Differential time budgets of two forms of juvenile brook charr in the open-water zone

No significant differences were found in the time budget (time spent in feeding, moving and stationary), attack rate (number of feeding bouts min⁻¹), and microhabitat use of juvenile (1+ years) littoral and pelagic brook charr Salvelinus fontinalis at 2 and 4 m depth, when restricted to feeding in pelagic enclosures. In contrast, fish of the littoral form allocated significantly more time than pelagic ones to feeding, moving and in total activity at 3 m depth. No significant differences were found in attack rate between the two forms at any given depth. Based on the mean for the water column (all depths pooled), however, fish of the littoral form executed a significantly higher attack rate than fish of the pelagic one. In multiple regressions analyses, the best predictors of time allocated to feeding and attack rate were the dummy variable 'form' (littoral individuals spend significantly more time in feeding than pelagic ones), light intensity at the surface (negative) and water temperature (positive), and explained 48 and 55% of these variations, respectively. Time allocated to moving was only explained by water temperature (negative) and explained 43% of the variation. Time in a stationary position was best explained by water temperature (negative) and light intensity at the surface (positive), explaining 52% of the variation. The results of this study support the hypothesis that littoral brook charr spend more energy in foraging than pelagic ones when restricted to feeding in the pelagic habitat, and thus that trophic diversification is adaptive in this species.     

Behavioural responses of benthic and pelagic Arctic charr to substratum heterogeneity

Responses to environmental heterogeneity were studied in laboratory-reared offspring of two morphs of Arctic charr Salvelinus alpinus from Loch Rannoch, Scotland, one occupying the pelagic zone and feeding predominantly on zooplankton and the other being benthic in habit and feeding mainly on macroinvertebrates. When housed in groups in tanks with a black-and white striped base, benthic charr demonstrated a clear preference for dark areas, whereas pelagic fish positioned themselves at random with respect to substratum colour. In general, pelagic charr were much less aggressive than benthic charr. In pelagic fish, neither spacing nor aggression was affected by the visual heterogeneity of the substrate. In contrast, benthic charr swam closer together and fought more when housed over a uniform as opposed to a non-uniform substratum. The results are discussed in the context of habitat-specific visual requirements and of an interaction between visual complexity and territoriality previously described for Atlantic salmon Salmo salar .     

Habitat use and fish activity of landlocked Atlantic salmon and brook charr in a newly developed habitat compensation facility

Degradation and destruction of valuable spawning and rearing habitat due to anthropogenic changes (e.g., flow modification and channelisation) is known to have dramatic impacts on fish populations. To compensate for habitat losses due to hydropower development, an artificial fluvial habitat channel (‘Compensation Creek’) was constructed in south-central Newfoundland, Canada. The creek was designed to include appropriate habitat features for the two dominant salmonid fish species, landlocked Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar L.) and brook charr (Salvenius fontinalis Mitchell). The study examines the habitat use of landlocked Atlantic salmon and brook charr in the Compensation Creek using electromyogram (EMG) radio telemetry. Ten landlocked Atlantic salmon and eight brook charr were captured and tagged with EMG transmitters. In laboratory swimming experiments, the EMG values were calibrated against swimming speed. Fish were then released in the Compensation Creek and tracked on a daily basis. The results show that (1) during residence in the creek, both species used preferentially the habitat features designed to match their rearing habitat preferences, and (2) swimming speed did not vary among habitat types for either species.     

