invasive generalist consumes more zooplankton in winter than native planktivore
Žiga Ogorelec (Author), Alexander Brinker (Author), Dietmar Straile (Author)

Abstract

In recent years, Lake Constance has experienced an invasion and domination of three-spined stickleback (Gasterosteus aculeatus) in the pelagic zone, which has coincided with a decline in the native whitefish (Coregonus wartmanni) population. Similar massive invasions of sticklebacks into pelagic zones have been recognized also in marine areas or small lakes worldwide. However, their diet overlaps with native species is rarely evaluated, especially in the winter season, which often presents a bottleneck for fish survival. In this study, we compared the diet of pelagic sticklebacks with the diet of the substantially larger native whitefish in different seasons, to evaluate the threat of the recent stickleback invasion on whitefish populations. By monthly sampling of zooplankton and both fish species diets, we could demonstrate that sticklebacks select similar prey throughout most of the year and consume more prey than whitefish during the winter. With relations between prey availability and prey selection, interspecific and intraspecific seasonal diet variability and indices like a prey-specific index of relative importance, we discuss the importance of zooplankton species traits and abundance for whitefish and stickleback predation. This study shows that sticklebacks, despite their small size, represent a serious potential diet competitor to native planktivorous fish. Sticklebacks quickly adapt to new environments, and thus we advocate precautions regarding their introduction into similar lakes as Lake Constance, as this could cause irreversible ecological changes.

Keywords

invazivne ribe;velikost plenilcev;sezonska izbira plena;plenjenje planktona;Bodensko jezero;Bythotrephes longimanus;Lake Constance;overwintering strategy;pelagic whitefish diet;planktivory;predator size;seasonal prey selection;stickleback invasion;

Data

Language: English
Year of publishing:
Typology: 1.01 - Original Scientific Article
Organization: NIB - National Institute of Biology
UDC: 574
COBISS: 133759235 Link will open in a new window
ISSN: 1314-2488
Views: 26
Downloads: 12
Average score: 0 (0 votes)
Metadata: JSON JSON-RDF JSON-LD TURTLE N-TRIPLES XML RDFA MICRODATA DC-XML DC-RDF RDF

Other data

Secondary language: Slovenian
Secondary keywords: invazivne ribe;velikost plenilcev;sezonska izbira plena;plenjenje planktona;Bodensko jezero;
Source comment: Nasl. z nasl. zaslona; Opis vira z dne 14. 12. 2022;
Pages: str. 71-97
Issue: ǂVol. ǂ78
Chronology: 2022
DOI: 10.3897/neobiota.78.86788
ID: 24549626
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