The foraging ecology of larval and juvenile fishes |
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Authors: | A D Nunn L H Tewson I G Cowx |
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Institution: | (1) Hull International Fisheries Institute, Department of Biological Sciences, University of Hull, Hull, HU6 7RX, UK |
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Abstract: | Knowledge of the foraging ecology of fishes is fundamental both to understanding the processes that function at the individual,
population and community levels, and for the management and conservation of their populations and habitats. Furthermore, the
factors that influence the acquisition and assimilation of food can have significant consequences for the condition, growth,
survival and recruitment of fishes. The majority of marine and freshwater fish species are planktivorous at the onset of exogenous
nutrition and have a limited ability to detect, capture, ingest and digest prey. Improvements in vision, development of fins
and associated improvements in swimming performance, increases in gape size and development of the alimentary tract during
ontogeny often lead to shifts in diet composition. Prey size, morphology, behaviour and abundance can all influence the prey
selection of larval and juvenile fishes. Differences in feeding behaviour between fish species, individuals or during ontogeny
can also be important, as can inter- and intraspecific interactions (competition, predation risk). Temporal (diel, seasonal,
annual) and spatial (microhabitat, mesohabitat, macrohabitat, regional) variations in prey availability can have important
implications for the prey selection, diet composition, growth, survival, condition and, ultimately, recruitment success of
fishes. For fish populations to persist, habitat must be available in sufficient quality and quantity for the range of activities
undertaken during all periods of development. Habitats that enhance the diversity, size ranges and abundance of zooplankton
should ensure that sufficient food resources are available to larval and juvenile fishes. |
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