are phytoplankton based rather than macrophyte based under eutrophic conditions.  相似文献   

9.
Abstract – Although introductions of prey species have the potential to significantly alter habitat use by top predatory fish, this aspect has rarely been directly quantified. Introduction of yellow perch (Perca flavescens), a littoral–pelagic prey species, to a small boreal lake previously dominated by littoral cyprinids provided a unique opportunity to examine how a change in forage base influenced habitat use by the sole top predator, lake trout (Salvelinus namaycush). We monitored lake trout pelagic and spatial distribution using acoustic telemetry before (2001) and after (2008) the introduction of perch to determine whether habitat use reflected a deeper, offshore prey community. After accounting for differences in water temperature and dissolved oxygen concentrations between years and the inclusion of a control lake, our data suggest that lake trout habitat use changed after the introduction of yellow perch. Lake trout, on average, were 1.4 m deeper (P < 0.01), reduced their use of littoral habitat by 55% (P = 0.03) and experienced a 71% decrease in home range size (P < 0.01), consistent with a greater offshore habitat overlap between predator and prey after the introduction of yellow perch. This study illustrates how introduced prey species may have a significant influence on habitat use by top predatory fish, while also showing the importance of using direct measurements to quantify behavioural changes.  相似文献   

10.
Diet interactions between native and non‐native fishes may influence the establishment of native species within their historical range (i.e., reintroduction). Therefore, we illustrated the food web structure of and followed the transition of the federally endangered humpback chub Gila cypha into a novel food web following translocation and determined the potential for a non‐native species, rainbow trout Oncorhynchus mykiss, to influence translocation success. Humpback chub and rainbow trout used resources high in the food web and assimilated similar proportions of native fishes, suggesting non‐native rainbow trout may occupy an ecological role similar to humpback chub. Subsequently, humpback chub may be well suited to colonise tributaries because of their ability to consume resources high in the food web. Additionally, diet partitioning may occur between all members of the fish community as indicated by separation in trophic niche space and little trophic overlap; although all species, particularly bluehead sucker Catostomus discobolus, used a broad range of food resources. Rainbow trout stomach content analysis corroborated stable isotope analysis and suggested rainbow trout diet consisted of aquatic and terrestrial macroinvertebrates, while larger rainbow trout (>120 mm total length) consumed a greater proportion of fish (incidence of piscivory = 5.3%). Trophic interactions may reveal an underutilized niche space or biotic resistance to the establishment of translocated native fishes. Continued translocation of humpback chub into tributaries appears to be one option for conservation. However, successful establishment of humpback chub may depend on continued removal of non‐native trout, increasing availability of diet sources at higher trophic levels.  相似文献   

11.
12.
Management agencies in several western states of the United States are implementing suppression programmes to control non‐native lake trout, Salvelinus namaycush (Walbaum), for the conservation of native species. This study was implemented to ascertain the population demographics of an expanding lake trout population and use those data to construct an age‐structured model to inform suppression efforts. Population projection matrices were used to model population growth and identify age or stage classes with the greatest influence on population growth. The size and age structure of lake trout sampled was skewed towards juveniles, indicating strong recruitment and a growing population. Matrix‐model simulations corroborated the observed size and age structure, as the lake trout population was predicted to grow exponentially (λ = 1.35, 95% CL: 1.25–1.43) with no suppression efforts. Elasticity analysis of matrix models indicated the relative contribution of survival rates to population growth among immature age classes was equal from age 0 to age at first maturity, but immature survival rates contributed more than adult survival and fertility rates. These results emphasise the importance of targeting juvenile lake trout for suppression efforts during exponential growth in recently established populations.  相似文献   

13.
14.
Habitat occupancy patterns of lake trout (Salvelinus namaycush) and lake whitefish (Coregonus clupeaformis) in two large Canadian Shield lakes were modelled based on detections of fish from repeated depth‐stratified surveys over several summers. Lake trout and lake whitefish consistently occupied sites outside traditional thermal envelopes and were not detected at some sites within these ranges. This included the metalimnion and shallow epilimnion for lake trout and lake whitefish in Lake Opeongo. Physical habitat covariates were not important in defining lake trout habitat in both lakes. Physical habitat as represented by the hardness/softness gradient based on acoustic substrate surveys was important for lake whitefish in Lake Opeongo but not in Smoke Lake. In addition, thermal envelopes for lake whitefish differed between the lakes possibly because of differences in substrate slope. The wash zone of lakes, where the thermocline contacts the substrate, appears to be a physical habitat feature for lake whitefish in some lakes. Lake whitefish also exhibited diurnal activity behaviour that was reflected through greater detection rates in the morning versus the afternoon. By accounting for imperfect detection, true estimated overall occupancy of lake trout and lake whitefish increased 0.15–0.30 over naïve occupancy. Thermal habitat envelopes for lake trout and lake whitefish are wider than previously thought. Lake trout occupied a consistent thermal habitat envelope while lake whitefish varied between lakes likely because of lake specific differences in basin morphology and wash zone.  相似文献   