The influence of prey biomass on activity and consumption rates of brook trout

The objectives of this work were (1) to assess the influence of zooplankton biomass on activity and consumption rates of young-of-the-year brook trout ( Salvelinus fontinalis ) and (2) to validate an in situ enclosure approach to quantify energy allocation patterns in fish. These objectives were attained by directly estimating fish growth, consumption and activity rates on 10 occasions characterized by different levels of zooplankton biomass (0.005 to 0.100 mg dry weight 1⁻¹). One enclosure was used to estimate growth and activity rates and five additional enclosures were used to estimate consumption rates. Among-experiment variations of activity rates (sum for five trout = 2.4 to 33.5 calories day⁻¹) were proportionally more important than variations of consumption rates (sum for five trout = 59.5 to 112.7 calories day⁻¹). The results support the existence of a significant positive relationship between fish activity rates and zooplankton biomass. No significant relationship was found between consumption rates and prey biomass. Final size of fish inside the enclosure was within 7.6% of the value estimated using experimentally derived activity and consumption rates. This situation, together with the stability of among-enclosure activity and feeding schedules, suggested that the experimental design was appropriate to estimate fish energy allocation patterns. Combination of our observations with those of a previously published work indicated that small variations of fish size or zooplankton biomass can cause a two-fold variation of fish activity costs.     

Trophic polymorphism in brook charr revealed by diet, parasites and morphometrics

Stomach contents, parasite assemblages and morphometrics were compared in brook charr Salvelinus fontinalis from the littoral and pelagic zone of two adjacent lakes on the Canadian Shield. In lac Baie des Onze Îles, fish from the littoral zone had greater abundance of benthic prey in their stomach and were more heavily infected by parasites that use intermediate hosts associated with the littoral zone than fish captured in the pelagic zone. Littoral and pelagic brook charr from this lake also differed in regard to body shape and fin length, with each group being anatomically adapted to exploit their respective habitats. The highly significant correlation between morphometric and parasite canonical scores supports the hypothesis of functional diversification of individuals within lac Baie des Onze Îles. While fish from littoral and pelagic zones of lac Caribou did not differ in terms of diet, parasite assemblages or morphometrics, they were different to fish from lac Baie des Onze Îles in that they were less frequently infected with parasites that use gastropods as intermediate hosts, and had shorter pectoral fins. The inter-lake comparisons suggested that parasite assemblages and morphometrics of brook charr reflected the dominance of the limnetic and littoral habitats in lacs Caribou and lac Baie des Onze Îles, respectively.     

Food web complexity affects stoichiometric and trophic interactions

The stoichiometry of trophic interactions has mainly been studied in simple consumer–prey systems, whereas natural systems often harbour complex food webs with abundant indirect effects. We manipulated the complexity of trophic interactions by using simple laboratory food webs and complex field food webs in enclosures in Lake Erken. In the simple food web, one producer assemblage (periphyton) and its consumers (benthic snails) were amended by perch, which was externally fed by fish food. In the complex food web, two producer assemblages (periphyton and phytoplankton), their consumers (benthic invertebrates and zooplankton) and perch feeding on zooplankton were included. In the simple food web perch affected the stoichiometry of periphyton and increased periphyton biomass and the concentration of dissolved inorganic nitrogen. Grazers reduced periphyton biomass but increased its nutrient content. In the complex food web, in contrast to the simple food web, perch affected periphyton biomass negatively but increased phytoplankton abundance. Perch had no influence on benthic invertebrate density, zooplankton biomass or periphyton stoichiometry. Benthic grazers reduced periphyton biomass and nutrient content. The difference between the simple and the complex food web was presumably due to the increase of pelagic cyanobacteria ( Gloeotrichia sp.) with fish presence in the complex food web, thus fish had indirect negative effects on periphyton biomass through nutrient competition and shading by cyanobacteria. We conclude that the higher food web complexity through the presence of pelagic primary producers (in this case Gloeotrichia sp.) influences the direction and strength of trophic and stoichiometric interactions.     

