Journal articles on the topic 'Benthic fish'
To see the other types of publications on this topic, follow the link: Benthic fish.
Create a spot-on reference in APA, MLA, Chicago, Harvard, and other styles
Consult the top 50 journal articles for your research on the topic 'Benthic fish.'
Next to every source in the list of references, there is an 'Add to bibliography' button. Press on it, and we will generate automatically the bibliographic reference to the chosen work in the citation style you need: APA, MLA, Harvard, Chicago, Vancouver, etc.
You can also download the full text of the academic publication as pdf and read online its abstract whenever available in the metadata.
Browse journal articles on a wide variety of disciplines and organise your bibliography correctly.
1
Galarowicz, Tracy L., and David H. Wahl. "Foraging by a young-of-the-year piscivore: the role of predator size, prey type, and density." Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences 62, no. 10 (October 1, 2005): 2330–42. http://dx.doi.org/10.1139/f05-148.
Full textAbstract:
Young-of-the-year piscivores undergo ontogenetic diet shifts, but mechanisms influencing prey selection and implications for growth are unclear. We examined foraging and growth of 20- to 150-mm walleye (Sander vitreus) fed either zooplankton, benthic invertebrates, or fish over a range of prey densities in the laboratory. The number of each prey type consumed was influenced by walleye size and prey density. Walleye exhibited type II functional responses on each prey type; attack coefficients were constant across zooplankton and fish densities but decreased with benthic invertebrate densities. Handling time estimates were greater for fish than for other prey types but similar for zooplankton and benthos. Foraging efficiencies on zooplankton and benthic invertebrates increased with walleye size but were variable for fish prey. The smallest walleye size class (20 mm) had similar energy return (J·min1) and growth (g·day1) on zooplankton, benthic invertebrates, and fish. For larger walleye, both energy return and growth were highest on fish, intermediate on benthic invertebrates, and lowest on zooplankton. Diet shifts of juvenile piscivores and, consequently, growth can be explained by ontogenetic changes in foraging abilities and prey densities.
2
Ridgway, Mark S., and J. D. McPhail. "Rival male effects on courtship behaviour in the Enos Lake species pair of sticklebacks (Gasterosteus)." Canadian Journal of Zoology 65, no. 8 (August 1, 1987): 1951–55. http://dx.doi.org/10.1139/z87-297.
Full textAbstract:
Two species of stickleback (Gasterosteus) coexist in Enos Lake, on Vancouver Island. Field observations and trapping data indicate that limnetic males nest on open substrate whereas benthic males nest on substrate in vegetation. Given these habitat differences, we conducted laboratory experiments to determine the effect of conspecific rival nesting males on the courtship behaviour of the two species. Courtships of limnetic fish were longer in duration than those of benthic fish because of longer territorial interactions between limnetic males. Limnetic females, and not benthic females, reduced their positive responses to their male partner when a rival male was present. The cost of competitive courtship, in terms of male competition and female choice, is thus greater in limnetics than benthics. Differences in competitive courtship between the two species are behavioural adaptations to habitats that promote (open habitat, limnetics) or reduce (vegetation, benthics) courtship disruptions.
3
Moraes, Karlos, Allan T. Souza, Mojmír Vašek, Daniel Bartoň, Petr Blabolil, Martin Čech, Romulo A. dos Santos, et al. "Openness of Fish Habitat Matters: Lake Pelagic Fish Community Starts Very Close to the Shore." Water 13, no. 22 (November 20, 2021): 3291. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/w13223291.
Full textAbstract:
Fish communities differ significantly between the littoral and the pelagic habitats. This paper attempts to define the shift in communities between the two habitats based on the European standard gillnet catch. We sampled the benthic and pelagic habitats from shore to shore in Lake Most and Římov Reservoir (Czech Republic). The 3 m deep pelagic nets were spanned across the water body at equal distances from two boundary points, where the depth was 3.5 m. The benthic community contained more fish, more species, and smaller individuals. The mild sloped littoral with a soft bottom attracted more fish than the sloping bank with a hard bottom and less benthos and large Daphnia. The catch of the pelagic nets was dominated by eurytopic fish—rudd (Scardinius erythrophthalmus) and roach (Rutilus rutilus) in Most and bleak (Alburnus alburnus) in Římov. With the exception of one case where overgrown macrophytes extended the structured habitat, the largest shift from the benthic to the pelagic community was observed only in the first pelagic gillnet above the bottom depth of 3.5 m. Open water catches were relatively constant with small signs of decline towards the middle of the lake. The results indicate that the benthic gillnet catch is representative of a very limited area and volume, while most of the volume is dominated by the pelagic community. This has important consequences for the assessment of the community parameters of the whole lake following the European standards for gillnet sampling design.
4
Dwirastina, M., Y. C. Ditya, and Herlan. "Estimation of Fish Production Potential with Benthos Biomass Approach in Sumani and Ombilin River of Singkarak Lake West Sumatra." IOP Conference Series: Earth and Environmental Science 919, no. 1 (November 1, 2021): 012008. http://dx.doi.org/10.1088/1755-1315/919/1/012008.
Full textAbstract:
Abstract The potential for fish production is very important as a necessary material for WPP PD in making policies. Estimation of fishery production potential is adjusted to aquatic ecosystem. The method used differs between running and stagnant water based on the shape of the water. Fishery resources in Indonesia, especially inland fisheries, still cannot be managed and utilized optimally and sustainably. The method used in estimating fishery stocks in the watershed is the Leger-Huet method. Research to estimate fish production potential using the benthic biomass approach using the Leger-Huet method was carried out in February, June, and October 2019 in the Sumani River and Ombilin River, Singkarak Lake. The research objective was to determine the estimated value of fish production potential through the benthic biomass approach in the Sumani River (Inlet) and Ombilin River (Outlet), Singkarak Lake. The calculation of benthic biomass and fish production potential was carried out at the Testing Laboratory of the Research Institute for Inland Fisheries and Extension in Palembang. This system is expected to be able to provide alternative solutions for decision-making and agencies to determine the potential for fish production in an area. The determination of the potential for fish production using the benthic biomass approach is highly dependent on the width of the river. The results showed that the types of benthos in the Sumani and Ombilin rivers were 5 classes and 17 families. The benthos found by the Ombilin River are more varied than those in the Sumani River, and the estimated fish production potential of the Ombilin River is greater than that of the Sumani River. The highest yield of benthic biomass was found in the Ombilin River (159.06 gr/m2) compared to the Sumani River (76.06 gr/m2). Meanwhile, the average potential fish production in the Batang Sumani River (573.8 (kg/ha) is higher than in the Ombilin River (244.74 kg/ha).
5
Wong, Allan HK, Donald J. McQueen, D. Dudley Williams, and Eric Demers. "Transfer of mercury from benthic invertebrates to fishes in lakes with contrasting fish community structures." Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences 54, no. 6 (June 1, 1997): 1320–30. http://dx.doi.org/10.1139/f97-035.
Full textAbstract:
We examined the flow of mercury (Hg) from benthic invertebrates to fishes in lakes with contrasting fish community structure. The study was carried out in two whole lakes in southcentral Ontario in 1992. Both were remote from direct sources of contamination and were chosen because of their physical and chemical similarities. Although the fish communities in the two lakes were qualitatively similar, the total number of fishes in Ranger Lake was an order of magnitude smaller than that in Mouse Lake. As a result of the lower net predation from benthivorous fishes, documented in earlier studies, Ranger Lake benthic invertebrate populations were significantly higher. However, benthic invertebrate taxa in Mouse Lake were generally larger and had higher Hg concentrations. This was partly attributed to the stunted growth of Mouse Lake fishes, which did not allow them to prey on larger benthos as a result of gape limitations. Despite the lower Hg concentrations in Ranger Lake benthos, total benthic invertebrate Hg pools were higher in this lake as a result of its higher total benthic invertebrate biomass. However, the transfer of total Hg from benthic invertebrates to fishes was higher in Mouse Lake due to the higher consumption rates of benthivorous fishes.
6
Aida, M. Z., S. O. S. Aisyah, I. M. Zamzani, M. A. Salam, A. A. Liyana, and E. R. Aweng. "Benthic Macroinvertebrates Assemblages in the Fish Pond." IOP Conference Series: Earth and Environmental Science 1102, no. 1 (November 1, 2022): 012063. http://dx.doi.org/10.1088/1755-1315/1102/1/012063.
Full textAbstract:
Overall, small holder of fish farmers in Kelantan in particular does not monitor their pond water quality to maintain fish health due to tedious and expensive work. Hence, this study was proposed to identify the assemblages of benthic macroinvertebrates at the fish pond for potential as a tool for water quality assessment via biological indicator. The study area was in one of the small holder fish pond at Gua Musang, Kelantan, Malaysia. Benthic macroinvertebrates were collected monthly from March to August 2021. Benthic macroinvertebrates were collected by using a heavy-duty D-frame dip net combined with a bag-shaped. The ecological indices were calculated (Shannon diversity index, Margelef’s richness index, Pielou’s evenness index, and Simpson’s dominance index). Results showed a total of 356 individuals from 27 taxa of aquatic insects were collected. Corixidea (Hemiptera) recorded high abundance in July 2021. Even though there were differences in the abundance of benthos for monthly sampling, the season was only a part of the factors that might contribute, however the other factors cannot be neglected such as food availability, water quality and substrates composition conditions. Hopefully the findings could be used by the small holders to assess their pond water quality effectively with minimum cost.