15.
16.
Competitive interactions with non‐native species can have negative impacts on the conservation of native species, resulting in chronic stress and reduced survival. Here, juvenile Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) from two allopatric populations (Sebago and LaHave) that are being used for reintroduction into Lake Ontario were placed into semi‐natural stream tanks with four non‐native salmonid competitors that are established in Ontario streams: brown trout (S. trutta), rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss), Chinook salmon (O. tshawytscha) and coho salmon (O. kisutch). Brown trout and rainbow trout reduced the survival and fitness‐related traits of Atlantic salmon, whereas Chinook salmon and coho salmon had no impact on these traits. These data support theories on ecological niche overlap and link differences in observed aggression levels with competitive outcomes. Measurements of circulating hormones indicated that the Atlantic salmon were not chronically stressed nor had a change in social status at the 10‐month time point in the semi‐natural stream tanks. Additionally, the Sebago population was better able to coexist with the non‐native salmonids than the LaHave population. Certain populations of Atlantic salmon may thus be more suitable for some environments of the juvenile stream phase for the reintroduction into Lake Ontario.  相似文献   

17.
Northern Lake Huron (Ontario, Canada) supports the largest concentration of freshwater salmonid cage culture farms in Canada and receives inputs of domestic‐strain rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) through escapement. We assessed the potential effects of these domestic fish on the naturalised rainbow trout of this ecosystem by comparing their respective ecologies. Mature adults were sampled from spawning tributaries, primarily in spring, and to a lesser extent in fall. Fish of domestic origin comprised ~80% of rainbow trout sampled from sites near cage culture facilities but <20% of rainbow trout sampled from more distant sites. Domestic adults in spawning condition (gametes free‐flowing) were present in the spawning tributaries in both spring and fall sampling seasons, whereas naturalised fish in spawning condition were only observed in the spring. Domestic adults were younger and smaller (in length), appeared to have shorter lifespan and had a higher male to female ratio compared with their naturalised counterparts. Growth rates (change in length with age) of naturalised and domestic females in the wild were similar, but domestic males grew more slowly than naturalised males. Domestic females also produced smaller eggs than naturalised females. Food web positions (inferred from δ13C and δ15N) of domestic and naturalised fish were very similar but varied more strongly with body size in the former. Domestic‐strain rainbow trout of cage culture origin can survive, grow and attempt to spawn in northern Lake Huron and have the potential to compete for food, mates and spawning habitat with naturalised rainbow trout.  相似文献   

18.
Although non‐native species can sometimes threaten the value of ecosystem services, their presence can contribute to the benefits derived from the environment. In the Great Lakes, non‐native brown trout (Salmo trutta) and rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) support substantial recreational fisheries. With current efforts underway to restore once‐native Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) to Lake Ontario, there is some concern that Atlantic salmon will impede non‐native contributions to the recreational fishery because Atlantic salmon exhibit niche overlap with brown trout and rainbow trout, particularly during the juvenile life stage. We therefore examined competition and growth of juvenile Atlantic salmon, brown trout and rainbow trout in semi‐natural streams. We found that brown trout were the most dominant and had the greatest growth rate regardless of what other species were present. Rainbow trout were more dominant than Atlantic salmon and consumed the most food of the three species. However, in the presence of brown trout, rainbow trout fed less frequently and exhibited negative growth as compared to when the rainbow trout were present with only Atlantic salmon. These data suggest that, outside of density‐dependent effects, Atlantic salmon will not impact stream production of brown trout and rainbow trout.  相似文献   

19.
20.
Characterization of food web structure may provide key insights into ecological function, community or population dynamics and evolutionary forces in aquatic ecosystems. We measured stable isotope ratios of 23 fish species from the Rio Cuareim, a fifth‐order tributary of the Rio Uruguay basin, a major drainage of subtropical South America. Our goals were to (i) describe the food web structure, (ii) compare trophic segregation at trophic guild and taxonomic scales and (iii) estimate the relative importance of basal resources supporting fish biomass. Although community‐level isotopic overlap was high, trophic guilds and taxonomic groups can be clearly differentiated using stable isotope ratios. Omnivore and herbivore guilds display a broader δ13C range than insectivore or piscivore guilds. The food chain consists of approximately three trophic levels, and most fishes are supported by algal carbon. Understanding food web structure may be important for future conservation programs in subtropical river systems by identifying top predators, taxa that may occupy unique trophic roles and taxa that directly engage basal resources.  相似文献   

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