The effect of salty diets and gradual transfer to sea water on osmotic adaptation, gill Na+, K+-ATPase activation, and survival of brook charr, Salvelinus fontinalis, Mitchill

The intensity and duration of the period of osmotic disturbance during introduction of brook charr into sea water were decreased by introducing the fish according to a gradient of salinity over a period of 6 days. Survival in summer increased from 25 to 90% with the use of a salinity gradient. However, kinetics and levels of activation of the gill Na⁺, K⁺-ATPase were not affected by the mode used for introducing brook charr into sea water. Neither was its level of activity modified by the use of a salted diet when the fish were in fresh water. The addition of 8 and 12% of salt to the diet prevented the plasma electrolyte surge of concentrations during the first days in sea water. In very cold water, survival rate was also drastically improved by giving an 8% salted diet during the 6 weeks preceding the introduction into sea water. These results show that both salty diets and exposure to brackish water during 6 days help brook charr face osmotic stress and improve their survival rate when introduced into full-strength sea water. The combined use of these preconditioning strategies might facilitate rearing this species in sea cages or silos.     

Effects of different fish species and biomass on plankton interactions in a shallow lake

Thirty-six enclosures, surface area 4 m², were placed in Little Mere, a shallow fertile lake in Cheshire, U.K. The effects of different fish species (common carp, common bream, tench and roach) of zooplanktivorous size, and their biomass (0, 200 and 700 kg ha^–1) on water chemistry, zooplankton and phytoplankton communities were investigated. Fish biomass had a strong effect on mean zooplankton size and abundance. When fish biomass rose, larger zooplankters were replaced by more numerous smaller zooplankters. Consequently phytoplankton abundance rose in the presence of higher densities of zooplanktivorous fish, as zooplankton grazing was reduced. Fish species were also significant in determining zooplankton community size structure. In enclosures with bream there were significantly greater densities of small zooplankters than in enclosures stocked with either carp, tench and, in part, roach. When carp or roach were present, the phytoplankton had a greater abundance of Cyanophyta than when bream or tench were present. Whilst top-down effects of fish predation controlled the size partitioning of the zooplankton community, this, in turn apparently controlled the bottom-up regeneration of nutrients for the phytoplankton community. At the zooplankton–phytoplankton interface, both top-down and bottom-up processes were entwined in a reciprocal feedback mechanism with the extent and direction of that relationship altered by changes in fish species. This has consequences for the way that top-down and bottom-up processes are generalised.     

Summer use of a small stream by fish and crayfish and exchanges with adjacent lentic macrohabitats

1. Movements between a stream reach and two adjacent lentic macrohabitats, a beaver pond and a lake, were followed for the Appalachian crayfish and two fish species, brook charr and brown bullhead, over an 85‐d period from early June to late August, and were analysed in relation to water level, maximum water temperature, photoperiod length, lunar luminosity, and age, by use of time‐series regressions. 2. Brook charr showed strong net immigration to the stream reach for underyearling (age class 0+) fish but net emigration for 1+ fish. Both immigration and emigration were positively related to water level and temperature; migratory responses to temperature were age‐specific. 3. Brown bullhead used the stream primarily as a corridor for downstream migration from the beaver pond to the lake. As with brook charr, water level and temperature had a positive effect on movement and responses were stronger in younger individuals. 4. Crayfish emigrated from the stream during the summer. Movements were positively related to increases in water level and temperature, with responses of 1+ crayfish much stronger than those of older individuals. 5. The results indicate that the stream tributary played different roles for brook charr (nursery), brown bullhead (dispersal corridor) and Appalachian crayfish (early summer refuge), and suggest that variation in water level or temperature resulting from climatic change or local anthropogenic activities might modify connectivity between macrohabitats, particularly for younger individuals.     

The influence of swimming demand on phenotypic plasticity and morphological integration: a comparison of two polymorphic charr species