7
Glova, GJ, and PM Sagar. "Feeding in a Nocturnally active fish, Galaxias brevipinnis, in a New Zealand stream." Marine and Freshwater Research 40, no. 3 (1989): 231. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/mf9890231.
Full textAbstract:
To determine the diel feeding periodicity and diet of a lake-inlet population of Galaxias brevipinnis in New Zealand, samples of benthos, drift and fish were collected over a 24-h period in summer. Both numerically and gravimetrically, fish stomach contents revealed that feeding started some time after sunset, peaked towards midnight, and virtually ceased after sunrise. Benthic invertebrates were consumed almost exclusively, with ephemeropterans, trichopterans, and dipterans constituting 95% of the total foods eaten, a major proportion being chironomid larvae. Size of prey eaten compared with size of invertebrates in the benthos differed significantly during the night; this indicated that some size-selective feeding occurred. The benthic feeding habit of Galaxias brevipinnis appears to allow it to forage on relatively small prey during the night, a phenomenon that has been reported for other bottom-dwelling native fish species in New Zealand.
8
Grutter, AS, S. Bejarano, KL Cheney, AW Goldizen, T. Sinclair-Taylor, and PA Waldie. "Effects of the cleaner fish Labroides dimidiatus on grazing fishes and coral reef benthos." Marine Ecology Progress Series 643 (June 11, 2020): 99–114. http://dx.doi.org/10.3354/meps13331.
Full textAbstract:
Territorial and roving grazing fishes farm, and feed on, algae, sediment, or detritus, thus exerting different influences on benthic community structure, and are common clients of cleaner fish. Whether cleaners affect grazing-fish diversity and abundance, and indirectly the benthos, was tested using reefs maintained free of the bluestreak cleaner wrasse Labroides dimidiatus for 8.5 yr (removals) compared with controls. We quantified fish abundance per grazing functional group, foraging rates of roving grazers, cleaning rates of roving grazers by L. dimidiatus, reef benthos composition, and fouling material on settlement tiles. Abundances of ‘intensive’ and ‘extensive’ territorial farmers, non-farmers, parrotfishes and Acanthurus spp. were lower on removal than control reefs, but this was not the case for ‘indeterminate’ farmers and Ctenochaetus striatus. Foraging rates of Acanthurus spp. and C. striatus were unaffected by cleaner presence or cleaning duration. This suggests some robustness of the grazers’ foraging behaviour to loss of cleaners. Acanthurus spp. foraged predominantly on sediment and detritus, whereas C. striatus and parrotfishes grazed over algal turfs. Nevertheless, benthic community structure and amount of organic and inorganic material that accumulated over 3.5 mo on tiles were not affected by cleaner presence. Thus, despite greater abundances of many roving grazers, and consequently higher grazing rates being linked to the presence of cleaners, the benthos was not detectably affected by cleaners. This reveals that the positive effect of cleaners on fish abundance is not associated with a subsequent change in the benthos as predicted. Rather, it suggests a resilience of benthic community structure to cleaner-fish loss, possibly related to multiple antagonistic effects of different grazer functional groups. However, losing cleaners remains a problem for reefs, as the lack of cleaning has adverse consequences for fish physiology and populations.
9
Fukunaga, Atsuko, Kailey H. Pascoe, Ashley R. Pugh, Randall K. Kosaki, and John H. R. Burns. "Underwater Photogrammetry Captures the Initial Recovery of a Coral Reef at Lalo Atoll." Diversity 14, no. 1 (January 8, 2022): 39. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/d14010039.
Full textAbstract:
Recovery of coral reefs after physical damage sustained from storm events can be affected by various factors. Here, we examined the initial recovery of a coral reef at the southern end of uninhabited Lalo Atoll of Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument after its complete destruction by Hurricane Walaka in 2018. While the site was still mostly (98%) covered by a mixture of rubble and sand, surveys utilizing underwater photogrammetry allowed for detailed quantitative assessments of benthic cover and confirmed colonization of coral (Pocillopora meandrina and Porites lobata), macroalgae and sponges. The proportion of sand in the rubble–sand mixture also decreased from the level observed in 2019. Visual fish surveys confirmed the presence of 35 reef fish species, a large increase from no reef fish in 2019, despite the low biotic benthic cover. Overall, the colonization of benthic organisms and the return of reef fish, which is potentially supported by the benthos and cryptofauna in the rubble bed, offer positive signs of reef recovery. The photogrammetric surveys in the present study captured the subtle changes in the benthic cover and provided us with a procedure to continue monitoring the succession of the site. Continuous monitoring of the site should reveal whether the reef returns to the original state of Acropora coral dominance or progresses towards a coral assemblage with a different composition.
10
Davenport, Stephanie R., and Nicholas J. Bax. "A trophic study of a marine ecosystem off southeastern Australia using stable isotopes of carbon and nitrogen." Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences 59, no. 3 (March 1, 2002): 514–30. http://dx.doi.org/10.1139/f02-031.
Full textAbstract:
The stable isotopes of carbon and nitrogen were used to investigate trophic relationships of fish and invertebrates on the continental shelf of southeastern Australia. We examined 87 fish species, marine mammals, penguins, invertebrates, algal samples, suspended particulate organic matter (POM), and sediments. The main source of primary production is oceanic phytoplankton, although there is evidence of a seagrass contribution to the benthos. Marine mammals, penguins, some benthic invertebrates, and some benthic fish filled the highest trophic positions. Sources of variability in isotope results included temporal (POM, some fish) and spatial (POM, sediments) elements, bottom depth (some fish), and size (some fish). Fish had muscle δ15N values of 9.6 to 14.7 and δ13C values of 20.6 to 14.6. Cluster analysis on fish stable isotope results produced fish groups that could be interpreted with trophic and habitat information. Trophic relationships in fish, suggested by stable isotope results, were supported by stomach contents analysis. Stable isotope results may indicate more representative trophic relationships, as stomach contents analyses tend to group prey by taxon rather than by trophodynamic position. In fish and invertebrates, stable isotope results related more to functional patterns of feeding than to taxonomic relationships.
11
Vander Zanden, M. Jake, Sudeep Chandra, Sang-Kyu Park, Yvonne Vadeboncoeur, and Charles R. Goldman. "Efficiencies of benthic and pelagic trophic pathways in a subalpine lake." Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences 63, no. 12 (December 1, 2006): 2608–20. http://dx.doi.org/10.1139/f06-148.
Full textAbstract:
Although the study of lakes has traditionally focused on pelagic production pathways, recent stable isotope and diet evidence indicates that benthic algal production is an important contributor to fish production. This has led to the suggestion that energy may be more efficiently passed along benthic food chains relative to their pelagic counterparts. To test this idea, we combined stable isotope based assessments of energy flow pathways with estimates of pelagic- and benthic-based primary and secondary production in Castle Lake, California. Approximately 50% of whole-lake primary production and 30% of whole-lake secondary production occurred in benthic habitats. Stable carbon isotopes and dietary data indicated that fish were predominantly supported by benthic (63%) and terrestrial (24%) secondary production. Ecological efficiencies (algal production / invertebrate production) were low in Castle Lake (<3%), though zoobenthic production was more efficiently passed to fish than was zooplankton production. The larger size of benthic prey relative to pelagic prey may affect fish prey selection and foraging efficiency, resulting in differences in ecological efficiency between pelagic and benthic trophic pathways.
12
Smurov, A. O., I. S. Plotnikov, and N. V. Aladin. "Past of fish resources of the small Aral sea (Kazakhstan)." Rybovodstvo i rybnoe hozjajstvo (Fish Breeding and Fisheries), no. 9 (September 11, 2022): 578–89. http://dx.doi.org/10.33920/sel-09-2209-01.
Full textAbstract:
This work is an attempt to trace changes in the fish fauna, their food supply and fish catches in the Small Aral Sea from the beginning of the 20th century to the late 1980s. The purpose of our work is a comparative study of changes in the fishery value of the water reservoir at different stages of its development, including during the last anthropogenic regression. Both literature data and those obtained by the authors in the period 1991–2015 were used. Not only data related to the fauna and fish catches proper, but also data on their food supply, represented mainly by invertebrates, were taken into account. The native ichthyofauna consisted of 20 species of fish, mainly related to benthophages. The biomass of benthos was small — 20 g/m2 due to the significant pressure of fish. The construction of the Tashkent railway was the reason for the emergence of the village of Aralsk in 1905, and the beginning of industrial fishing at sea, as it ensured the export of fish products. The catch of fish in the pre-revolutionary period reached a maximum of 48,300 tons. Planned acclimatization of fish and benthic organisms began to increase the fishery value of the reservoir. Some of them were unsuccessful. The introduction of plankton-eating fish affected not only the zooplankton of the sea, but also its benthic fauna, the abundance and biomass of which decreased. The increase in salinity because of the regression of the water reservoir led to a sharp depletion of the fauna. In the absence of pressure from fish, the biomass of benthic organisms increased by more than 10 times.
