Temporal Persistence of Resource Polymorphism in Brook Charr, Salvelinus Fontinalis

Resource polymorphisms are believed to be an important intermediate step in competitive sympatric speciation. Reports of resource polymorphisms in fishes are becoming more common, but tests of the temporal persistence of resource polymorphisms remain scarce. We examined the temporal persistence of a body shape dimorphism reported previously for stream dwelling young-of-the-year brook charr, Salvelinus fontinalis, inhabiting slow vs. fast running water. In the year of our study, we found no difference in body shape between individuals in slow vs. fast flowing water, although fish in fast flowing water were of greater standard length than those in slower flowing water. We conclude that the resource polymorphism reported earlier for brook charr in streams is not stable temporally.