In northern freshwater lakes, several fish species have populations composed of discrete morphs, usually involving a divergence between benthic and limnetic morphs. Although it has been suggested that swimming demand plays an important role in morphological differentiation, thus influencing habitat selection, it is unclear how it affects reaction norms, patterns in character correlation, and levels of morphological integration. We examined whether swimming demand could induce morphological plasticity in the directions expected under divergent habitat selection, and evaluated its influence on the morphological integration in Arctic charr (Salvelinus alpinus) and brook charr (S. fontinalis), two congeneric species exhibiting conspicuous and subtle resource polymorphism, respectively. We found that changes in morphology were induced by differential swimming demands in both species. The length of the pectoral fin was the character that responded most strongly according to the predicted morphological expectations under divergent habitat selection. High levels of morphological plasticity, relatively low levels of integration, and differences found in the morphological correlation structure among water velocity treatments suggest that constraints on morphological change are unlikely in either species, thus allowing great potential for phenotypic flexibility in both species. The magnitude of character integration, however, was larger for Arctic charr than for brook charr. This latter result is discussed in the light of the differences in the level of polymorphism between the two species in the wild. The results of the present study indicate that swimming demand alone may not be sufficient to generate the polymorphism encountered in nature. Given that both diet and swimming demands can induce morphological changes, it would be important to conduct experiments targeting the interaction between the morphological modules related to trophic and swimming demands.     

The influence of groundwater withdrawal and land use changes on brook charr (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Salvelinus fontinalis</Emphasis>) thermal habitat in two coldwater tributaries in Michigan,U.S.A.

Brook charr (Salvelinus fontinalis) is a sentinel fish species which requires clean, cold water habitats. As such, many jurisdictions in the United States where brook charr are present use this species as an indicator of ecosystem health. In Michigan, groundwater-dominated streams are currently being impacted by increased groundwater withdrawal and land use/land cover changes which alter stream temperatures and their flow, and thus have the potential to significantly influence brook charr production and behavior. We quantified the influence of groundwater withdrawal and land use alteration on thermal habitat availability for brook charr using a groundwater modeling tool that estimated changes in baseflow to a stream segment based on changes to the groundwater system due to groundwater withdrawal and changes in rates of recharge related to landscape changes within a watershed. Projected stream temperature changes were calculated using a stream temperature modeling tool and compared to the range of temperature preferenda for brook charr in order to evaluate the potential impact of policy decisions regarding water extraction and land use/cover changes. The models predicted relatively small changes in both stream baseflow and consequently, stream temperature, with increased groundwater withdrawal rates. Land use/land cover alterations which we analyzed were shown to either mitigate or enhance the loss of brook charr thermal habitat as a result of groundwater withdrawal, depending on its relationship to recharge dynamics. This study emphasizes the importance of collaboration between water, land, and fisheries managers to ensure brook charr population viability, productivity, and sustainability in the face of environmental change, increasing water use and development in the watershed.     

Studies on the Effects of Silver Carp (Hypophthalmichthys molitrix) on the Phytoplankton in a Shallow Hypereutrophic Lake through an Enclosure Experiment

The responses of nutrients, water transparency, zooplankton and phytoplankton to a gradient of silver carp biomass were assessed using enclosure methods. The gradient of four silver carp biomass levels was set as follows: 0, 116, 176 and 316 g m^—2. Nutrients did not show any statistically significant differences among the treatments. An outburst of Daphnia only occurred in fishless enclosures where phytoplankton biomass was the lowest and water clarity significantly increased. While among fish enclosures, the small‐sized Moina micrura dominated throughout the experiment and both zooplankton and phytoplankton biomasses decreased with increased fish biomass. No large colonial cyanobacterial blooms occurred in the fishless enclosures as predicted. This might be due to low water temperature, short experiment time and the occurrence of large bodied Daphnia in our experiment. Cryptophyta was the most dominant group in most of the enclosures and the lake water throughout the experiment. The fishless enclosure had much lower proportion of Cyanophyta but higher proportion of Trachelomonas sp.     