13
Duncan, Wallice P. "Interspecific Differences in the Metabolic Rate, Gill Dimension and Hematology of Fish in an Amazonian Floodplain Lake." Aquatic Science and Technology 8, no. 1 (February 24, 2020): 38. http://dx.doi.org/10.5296/ast.v8i1.15981.
Full textAbstract:
It has been hypothesized that respiratory physiology in fish is closely associated with ecological traits. Therefore, data on gill morphometrics (lamellae frequency, gill surface area and barrier thickness), metabolic rate (oxygen consumption) and blood oxygen capacity (hematology) were analyzed in several fish, including benthic, bentho-pelagic and pelagic species collected in an Amazon floodplain lake. Similar to other teleostean species, the 2nd and 3rd gill arches have numerous large filaments in both pelagic and benthic species, as these characteristics tend to increase the gill surface area. A large gill area (4 to 7 cm2 g-1, mass-specific) is associated with a high (100 to 300 mg O2 h-1 kg-1) routine oxygen consumption rate and has been observed in active pelagic swimmers, such as Cichla monoculus and Pygocentrus nattereri. Benthic dwelling fish (e.g., Pterygoplichthys pardalis and Sorubim lima) have low metabolic rates (20 to 50 mg O2 h-1 kg-1), small gill dimensions (2 to 3 cm2 g-1, mass-specific), low hemoglobin levels (3 to 5 g dL-1), reduced numbers of circulating red blood cells (1 to 2 Í106 mm-3) and low hematocrit values (25 to 35%) compared to pelagic species. These results demonstrated that pelagic fish have high routine oxygen consumption rates compatible with their large gill surface area and high blood oxygen capacity, whereas benthic species have low metabolic rates, small gill dimensions and reduced blood oxygen capacity.
14
Arkhipkin, A., P. Brickle, V. Laptikhovsky, L. Butcher, E. Jones, M. Potter, and D. Poulding. "Variation in the diet of the red cod with size and season around the Falkland Islands (south-west Atlantic)." Journal of the Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom 81, no. 6 (December 2001): 1035–40. http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s0025315401005021.
Full textAbstract:
Ontogenetic and seasonal variations in the diet were studied for a benthopelagic fish, the red cod Salilota australis (Pisces: Moridae) from the Falkland Islands shelf. The study revealed that small fish (<39 cm total length, TL) fed mainly on benthic gammarid amphipods, with squid Loligo gahi, Illex argentinus and the fish Patagonotothen spp. being of secondary importance. In medium sized fish (40–60 cm TL) the importance of fish in their diet increased, but benthic gammarid amphipods remained important, although their role decreased in the percentage by weight. Large fish (>61 cm TL) fed mainly upon Patagonotothen spp. which consisted of 90% by weight. Seasonal variations were analysed only for medium-sized fish. In February–June, S. australis fed mainly on benthic amphipods and Patagonotothen spp. In July–October, the squid Loligo gahi became the most common prey. In November–January benthic crustaceans reappeared in the diet, and Patagonotothen spp. became the most important prey item followed by benthic gammarid amphipods and the isopod Seriolis sp. The niche breadth was found to be similar in the different size groups (2·03–2·66), indicating that the fish fed on one to two abundant prey items in each group. The niche breadth of medium-sized fish varied seasonally reflecting the diversity of prey items utilized throughout the year.
15
Glova, GJ, and PM Sagar. "Dietary and spatial overlap between stream populations of a native and two introduced fish species in New Zealand." Marine and Freshwater Research 42, no. 4 (1991): 423. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/mf9910423.
Full textAbstract:
Benthic and drifting invertebrates as well as fish were sampled in a lake-inlet stream over a 24-h period in summer in order to investigate interactions for food and space between a native fish species (Galaxias brevipinnis, Galaxiidae) and juveniles of two exotic fish species (Salmo trutta and Oncorhynchus mykiss, Salmonidae) in New Zealand. Galaxias brevipinnis fed almost exclusively at night on the benthos, whereas both trout species fed mostly during the day on drifting and benthic prey. Larvae of Deleatidium (Ephemeroptera), Hydrobiosis and Oxyethira (Trichoptera), and Austro-simulium and Chironomidae (Diptera) were the major prey in the diets of all three fish species. Small prey made up a greater proportion of the diet of G. brevipinnis than for either trout species. All three species of fish were found primarily in riffles and runs in water depths of 0.1-0.3 rn, with G. brevipinnis frequently being in faster-flowing areas (water velocity 0.8-1.1 m s-1) than was either trout species (water velocity 0.4-0.7 rn s-1). These differences in pattern of die1 feeding and micro- habitat use no doubt lessen the interaction between the galaxiid and salrnonid fish species.
16
Takahashi, Masanori, and Tetsuo Iwami. "The summer diet of demersal fish at the South Shetland Islands." Antarctic Science 9, no. 4 (December 1997): 407–13. http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s0954102097000527.
Full textAbstract:
The stomach contents of demersal fish in late January 1982 were analysed. Samples were taken at 100, 300 and 500 m depth south of Elephant Island, Bransfield Strait and north of Livingston Island, and at 800 m to the east of Smith Island. Fifty four taxa of fish belonging to 11 families were collected. The diets of 2101 fish representing 38 taxa were examined. These were classified into three categories, fish feeders, krill feeders and benthos feeders. Fish prey species fed on krill and/or benthos. Krill was a major dietary component for 32 (84.2%) out of 38 taxa. Gobionotothen gibberifrons was distributed at all 10 stations (100–800 m in depth) and its diet comprised krill and benthos. The present findings verify the importance of krill in the Antarctic marine ecosystem and indicate that krill is consumed by benthic fish at greater depths than previously reported.
17
Hevia, M., H. Rosenthal, and R. J. Gowen. "Modelling benthic deposition under fish cages." Journal of Applied Ichthyology 12, no. 2 (July 1996): 71–74. http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1439-0426.1996.tb00065.x.
Full text
18
Fukunaga, Atsuko, Randall K. Kosaki, Kailey H. Pascoe, and John H. R. Burns. "Fish Assemblage Structure in the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands Is Associated with the Architectural Complexity of Coral-Reef Habitats." Diversity 12, no. 11 (November 15, 2020): 430. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/d12110430.
Full textAbstract:
The architectural complexity of coral-reef habitat plays an important role in determining the assemblage structure of reef fish. We investigated associations between the reef habitats and fish assemblages in the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands (NWHI) using in situ fish counts and data on habitat metrics and benthic community composition that were obtained from three-dimensional (3D) photogrammetric reconstructions of the surveyed sites. The structure of fish assemblage as a whole on the basis of Bray–Curtis dissimilarity, species richness and the abundances of herbivores and piscivores were associated with habitat metrics, with higher levels of architectural complexity generally supporting greater numbers of fish species and individuals. Benthic cover did not explain additional variation in these variables after the effects of habitat metrics were taken into account. Corallivorous fish was the only group that showed positive associations with both habitat metrics and benthic cover (Acropora and Pocillopora corals). The total fish abundance and the abundances of planktivores and invertivores did not show associations with either habitat metrics or benthic cover. This study suggests that an appropriate combination of habitat metrics can be used to account sufficiently for the effects of habitat architecture on fish assemblages in reef monitoring efforts in the NWHI.
19
Pierce, Clay L., Joseph B. Rasmussen, and William C. Leggett. "Sampling Littoral Fish with a Seine: Corrections for Variable Capture Efficiency." Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences 47, no. 5 (May 1, 1990): 1004–10. http://dx.doi.org/10.1139/f90-115.
Full textAbstract:
Capture efficiency of a beach seine varies greatly depending on aspects of the littoral zone habitat and fish community. To address this sampling bias, we quantified seine efficiency and several habitat and fish community variables at 26 littoral stations in 10 southern Quebec lakes. We then generated regression models predicting capture efficiencies for total, midwater, and benthic fish. Predictions from these models yield "sliding" correction factors for seine catches. Bottom snags and seine rolling generally reduced capture efficiencies, and higher proportions of benthic fish were associated with reduced capture efficiencies for total fish. Higher macrophyte biomass was associated with increased capture efficiencies. Fish size was a significant predictor of capture efficiency only for benthic fish; smaller fish escaped the seine more readily. Regression models explained 26–73% of the observed variation in capture efficiency. Use of our models will improve the accuracy of abundance estimates from littoral seining with little additional effort.
20
Tupinambás, TH, PS Pompeu, CV Gandini, RM Hughes, and M. Callisto. "Fish stomach contents in benthic macroinvertebrate assemblage assessments." Brazilian Journal of Biology 75, no. 1 (March 2015): 157–64. http://dx.doi.org/10.1590/1519-6984.09913.
Full textAbstract:
The choice of sampling gears to assess benthic macroinvertebrate communities depends on environmental characteristics, study objectives, and cost effectiveness. Because of the high foraging capacity and diverse habitats and behaviors of benthophagous fishes, their stomach contents may offer a useful sampling tool in studies of benthic macroinvertebrates, especially in large, deep, fast rivers that are difficult to sample with traditional sediment sampling gear. Our objective was to compare the benthic macroinvertebrate communities sampled from sediments with those sampled from fish stomachs. We collected benthic macroinvertebrates and fish from three different habitat types (backwater, beach, riffle) in the wet season, drying season, and dry season along a single reach of the Grande River (Paraná River Basin, southeast Brazil). We sampled sediments through use of a Petersen dredge (total of 216 grabs) and used gill nets to sample fish (total of 36 samples). We analyzed the stomach contents of three commonly occurring benthophagous fish species (Eigenmannia virescens, Iheringichthys labrosus, Leporinus amblyrhynchus). Chironomids dominated in both sampling methods. Macroinvertebrate taxonomic composition and abundances from fish stomachs differed from those from sediment samples, but less so from riffles than from backwater and beach habitats. Macroinvertebrate taxa from E. virescens stomachs were more strongly correlated with sediment samples from all three habitats than were those from the other two species. The species accumulation curves and higher mean dispersion values, compared with with sediment samples suggest that E. virescens is more efficient than sediment samples and the other fish studied at collecting benthic taxa. We conclude that by analyzing the stomach contents of benthophagous fishes it is possible to assess important characteristics of benthic communities (dispersion, taxonomic composition and diversity). This is especially true for studies that only sample fish assemblages to evaluate aquatic ecosystem impacts. Therefore, this approach can be useful to amplify assessments of human impacts, and to incorporate additional bioindicators.
21
Klöser, Heinz, Joachim Plötz, Harry Palm, Annette Bartsch, and Gerd Hubold. "Adjustment of anisakid nematode life cycles to the high Antarctic food web as shown by Contracaecum radiatum and C. osculatum in the Weddell Sea." Antarctic Science 4, no. 2 (June 1992): 171–78. http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s0954102092000269.
Full textAbstract:
The infestation of Weddell seals and several fish species by the anisakid nematodes Contracaecum osculatum and C. radiatum was compared. Nematode numbers in Weddell seal stomachs ranged from 30 560 to 122 640. Third stage larvae from seals and fish were separated into a short and a long type. The short type was related to C. radiatum and the long type to C. osculatum. The short type was more abundant in pelagic fish species, whereas the long type prevailed in benthic fish species. Fish-feeding channichthyids Cryodraco antarcticus and Chionodraco myersi seemed to play an important role as paratenic hosts for the third stage larvae of both Contracaecum species. Different advantageous and detrimental features of a benthic versus a pelagic life cycle under high Antarctic ecological conditions are discussed. Varying abundance of the two nematode species in hosts may be controlled by differences in their life cycles, which follow either a pelagic or a benthic food web. Crucial importance is thus given to the local availability of pelagic versus benthic food resources for Weddell seals.
22
Clarke, Thomas M., Sasha K. Whitmarsh, Peter G. Fairweather, and Charlie Huveneers. "Overlap in fish assemblages observed using pelagic and benthic baited remote underwater video stations." Marine and Freshwater Research 70, no. 6 (2019): 870. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/mf18224.
Full textAbstract:
Baited remote underwater video stations (BRUVS) are increasing in popularity as non-invasive and fishery-independent tools for assessing fish assemblages. Although most BRUVS studies have focused on benthic fish communities, recent studies also use BRUVS to examine the comparatively undersampled pelagic communities. However, the propensities of benthic BRUVS to detect pelagic fishes and, likewise, pelagic BRUVS to detect demersal fishes are unknown. This study simultaneously used benthic and pelagic BRUVS deployed either separately (single) or in combination to determine assemblages of demersal and pelagic species at three contrasting sites within temperate South Australia. Assemblages observed by benthic v. pelagic BRUVS differed significantly at all sites, including one as shallow as 7m deep, but there were no significant differences in assemblages observed between BRUVS of the same position (i.e. pelagic or benthic) when BRUVS were deployed as single units or in combination. This study reveals the limitations of using only benthic or pelagic BRUVS, and highlights the necessity for both BRUVS positions to be used together to ensure that a comprehensive representation of entire fish assemblages throughout the water column can be obtained.
23
Montojo, Ulysses, Bryan Tanyag, Karl Bryan Perelonia, Flordeliza Cambia, and Naomasa Oshiro. "Ciguatera in the Philippines: Examining Reef Fish Vectors and Its Causative Benthic Dinoflagellates in Visayan and Sibuyan Seas." Philippine Journal of Fisheries 27, no. 1 (July 1, 2020): 19–29. http://dx.doi.org/10.31398/tpjf/27.1.2019a0015.
Full textAbstract:
Ciguatera Fish Poisoning (CFP) is primarily caused by ingesting reef fishes contaminated with ciguatoxins (CTX) produced by the Gambierdiscus species. The unpredictability of this type of food poisoning poses risks to public health and adversely affecting the fish trade industry. This study aimed to provide useful information on ciguatera in the Philippines. Different reef fish species and host-macroalgae for benthic dinoflagellates were collected in Visayan and Sibuyan Seas. Ciguatoxins were extracted from reef fish samples, and toxicity was determined qualitatively using mouse bioassay. Meanwhile, cell density estimation of toxic benthic dinoflagellates isolated from the host-macroalgae was done through microscopy. It was observed that 4.46% of the total reef fish samples were positive with ciguatoxins. Spatially, Carles, Iloilo in Visayan sea had the highest number of toxic specimens belonging to Epinephelus merra, Lethrinus lentjan, Lutjanus campechanus, Scarus quoyi, Siganus guttatus, and Sphyraena barracuda. Based on data gathered from three sampling sites, fish toxin occurrence is observed to be site-specific. Geographical conditions affect the frequency of toxic samples. Moreover, fish weight is not a good predictor of fish toxicity. For toxic benthic dinoflagellates, Gambierdiscus spp. were observed to have the lowest cell density count among other dinoflagellates averaging 7-115 cells per 100 g macroalgae. On the other hand, Ostreopsis spp. had the highest average cell density of 118-1,455 cells per 100 g macroalgae, followed by Prorocentrum spp. (207-594 cells per 100 g macroalgae). Fish toxicity is directly proportional to the occurrence of benthic dinoflagellates in areas as seen during dry season. Monitoring and management of CFP on identified reef fish vectors and its causative benthic dinoflagellates in the area are necessary to promote food safety and fair trade practice.
24
van Denderen, P. Daniel, Tobias van Kooten, and Adriaan D. Rijnsdorp. "When does fishing lead to more fish? Community consequences of bottom trawl fisheries in demersal food webs." Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences 280, no. 1769 (October 22, 2013): 20131883. http://dx.doi.org/10.1098/rspb.2013.1883.
Full textAbstract:
Bottom trawls are a globally used fishing gear that physically disturb the seabed and kill non-target organisms, including those that are food for the targeted fish species. There are indications that ensuing changes to the benthic invertebrate community may increase the availability of food and promote growth and even fisheries yield of target fish species. If and how this occurs is the subject of ongoing debate, with evidence both in favour and against. We model the effects of trawling on a simple ecosystem of benthivorous fish and two food populations (benthos), susceptible and resistant to trawling. We show that the ecosystem response to trawling depends on whether the abundance of benthos is top-down or bottom-up controlled. Fishing may result in higher fish abundance, higher (maximum sustainable) yield and increased persistence of fish when the benthos which is the best-quality fish food is also more resistant to trawling. These positive effects occur in bottom-up controlled systems and systems with limited impact of fish feeding on benthos, resembling bottom-up control. Fishing leads to lower yields and fish persistence in all configurations where susceptible benthos are more profitable prey. Our results highlight the importance of mechanistic ecosystem knowledge as a requirement for successful management.
25
Osuka, Kennedy, Marc Kochzius, Ann Vanreusel, David Obura, and Melita Samoilys. "Linkage between fish functional groups and coral reef benthic habitat composition in the Western Indian Ocean." Journal of the Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom 98, no. 2 (October 10, 2016): 387–400. http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s0025315416001399.
Full textAbstract:
Benthic habitat composition is a key factor that structures assemblages of coral reef fishes. However, natural and anthropogenic induced disturbances impact this relationship. This study investigates the link between benthic habitat composition and fish functional groups in four countries in the Western Indian Ocean (WIO). Benthic composition of 32 sites was quantified visually from percentage cover of hard and soft corals, rubble, turf, fleshy and crustose coralline algae. At each site, abundance of 12 coral-associated fish functional groups in 50 × 5 m transects was determined. Cluster analysis characterized reefs based on benthic cover and revealed five habitat types (A, B, C, D and E) typified by decreasing cover of hard corals, increasing cover of turf and/or fleshy algae and differences in benthic diversity. Habitat type A was present in all four countries. Other habitats types showed geographic affiliations: notably Comoros sites clustered in either habitats B or E, northern Madagascar had B, C and D type habitats, whereas sites in central Tanzania and northern Mozambique had habitats D and E. Fish functional groups showed significant linkages with some habitat types. The abundances of corallivores, invertivores, detritivores and grazers were higher in habitat B, whereas planktivores and small excavators showed lower abundances in the same habitat. These linkages between benthic habitat types and fish functional groups are important in informing priority reefs that require conservation and management planning.
26
Basford, D. J., A. Eleftheriou, and D. Raffaelli. "The Epifauna of the Northern North Sea (56°–61°N)." Journal of the Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom 69, no. 2 (May 1989): 387–407. http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s0025315400029490.