Fish-zooplankton interactions and their effects on water quality of a tropical Brazilian reservoir

The influence of zooplanktivorous fishes on the plankton community and water quality of Americana Reservoir, Brazil was studied experimentally in 4 floating enclosures during the dry seasons (July–September) of 1982 and 1983. Two enclosures were stocked with adult fish (Astyanax bimaculatus in 1982;A. fasciatus in 1983) at near maximal densities measured in the reservoir upper surface waters (35 m^–2) and two were fish-free during each experiment lasting about one month. Marked differences were evident between the fish and fish-free enclosures after a 2–3 week period in each experiment, particularly with respect to water transparency, phytoplankton biomass, and zooplankton abundance as well as species and size composition. By the end of each experiment water transparencies were lower and phytoplankton biomass higher in the fish enclosures compared to those without fish. Also at that time Rotifera were the prominent zooplankters in the fish enclosures and Cladocera in the fish-free ones. Larger or more conspicuous species of Cladocera asDaphnia gessneri, D. ambigua, andMoina micrura were present in the fish-free enclosures but not in the fish enclosures. The interactions between fish predation, zooplankton grazing, phytoplankton biomass and water quality conditions are discussed in relation to eutrophication of a tropical aquatic ecosystem.     

鲢放养和施肥对盐碱池塘围隔生态系统浮游生物群落的影响

报道了单养链（Hypophthalmichthys molitrix)和施肥对盐碱池塘围隔生态系统浮游生物群落的影响,链的放养使浮游植物丰度,叶绿素a 含量和和初组生产力增大,浮游植物小型化,生物量以小型硅藻和绿藻占优势,裸藻和金藻占有相当比重;浮游动物生物量减少,特别是枝角类的生物量无鱼围隔大于有鱼围隔,且多是较大型的种类,施肥特别是施无机肥能显著地提高浮游植物丰度和初级生产力,浮游动物生物量也增大,施有机肥围隔浮游植物和浮游动物生物量虽高于有鱼对照围隔,但其浮游植物初级生产力,叶绿素a含量,浮游生物多样性指数,P／R系数均较低,链鱼的生长最差,文中讨论了滤食性鱼类和施肥对浮游生物的影响。     

Artificial light and season affects vertical distribution and swimming behaviour of post-smolt Atlantic salmon in sea cages

In winter, post-smolts of Atlantic salmon Salmo salar exposed to continuous additional light of different intensities (LL) in 14 m deep sea cages maintained a constant swimming speed in circular polarized schools with maximum fish density in the warmest water layers at 11 m depth. By contrast, fish exposed to natural light only (NL) ceased swimming at dusk, ascended from the warm layer to the thermocline c. 3 m depth and were more dispersed in the whole water column during the dark phase. In early spring, fish exposed to LL of medium (LL-MED) or high (LL-HIGH) light intensity ascended and maximum fish density was at 5 m depth. A similar ascent was delayed to late spring in both the low intensity group (LL-LOW) and the NL group, coinciding with a shift in maximum temperature to this depth. The advanced ascent in the LL-HIGH and LL-MED groups is interpreted as a light-induced shift in a seasonal rhythm of feeding motivation. In summer, most of the fish in all four treatment groups were observed in the warm and less saline 4 m surface layer. It is suggested that the seasonal and diel changes in vertical distribution of Atlantic salmon are related inversely to feeding motivation, with preferences for maximum temperature and darkness acting as modifying factors.     

Winter ecology of Arctic charr (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Salvelinus alpinus</Emphasis>) and brown trout (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Salmo trutta</Emphasis>) in a subarctic lake,Norway

We studied habitat choice, diet, food consumption and somatic growth of Arctic charr (Salvelinus alpinus) and brown trout (Salmo trutta) during the ice-covered winter period of a subarctic lake in northern Norway. Both Arctic charr and brown trout predominantly used the littoral zone during winter time. Despite very cold winter conditions (water temperature <1°C) and poor light conditions, both fish species fed continuously during the ice-covered period, although at a much lower rate than during the summer season. No somatic growth could be detected during the ice-covered winter period and the condition factor of both species significantly declined, suggesting that the winter feeding rates were similar to or below the maintenance requirements. Also, the species richness and diversity of ingested prey largely decreased from summer to winter for both fish species. The winter diet of Arctic charr <20 cm was dominated by benthic insect larvae, chironomids in particular, and Gammarus lacustris, but zooplankton was also important in December. G. lacustris was the dominant prey of charr >20 cm. The winter diet of brown trout <20 cm was dominated by insect larvae, whereas large-sized trout mainly was piscivorous, feeding on juvenile Arctic charr. Piscivorous feeding behaviour of trout was in contrast rarely seen during the summer months when their encounter with potential fish prey was rare as the small-sized charr mainly inhabited the profundal. The study demonstrated large differences in the ecology and interactions of Arctic charr and brown trout between the winter and summer seasons.     