Full textAbstract:
More than 65% of the demersal fish and shellfish caught by British vessels are landed at Scottish ports, most of the catch being taken from waters north of 56°, i.e. in the northern North Sea. The major resource supporting these fisheries is the benthos, but the distributions of both infaunal and epifaunal benthic invertebrates in the North Sea are poorly documented. Moreover, the environmental factors determining the composition and structure of North Sea benthic assemblages are not well understood. There have been several limited surveys of the benthos (Stephen, 1934; Ursin, 1960), and recently Dyer et al. (1982, 1983), Cranmer (1985) and Cranmer et al. (1984) attempted a more quantitative and systematic survey. Various schemes have been proposed to explain observed regional differences in types of benthic assemblage, usually based on the biological characteristics of water masses, and / or a limited and fragmentary knowledge of the sediments of the North Sea {e.g. Glemarec, 1973; Dyer et al, 1983).
27
Haase, K., A. Orio, J. Pawlak, M. Pachur, and M. Casini. "Diet of dominant demersal fish species in the Baltic Sea: Is flounder stealing benthic food from cod?" Marine Ecology Progress Series 645 (July 9, 2020): 159–70. http://dx.doi.org/10.3354/meps13360.
Full textAbstract:
Knowledge about ecological interactions between species is of paramount importance in ecology and ecosystem-based fisheries management. To understand species interactions, studies of feeding habits are required. In the Baltic Sea, there is good knowledge of the diet of cod, but little is known about the diet of flounder, the second most abundant demersal fish in the region. In this study, we investigated the diets of cod and flounder for the first time using stomach content data collected simultaneously in 2015-2017 over a large offshore area of the southern Baltic Sea. The diet of flounder was relatively constant between sizes and seasons and was dominated by benthos, with a high proportion in weight of the benthic isopod Saduria entomon. The diet of cod differed between seasons and showed an ontogenetic shift with a relative decrease of benthic prey and an increase of fish prey with size. Historic diet data of cod were used to explore cod diet changes over time, revealing a shift from a specialized to generalist feeding mode paralleled by a large relative decline in benthic prey, especially S. entomon. Flounder populations have increased in the past 2 decades in the study area, and therefore we hypothesized that flounder have deprived cod of important benthic resources through competition. This competition could be exacerbated by the low benthic prey productivity due to increased hypoxia, which could contribute to explaining the current poor status of the Eastern Baltic cod. The results of this study point to the importance of including flounder in multispecies end ecosystem models.
28
Edwards, Rhys A., and Stephen D. A. Smith. "Subtidal assemblages associated with a geotextile reef in south-east Queensland, Australia." Marine and Freshwater Research 56, no. 2 (2005): 133. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/mf04202.
Full textAbstract:
In marine habitats, the use of geotextile materials as a ‘soft-engineering’ solution is increasingly being considered as an alternative to hard structures. However, very little is known about biological assemblages that develop on geotextile structures. This study provides the first ecological comparison of subtidal assemblages between Narrowneck Artificial Reef (NAR), a geotextile reef in south-east Queensland, Australia, and three nearby natural reefs. Benthic community structure, fish assemblages and habitat complexity were compared between reef types using an asymmetrical design. Although natural reefs supported distinct biotic assemblages, as a class, these reefs differed significantly from NAR. The artificial reef was dominated by macroalgae and supported fewer benthic categories, whereas the natural reefs were characterised by a diverse range of sessile invertebrates. Benthic and demersal fish assemblages were less diverse on NAR, but pelagic fish assemblages were similar on both reef types. The substratum of NAR was less complex than that of the natural reefs; this physical variable was correlated with some of the differences in benthic communities and benthic and demersal fish assemblages. It is likely that the key determinants of the biotic patterns observed in this study are interactions between the age of NAR and the physical properties of geotextile substratum.
29
Yasuno, Natsuru, Yuki Chiba, Yasufumi Fujimoto, Kentaro Shindo, Tetsuo Shimada, Shuichi Shikano, and Eisuke Kikuchi. "Zoobenthos are minor dietary components of small omnivorous fishes in a shallow eutrophic lake." Marine and Freshwater Research 67, no. 10 (2016): 1562. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/mf15156.
Full textAbstract:
We examined whether small omnivorous fishes (smaller than ~100mm long) integrate littoral, pelagic and benthic pathways in a shallow, eutrophic lake (Lake Izunuma, Japan). The surface of the lake was covered by a dense vegetation of floating-leaved macrophytes, and small species dominated the icthyofauna. We determined the δ13C and δ15N ratios of five dominant species of small omnivorous fishes. Using a stable isotope analysis in the R mixing model, we determined the possible contribution of three potential food sources (epiphytic algae, zooplankton and zoobenthos (larval chironomids)) to omnivorous fish tissue compositions. Four omnivorous fishes (Gnathopogon elongatus elongatus, Pseudorasbora parva, Biwia zezera and Tridentiger obscurus) subsisted largely on epiphytic algae and zooplankton, whereas zoobenthos contributed little to their diets. Acheilognathus rhombeus subsisted mostly on epiphytic algae. Thus, in this shallow, eutrophic lake, omnivorous fishes incorporated both littoral and pelagic production into the food web, but rarely benthic production. The dominant benthic chironomid larvae often burrow several centimetres into the sediment, and the low dietary contribution of zoobenthos to small fishes may be due to inefficiency at foraging on buried benthos associated with fish body size.
30
Puglisi, Melany P., Jennifer M. Sneed, Raphael Ritson-Williams, and Ryan Young. "Marine chemical ecology in benthic environments." Natural Product Reports 36, no. 3 (2019): 410–29. http://dx.doi.org/10.1039/c8np00061a.
Full text
31
Quimpo, Timothy Joseph R., Patrick C. Cabaitan, Kevin Thomas B. Go, Edwin E. Dumalagan, Cesar L. Villanoy, and Fernando P. Siringan. "Similarity in benthic habitat and fish assemblages in the upper mesophotic and shallow water reefs in the West Philippine Sea." Journal of the Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom 99, no. 7 (June 25, 2019): 1507–17. http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s0025315419000456.
Full textAbstract:
AbstractThe South China Sea (SCS) is a biodiversity hotspot, however, most biodiversity surveys in the region are confined to shallow water reefs. Here, we studied the benthic habitat and fish assemblages in the upper mesophotic coral ecosystems (MCEs; 30–40 m) and SWRs (8–22 m) at three geographic locations (Luzon Strait; Palawan; and the Kalayaan Group of Islands) in the eastern SCS (also called the West Philippine Sea) using diver-based survey methods. Mean coral genera and fish species richness ranged from 17–25 (per 25 m2) and 11–17 (per 250 m2) in MCEs, respectively; although none of these were novel genera/species. Coral and fish assemblages were structured more strongly by location than by depth. Location differences were associated with the variability in benthic composition, wherein locations with higher hard coral cover had higher coral genera richness and abundance. Locations with higher algae and sand cover had higher diversity and density of fish herbivores and benthic invertivores. Fishing efforts may also have contributed to among-location differences as the highly exploited location had the lowest fish biomass. The low variation between depths may be attributed to the similar benthic composition at each location, the interconnectivity between depths due to hydrological conditions, fish motility, and the common fishing gears used in the Philippines that can likely extend beyond SWRs. Results imply that local-scale factors and anthropogenic disturbances probably dampen across-depth structuring in coral genera and fish species assemblages.
32
Chang, N. N., J. C. Shiao, G. C. Gong, S. J. Kao, and C. H. Hsieh. "Contributions of riverborne inorganic and organic matters to the benthic food web in the East China Sea as inferred from stable isotope ratios." Biogeosciences Discussions 10, no. 1 (January 24, 2013): 1051–81. http://dx.doi.org/10.5194/bgd-10-1051-2013.
Full textAbstract:
Abstract. Coastal areas adjoining rivers are nourished by both the riverborne nutrients and organic matters. Annually, the East China Sea (ECS) receives large quantities of particulate organic carbon transported from the Changjiang (Yangtze River), as well as nutrients, which have brought about high primary production in the ECS. This study evaluated the respective contributions of terrigenous organic matters (allochthonous food source) and nutrient-induced marine production (autochthonous food source) to the ECS benthic ecosystem by analyzing the stable isotope compositions for zooplankton, benthic crustacea and demersal fish. Zooplankton exhibited consistently higher δ13C values (−21.31‰ ~ −19.22‰) in the inner shelf than in the outer shelf. The δ13C signals of fish (−19.64‰ ~ −13.46‰) and crustacea (−18.87‰ ~ −15.00‰) showed strong reliance on the marine production across the ECS continental shelf, regardless of distance from the shore. Moreover, the benthic crustacea and fish exhibited significantly higher δ13C values in the highly productive inshore sites and the δ13C values decreased seawards, implying a higher intrusion of atmospheric CO2 and lower photosynthetic fractionation due to algal blooming in the inner shelf. The δ13C values of fish also showed significant positive correlations with the concentration of surface chlorophyll a and nitrogen. Riverborne nutrients closely linked marine benthic consumers to the terrestrial watershed and tightly coupled the pelagic and benthic ecosystems in the ECS. The stable isotope compositions of benthic consumers can act as an indicator for pelagic trophic status. The future research combining analyses of stable isotope and community structure may improve assessment on the balance between contribution and risk of phytoplankton blooms.
33
Martin, TJ, DT Brewer, and SJM Blaber. "Factors affecting distribution and abundance of small demersal fishes in the Gulf of Carpentaria, Australia." Marine and Freshwater Research 46, no. 6 (1995): 909. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/mf9950909.