Diel food selection of pelagic Arctic charr, Salvelinus alpinus (L.), and brown trout, Salmo trutta L., in Lake Atnsjø, SE Norway

Patterns of diel food selection in pelagic Arctic charr, Salvelinus alpinus (L.) and brown trout, Salmo trutta L. were investigated in Lake Atnsjo, SE Norway, by gillnet sampling during July-September 1985. Arctic charr feed almost exclusively on zooplankton both day and night, while brown trout had a diurnal shift in diet. For this species zooplankton made up a considerable part of the diet in the daytime, while at night the diet consisted mainly of surface insect and chironomid pupae. Both species had a selective feeding mode on zooplankton during the day and night. Arctic charr had a higher gill raker number and a denser gill raker spacing compared with brown trout. Still, the differences in prey size between the two species were small. We argue that the observed differences in food selection between Arctic charr and brown trout can be explained by differing abilities to detect food items under low light conditions.     

Influence of spring and summer water temperature on brook charr, Salvelinus fontinalis, growth and age structure in the Ford River, Michigan

Synopsis The influence of late spring and summer water temperatures on brook charr, Salvelinus fontinalis, growth and age structure was evaluated from 1984 to 1991 in the Ford River, Michigan. Temperature was monitored and brook charr sampled for vital statistics from late May through September using fyke nets and weirs at four locations within a 25.8 km section of stream. Scale analysis was used to determine captured brook charr age, past length at age and relative annual growth rates. Late spring and summer water temperature patterns varied between years with the greatest variability occurring in May and June. Age and size structure also varied between years and was significantly related to temperature. Years with cooler late spring and summer temperature patterns were dominated by older (age 2 and 3), larger brook charr, while years with warmer spring and summer temperature patterns were dominated by younger (age 1), smaller brook charr. Spring and summer temperature did not appear to have a significant effect on the growth of age 0 or age 1 brook charr. However, temperature was negatively related to brook charr growth from age 2 on. As spring and summer water temperatures are critical to brook charr growth and survival, it is important that a streams thermal regime be considered when establishing management goals for this species.     

Seasonal analysis of Daphnia pulicaria swimming behavior

Our study documents individual swimming behavior of Daphnia pulicaria over a yearly cycle in a temperate lake. We collected D. pulicaria, a common freshwater zooplankton, from Lake Mendota on 10 dates between July 1994 and June 1995 from two depths, 2 m and 10 m. The Daphnia were rushed to the laboratory and video-taped as they swam in lake water under lake-ambient temperature and light conditions. Five-second swimming tracks of individual Daphnia were filmed and digitized using a motion analysis system. We measured average turning angle, swimming speed and sinking rate for each track. D. pulicaria swimming behavior varied over the annual cycle. We found significant differences in turning angle between depths and among months. Sinking rate and swimming speed were significantly different among months but not depths. Sinking rate and swimming speed were not significantly correlated with water temperature. Our results were contrary to Stokes' Law predictions, in that D. pulicaria had the slowest sinking speed in June, not in the winter when water temperatures were lowest and viscosity was highest. Body length was significantly correlated with all three swimming variables. We also studied swimming behavior in clonal populations of D. pulicaria in different concentrations of the alga, Chlamydomonas reinhardtii. D. pulicaria did not change swimming speed, turning angle or sinking rate over a range of food concentrations. Finally, swimming behavior in a D. pulicaria clone, tested at two temperatures in the laboratory, confirmed the results from our seasonal study; Daphnia did not sink as predicted by changes in viscosity.