Full textAbstract:
The distribution and abundance of small demersal fishes at depths of 7 to 63 m in the Gulf of Carpentaria were surveyed at 103 stations in 1990 and 60 stations in 1991 with the aid of a Church dredge. A total of 234 species from 70 families was recorded. The most abundant fish groups were cryptic or benthic species such as pleuronectiforms, scorpaenids, apogonids, platycephalids, monacanthids and gobiids. Several species, such as Elates ransonnetti, Pseudorhombus elevatus and Suggrundus macracanthus, are widely distributed; others had a narrower distribution. Apogon poecilopterus, Apogon fasciatus, Arnoglossus waitei and Uranoscopus cognatus were most abundant in the northern Gulf of Carpentaria and Cynoglossus macrophthalmus, Dactyloptena papilio and Paramonacanthus japonicus in the eastern gulf. The dredge is more efficient at catching smaller fish: the smallest individuals of 113 species were caught by the dredge and a further 32 small species were caught only by the dredge. The effects of depth, substratum type and turbidity on the abundance of 17 common species at different stations are described. Neither temperature nor salinity showed significant correlations with catches of the common species. There were significant correlations between the presence of structured benthos and both the number of fish species and the number of fish individuals. The relationship between benthic structure and fish is discussed in relation to the possible effects of trawling, and it is postulated that changes to structure resulting from trawling may affect fish community composition.
34
Gerke, Madlen, Daniel Cob Chaves, Marc Richter, Daniela Mewes, Jörg Schneider, Dirk Hübner, and Carola Winkelmann. "Benthic grazing in a eutrophic river: cascading effects of zoobenthivorous fish mask direct effects of herbivorous fish." PeerJ 6 (February 14, 2018): e4381. http://dx.doi.org/10.7717/peerj.4381.
Full textAbstract:
Benthic grazing strongly controls periphyton biomass. The question therefore arises whether benthic grazing could be used as a tool to reduce excessive growth of periphyton in nutrient-enriched rivers. Although benthic invertebrate grazers reduce the growth of periphyton, this is highly context dependent. Here we assessed whether the only obligate herbivorous fish in European rivers, the common nase (Chondrostoma nasus L.), is able to reduce periphyton biomass in a eutrophic river. We conducted three consecutive in situ experiments at low, intermediate and high densities of nase in the river using standard tiles on the river bottom naturally covered with periphyton that were accessible to fish and tiles that excluded fish foraging with electric exclosures. The biomass of benthic invertebrate grazers was very low relative to nase. We hypothesised that nase would reduce periphyton biomass on accessible tiles and therefore expected higher periphyton biomass on the exclosure tiles, at least at intermediate and high densities of nase in the river. Contrary to our expectation, the impact of fish grazing was low even at high fish density, as judged by the significantly lower chlorophyll a concentration on exclosure tiles even though the ash-free dry mass on accessible and exclosure tiles did not differ. The lower chlorophyll a concentrations on exclosure tiles might be explained by a higher biomass of invertebrate grazers on the exclosure tiles, which would indicate that the effect of invertebrate grazers was stronger than that of herbivorous fish grazers. The high biomass of invertebrate grazers on exclosure tiles likely arose from the exclusion of zoobenthivorous fish, which occur in the river at high densities. The results of our small-scale experiments suggested that cascading top-down effects of zoobenthivorous fish have a higher impact on periphyton biomass than direct effects of herbivorous nase.
35
Lönnstedt, Oona M., Mark I. McCormick, Mark G. Meekan, Maud C. O. Ferrari, and Douglas P. Chivers. "Learn and live: predator experience and feeding history determines prey behaviour and survival." Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences 279, no. 1736 (January 11, 2012): 2091–98. http://dx.doi.org/10.1098/rspb.2011.2516.
Full textAbstract:
Determining how prey learn the identity of predators and match their vigilance with current levels of threat is central to understanding the dynamics of predator–prey systems and the determinants of fitness. Our study explores how feeding history influences the relative importance of olfactory and visual sensory modes of learning, and how the experience gained through these sensory modes influences behaviour and survival in the field for a juvenile coral reef damselfish. We collected young fish immediately prior to their settlement to benthic habitats. In the laboratory, these predator-naïve fish were exposed to a high- or low-food ration and then conditioned to recognize the olfactory cues (odours) and/or visual cues from two common benthic predators. Fish were then allowed to settle on reefs in the field, and their behaviour and survival over 70 h were recorded. Feeding history strongly influenced their willingness to take risks in the natural environment. Conditioning in the laboratory with visual, olfactory or both cues from predators led fish in the field to display risk-averse behaviour compared with fish conditioned with sea water alone. Well-fed fish that were conditioned with visual, chemical or a combination of predator cues survived eight times better over the first 48 h on reefs than those with no experience of benthic predator cues. This experiment highlights the importance of a flexible and rapid mechanism of learning the identity of predators for survival of young fish during the critical life-history transition between pelagic and benthic habitats.
36
Collins, Nicholas C. "Daytime Exposure to Fish Predation for Littoral Benthic Organisms in Unproductive Lakes." Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences 46, no. 1 (January 1, 1989): 11–15. http://dx.doi.org/10.1139/f89-002.
Full textAbstract:
Fish activity near the bottom was monitored in two central Ontario lakes using time-lapse video equipment. Predation risk for benthic invertebrates was measured as the frequency of fish entries into a hypothetical cylinder with dimensions such that an imaginary 2–3 mm invertebrate at the bottom-center of the cylinder would be within the detection radius of any fish entering the space. By this criterion, risk of predation is high, even in lakes with low fish densities. For 7 d of data spread over different lakes, sites, and months, the median rate of exposure of the hypothetical invertebrate to passing fish was 14.2 times/h; the median rate of exposure to fish that stopped or turned as if foraging was 3 times/h. Exposure to benthivorous fish varied markedly between two lakes in June and within a lake between June and August. Changes in the fish species, sizes, and level of activity all contributed to the variance. Exposure to fish also varied markedly among days, within a day, and among sites within a lake. Differences in predation risk between two neighboring sites were consistent for several days, suggesting that some of the patchiness in benthic invertebrate composition might be generated by patchy fish exploitation. The high median levels of exposure to fish suggest that benthic organisms should spend a high proportion of their time in risk-reducing positions or behaviors, so that competition among fish caused by resource depression will be important.
37
Persson, Anders, and Lars-Anders Hansson. "Diet shift in fish following competitive release." Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences 56, no. 1 (January 1, 1999): 70–78. http://dx.doi.org/10.1139/f98-141.
Full textAbstract:
We determined the diet preference of roach (Rutilus rutilus), perch (Perca fluviatilis), and bream (Abramis brama) before and after a fish removal program in Lake Finjasjön, Sweden. The biomass of roach and bream was reduced to 33 and 10%, respectively, after the program. The predominate diet change following this major reduction in fish biomass was an increased use of benthic organisms by most size-classes of roach. Also, bream shifted to benthos at an earlier ontogenetic stage. These diet shifts were most probably attributed to the drastic reduction in biomass of the benthivorous bream, resulting in underexploited benthic invertebrates. In order to test if alterations in diet choice were reflected in the composition of stable isotopes of consumer tissue, we determined the temporal changes in the 15N/14N ratio (δN) of potential fish prey as well as in fish tissue. No temporal trends were found for δN of fish, possibly due to the high temporal variability in δN of zooplankton. However, minimum and maximum δN values of major food organisms (chironomids and zooplankton) were generally reflected in the δN of both small roach and perch one sampling occasion later (3 months) and in piscivorous perch (exclusively feeding on small fish) two sampling occasions later. Hence, the stable isotope composition could be followed through food links, providing that the consumer mainly fed on one specific food item. However, several other predictions regarding connections between diet and stable isotope composition were not corroborated. We conclude that stable isotope analysis of consumer tissue cannot replace traditional methods of diet determination, but might well provide complementary data.
38
Barrera-Oro, E. R., and R. J. Casaux. "Feeding selectivity in Notothenia neglecta, Nybelin, from Potter Cove, South Shetland Islands, Antarctica." Antarctic Science 2, no. 3 (September 1990): 207–13. http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s0954102090000281.
Full textAbstract:
A study of feeding selectivity in Notothenia neglecta Nybelin 1951, was carried out between October 1988 and January 1989 at Potter Cove, King George Island, where this is the dominant fish species. The abundance and biomass of benthic organisms from 0–40m were compared with their occurrence in the diet of 142 fish. The Ivlev index indicated that the food items positively selected by the fish were sedentary polychaetes, the isopod Glyptonotus antarcticus, the gammarid amphipod Paradexamine sp., the bivalve Dacrydyum sp., the gastropods Margarella antarctica and Eatoniella sp., and algae. The biomass of the benthic community in the sampling area was low, presumably due to the effects of anchor ice. Despite being pelagic, krill (Euphausia superba) was by far the main food of N. neglecta which is considered a benthic feeder.
39
Santos, Miguel N., Francisco Leitão, Ana Moura, Marco Cerqueira, and Carlos C. Monteiro. "Diplodus spp. on artificial reefs of different ages: influence of the associated macrobenthic community." ICES Journal of Marine Science 68, no. 1 (September 20, 2010): 87–97. http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/icesjms/fsq139.
Full textAbstract:
Abstract Santos, M. N., Leitão, F., Moura, A., Cerqueira, M., and Monteiro, C. C. 2011. Diplodus spp. on artificial reefs of different ages: influence of the associated macrobenthic community. – ICES Journal of Marine Science, 68: 87–97. Although artificial reefs (ARs) have been deployed and studied worldwide, few studies have attempted to link the benthic community to fish populations. Three AR fish species (Diplodus bellottii, D. sargus, and D. vulgaris) were tested for the influence of the macrobenthic community at three similar ARs deployed in 1990, 1998, and 2002 off the Algarve (southern Portugal). Diplodus sargus density and biomass differed across ARs, and for D. bellottii and D. vulgaris, higher densities and biomass were observed between the oldest and the youngest ARs. The total available benthic biomass did not differ across habitat age, but the composition of macrofauna differed between older and the most recently deployed AR. The results underscore the importance of within-reef-age benthic composition variability as a determinant factor in structuring local fish populations. As the Algarve AR complex consists of reefs deployed at different times and having different benthic communities, management needs to focus more effort on conserving entire habitats rather than exclusively on maintaining the sustainability of fish resources. Hence, management plans for these areas need to be developed on a site-specific basis, according to the fish and macrobenthic community specificities.
40
Galarowicz, Tracy L., Julie A. Adams, and David H. Wahl. "The influence of prey availability on ontogenetic diet shifts of a juvenile piscivore." Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences 63, no. 8 (August 1, 2006): 1722–33. http://dx.doi.org/10.1139/f06-073.
Full textAbstract:
Young-of-year piscivores typically undergo ontogenetic diet shifts from planktivory to benthivory to piscivory. These shifts are often the result of changes in predator foraging abilities, but little is known about the influence of relative prey availability. As a result, we examined diet shifts across a range of sizes (20–150 mm) of a young-of-year piscivore, walleye (Sander vitreus), in feeding experiments in which zooplankton, benthic invertebrates, and fish were made available at different density combinations. Consumption of each prey type changed with walleye size and prey densities. Small juveniles (20 mm) selected zooplankton and fish, whereas larger walleye (40–100 mm) selected benthic invertebrates and fish. Relative prey densities influenced consumption; increased densities of more profitable prey types resulted in reduced consumption of less profitable prey. Walleye larger than 100 mm selected only fish. Foraging efficiencies also varied with size and prey types; small walleye (20 mm) were less likely to pursue benthic invertebrates and retain captured fish. These ontogenetic changes in foraging patterns are linked to prey profitability, have growth consequences for juvenile walleye, and have implications for understanding diet shifts of other juvenile fish.
41
SILVA, Guilherme Raphael Camargo Arcanjo, and Maurício CETRA. "FOOD RESOURCE SHARING AMONG BENTHIC AND NEKTONIC STREAM FISH SPECIES." Boletim do Instituto de Pesca 47 (2021): e634. http://dx.doi.org/10.20950/1678-2305/bip.2021.47.e634.
Full textAbstract:
Several tropical freshwater fish species are generally generalistic feeders, sometimes followed by a diet reduction during the period of decreased resource availability. This study aimed to analyze the dietary overlap between nektonic and benthic fish species. The stomachs of 82 obligatory nektonics and 52 benthic were removed. The diet composition for each individual was determined based on the analysis of the stomach content, and the contents were grouped into 11 categories. For the analysis of food items, the method of degree of food preference was used. To verify the niche overlap between benthic and nectonic, the Pianka index was applied. Benthic species consumed items across all 11 food categories and nektonic species consumed nine. The diet composition of species with nektonic and benthic habits showed a significant difference. Dietary overlapping suggests a supply of the same resources, as they are shared by both groups. The high concentration of water insect larvae in the food content of all sampled fish species, regardless of the position in the water column, shows the importance of insects in the water ecosystems. The composition of ecosystem diets is helpful towards understanding the community structure and can explain the coexistence between different fish’s groups where live in different micro-habitats and how tactics used to capture food which may minimize the effects of overlapping and competitive exclusion.
42
McKindsey, Christopher W., Philippe Archambault, Myriam D. Callier, and Frédéric Olivier. "Influence of suspended and off-bottom mussel culture on the sea bottom and benthic habitats: a review1This review is part of a virtual symposium on current topics in aquaculture of marine fish and shellfish." Canadian Journal of Zoology 89, no. 7 (July 2011): 622–46. http://dx.doi.org/10.1139/z11-037.
Full textAbstract:
Aquaculture is the fastest growing sector of the food industry, raising concerns about the influence of this activity on the environment. We take a holistic approach to review off-bottom and suspended mussel culture effects on the benthic environment and benthic communities. Both longline and “bouchot” mussel culture add much physical structure (infrastructure and mussels) to the environment, altering hydrosedimentary processes by modifying currents and increasing sedimentation locally, and providing habitat for many benthic organisms. Biodeposition from mussels and these organisms increases benthic organic loading and linked biogeochemical processes to influence O2, pH, redox potentials, dissolved sulphides, and other sediment parameters, benthic respiration and nutrient fluxes, and benthic infaunal communities. Mussel culture may also influence seagrasses and algae, although this has not been well-studied. Far-field effects on the benthos may occur through a number of mechanisms, including aggregation of epibenthic macrofauna in culture sites, alteration of plankton communities, and the enhancement of exotic and indigenous pest species owing to the addition of physical structure to the environment. Quantitative relationships between farming level and benthic influences are lacking, making predictions of effects difficult.
43
Silva, Luiz G. M., Bernardo V. Beirão, Ricardo C. Falcão, Andrey L. F. de Castro, and Edson W. Dias. "It's a catfish! Novel approaches are needed to study the effects of rapid decompression on benthic species." Marine and Freshwater Research 69, no. 12 (2018): 1922. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/mf18267.
Full textAbstract:
Barotrauma as a result of rapid decompression has been recorded as the most common injury among fish captured in the tailrace of hydropower dams in Brazil, with catfishes representing the majority of them. Nevertheless, studies investigating barotrauma on catfish are scarce, with the majority determining dose–response curves and thresholds of pressure changes for nektonic species, such as salmonids. Experiments conducted with Pimelodus pictus showed that the current hypo-hyperbaric chambers used to study barotrauma in nektonic species can have limitations when applied to benthic groups. The negative buoyancy showed by the catfish prevented the definition of the acclimation pressure of the fish before exposure to decompression and, therefore, the method had to be adapted to allow the calculation of the ratio of pressure change (RPC). The adaptation involved anaesthetising the fish, which added a potential bias to the experiments. Therefore, new approaches deemed to be needed to complement barotrauma studies with benthic fish. We aimed to discuss the limitations observed for studies with benthic species and present potential methods to overcome them. The diversification of approaches for barotrauma studies with benthic species is critical to provide information for the development of mitigation and new turbine designs that would improve protection of this group.
44
Pereira, Pedro Henrique Cipresso, Marcus Vinicius Bezerra dos Santos, Daniel Lino Lippi, Pedro Henrique de Paula Silva, and Breno Barros. "Difference in the trophic structure of fish communities between artificial and natural habitats in a tropical estuary." Marine and Freshwater Research 68, no. 3 (2017): 473. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/mf15326.
Full textAbstract:
The present study tested the hypothesis that artificial habitats (pier and bridge) harbour different fish trophic guilds compared with natural habitats (mangrove roots) and that the trophic structure of fish communities on estuarine artificial habitats resembles adjacent coral reefs. High-definition cameras were used to survey the fish community associated with the different structures over a 6-month period. Benthos was also analysed following the point intercept method on the different habitats. In the estuary, fish abundance was up to threefold higher and species richness twofold higher on artificial structures compared with the natural habitat. Mangrove roots were mainly inhabited by juvenile carnivores, whereas the pier and bridge were mostly inhabited by sessile invertebrate feeders and roving herbivores. A less diverse benthic community was found on mangrove roots, mostly composed of mud and algae. In contrast, benthos at the bridge and pier was more diverse and dominated by sponges, octocorals and oysters. In addition, fish trophic structure from an adjacent coral reef area showed more than 60% similarity with the fish community on the artificial structures surveyed. The results of the present study indicate that artificial hard structures support unique fish communities compared with natural estuarine mangrove habitats.
45
Kruschel, Claudia, and Stewart T. Schultz. "Aggressive Predation Drives Assembly of Adriatic Fish Communities." Diversity 12, no. 4 (March 30, 2020): 130. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/d12040130.
Full textAbstract:
We performed over 19,000 lure-assisted, underwater visual fish census transects at over 140 shallow coastal sampling locations in the mid- eastern Adriatic sea of the Croatian mainland and islands, recording all fish taxa observed, their predatory behavior in response to the lure, and the cover of benthic habitats with which they were associated. We hypothesized that prey habitat preference was a learned or selected response to aggressive behavior by piscivorous mesopredators, and predicted that mobile prey would be spatially segregated from aggressive predators into different benthic habitats within local sampling sites. We found that aggressive piscivores were primarily wait-chase or cruise-chase mesopredators that preferentially foraged along heterogeneous habitat edges within juxtapositions of rock, unconsolidated sediment, macroalgae (Cystoseira spp.) and seagrass (usually Posidonia oceanica). Prey species and less aggressive piscivores avoided these heterogeneous habitats and preferred more homogeneous habitats that the aggressive predators in turn avoided. We found strong and consistent spatial segregation between aggressive predators on the one hand, and less aggressive predators and prey on the other hand. These results are consistent with the hypothesis that aggressive behavior by piscivorous species is the primary organizing force shaping assembly of fish communities at our study sites, driving preference and occupancy of heterogeneous and homogeneous benthic habitats. Management of shallow benthic resources should recognize the value of complementarity in habitats allowing coexistence of predators and prey through contrasting habitat preferences.
46
Latifa, Gulshan Ara, Mst Mahmuda Parvin, and Md Shahidul Islam. "Monthly Variation of Benthic Fauna in Relation to Water Quality of Rajdhala Beel, Netrokona." Bangladesh Journal of Zoology 49, no. 1 (June 1, 2021): 57–68. http://dx.doi.org/10.3329/bjz.v49i1.53682.
Full textAbstract:
The knowledge on benthic fauna is important to know the biological interactions of the ecosystem. Abundance and composition of benthos along with some physico-chemical parameters of water of Rajdhalabeel, Netrokona was carried out from May 1998 to April 1999. The water parameters varied between or within the months but they did not vary from location to location. The benthic organisms had fluctuated both quantitatively and qualitatively. Considerable variation of benthos was detected during the period of the study. The composition of benthos were 38.26%, 29.86% and 25.22% for molluscs, oligochaetes and chironimids respectively. The highest number (1310.98 ind/m2) was recorded in July, 1998 while it was lowest (333.3 ind/m2) in April, 1999.The study revealed the beel as productive one and implementation of a little development work, good management and protect fishes from poaching may turn the beel into a very good fish resource. Bangladesh J. Zool. 49(1): 57-68, 2021
47
Shephard, Samuel, Cóilín Minto, Melanie Zölck, Simon Jennings, Deirdre Brophy, and David Reid. "Scavenging on trawled seabeds can modify trophic size structure of bottom-dwelling fish." ICES Journal of Marine Science 71, no. 2 (September 4, 2013): 398–405. http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/icesjms/fst134.
Full textAbstract:
Abstract Shephard, S., Minto, C., Zölck, M., Jennings, S., Brophy, D., and Reid, D. 2014. Scavenging on trawled seabeds can modify trophic size structure of bottom-dwelling fish. – ICES Journal of Marine Science, 71: 398–405. Disturbance by towed bottom-fishing gears often kills larger sensitive benthos, leading to changes in the abundance, size, and species composition of benthic communities. Short-term availability of trawl-damaged prey, and longer-term shifts in benthic prey community composition, both have the potential to affect feeding opportunities and realized dietary preferences of bottom-feeding (benthivorous) fish. To investigate these effects of bottom-fishing activity (by otter trawls, beam trawls, and dredges) on the feeding of benthivorous fish, we compared the trophic level at body size and diets of four species in areas of the Celtic Sea subject to low, intermediate, and high fishing activity. Trophic level was estimated using nitrogen stable isotope analysis, and fishing activity was quantified with vessel monitoring system (VMS) data. For whiting (Merlangius merlangus) of all sizes, trophic level was slightly lower in areas of higher fishing activity. After accounting for the results of the diet analysis, we concluded that this reflected increased scavenging of benthic invertebrates in more intensively fished areas. For megrim (Lepidorhombus whiffiagonis), the rate of increase in trophic level with size was lower with increasing fishing activity, implying that megrim may also substitute fish with lower-trophic invertebrates that can be scavenged in more intensively fished areas. For plaice (Pleuronectes platessa) and lemon sole (Microstomus kitt), no significant effects of fishing activity on trophic level were detected. We conclude that differences in the intensity of fishing activity with towed bottom gears had small but variable effects of the trophic size structure of the four species, and that this primarily reflected scavenging rather than diet changes following longer-term shifts in composition of the prey community.
48
Park, Peter J., Ivan Chase, and Michael A. Bell. "Phenotypic plasticity of the threespine stickleback Gasterosteus aculeatus telencephalon in response to experience in captivity." Current Zoology 58, no. 1 (February 1, 2012): 189–210. http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/czoolo/58.1.189.
Full textAbstract:
Abstract Threespine stickleback were used to examine phenotypic plasticity of telencephala in relation to inferred ecology. Fish from derived, allopatric, freshwater populations were sampled from three shallow, structurally complex lakes with ben-thic-foraging stickleback (benthics) and from three deep, structurally simple lakes with planktivores (limnetics). The telencepha-lon of specimens preserved immediately after capture (field-preserved), field-caught fish held in aquaria for 90 days (lab-held), and lab-bred fish from crosses and raised in aquaria were compared. Field-preserved sea-run (ancestral) stickleback were collected from two separate sites, and parents of lab-bred sea-run stickleback were collected from one of these sites. In field-preserved and lab-held fish, the telencephala of limnetics exhibited triangular dorsal shape, while those of benthics and sea-run fish had rounder shapes. No such pattern was detected in lab-bred fish. Within each treatment type, benthics had larger relative telencephalon sizes, using overall brain size as the covariate, than limnetics. Among field-preserved samples, sea-run fish had smaller telencephalon sizes than lake fish. Intra-population analyses of lake samples showed that field-preserved fish consistently had larger relative telencephalon sizes than lab-bred fish. The opposite was true of the sea-run population. In a separate study using one benthic population and one limnetic population, samples were preserved in the field immediately or held in the lab for 30, 60, and 90 days before they were sacrificed. In both populations, the telencephalon shapes of lab-held fish were similar to those of field-preserved fish but became progressively more like lab-bred ones over 90 days. In contrast, relative telencephalon size decreased dramatically by 30 days after which there was little change. In freshwater threespine stickleback, the telencephalon exhibits considerable phenotypic plasticity, which was probably present in the ancestor.
49
Beirão, Bernardo V., Luiz G. M. Silva, Richard S. Brown, and Ricardo W. Walker. "Determining barotrauma in the Pictus catfish, Pimelodus pictus, experimentally exposed to simulated hydropower turbine passage." Marine and Freshwater Research 69, no. 12 (2018): 1913. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/mf18142.
Full textAbstract:
Hydropower development poses severe threats to the aquatic diversity and ecosystem services. One such threat is the exposure of fish to extreme conditions within hydropower facilities. Fish may suffer rapid decompression when passing through turbines or when entering the draft tubes, which can lead to barotrauma and mortality. We aimed to evaluate the effects of rapid decompression on the Amazonian benthic species Pimelodus pictus (Pictus catfish), by simulating in hypo–hyperbaric chambers. The most frequent injuries in Pictus catfish exposed to simulated rapid decompression were swim-bladder rupture, intestine rupture, internal haemorrhage and embolism. The occurrence and magnitude of internal haemorrhaging and emboli were related to the ratio of pressure change and the decompression timespan, whereas swim-bladder rupture occurred even at relatively low ratios. Emboli was present almost entirely among fish with a ruptured swim bladder. Importantly, all fish were negatively buoyant before exposure to decompression, posing challenges to data analysis. Therefore, barotrauma studies with benthic fish species are deemed to be challenging and are likely to require the use of complementary approaches. Research is needed to understand the state of buoyancy of benthic fish in the wild and to develop methods to accurately replicate these in a controlled testing environment.
50
Kilgour, Bruce W., Kelly R. Munkittrick, Cameron B. Portt, Kathleen Hedley, Joseph Culp, Sushil Dixit, and Georgine Pastershank. "Biological Criteria for Municipal Wastewater Effluent Monitoring Programs." Water Quality Research Journal 40, no. 3 (August 1, 2005): 374–87. http://dx.doi.org/10.2166/wqrj.2005.041.
Full textAbstract:
Abstract As part of the long-term strategy for addressing issues related to municipal wastewater effluents (MWWE), Environment Canada is developing environmental quality objectives (EQOs) for the aquatic receiving environment. Recommended biological monitoring components of the aquatic ecosystem include fish communities, benthic macroinvertebrate communities, sentinel fish species and primary producers (macrophytes, attached algae, phytoplankton). A set of criteria was developed for measurable attributes (indicators) of each of those components. Recommended numeric and narrative criteria could be used to determine when MWWE should be managed. Warning-level criteria for indices of benthic community composition are considered effects on indices of composition that deviate from the mean reference response by more than ±2 standard deviations. For sentinel fish population parameters, warning-level effects are considered >25% differences from reference in gonad or liver size, growth, or age, or a >10% change in condition factor. For primary producers, warning-level effects are considered those that coincide with anticipated changes in fish communities based on existing models. Where warning-level criteria are exceeded, it is recommended that monitoring be repeated at two- to three-year intervals. Where continued monitoring demonstrates an increase in the extent or magnitude of effects on indices of benthic community composition, or sentinel fish population parameters, it is recommended that effects be considered unacceptable and that the cause of effects be identified and managed. Losses of non-rare species or shifts in dominance are considered severe fish-community effects that should trigger management (i.e., identification and elimination of causative agents). Domination of the benthic community by one or a few tolerant taxa normally coincides with effects on fish communities, and should also be considered a severe effect that triggers management.