Gradient of Fish Predation Alters Body Size Distributions of Lake Benthos

Ecology ◽  
2000 ◽  
Vol 81 (2) ◽  
pp. 374 ◽  
Author(s):  
Steven C. Blumenshine ◽  
David M. Lodge ◽  
James R. Hodgson
Keyword(s):  
Body Size ◽  
Fish Predation ◽  
Size Distributions

scholarly journals Diversity, abundance, and life histories of littoral chydorids (Cladocera: Chydoridae) in a subarctic European lake

2020 ◽  
Vol 40 (5) ◽  
pp. 534-543
Author(s):  
Anders Klemetsen ◽  
Berit M Aase ◽  
Per-Arne Amundsen
Keyword(s):  
Life History ◽  
Life Histories ◽  
Late Summer ◽  
Fish Predation ◽  
Oligotrophic Lake ◽  
Size Distributions ◽  
Oligotrophic Lakes ◽  
Chydorus Sphaericus ◽  
Challenging Environment ◽  
Subarctic Lake

Abstract Littoral chydorids were sampled with a bottom sledge in Takvatn, a 15 km2 north Norwegian oligotrophic lake with poor vegetation. Three out of eight recorded species of chydorids were common, with abundance minima in late summer and maxima in autumn. Eurycercus lamellatus (O.F. Müller, 1776) and Acroperus harpae (Baird, 1835) were monocyclic, whereas Chydorus sphaericus (O.F. Müller, 1776) was seemingly acyclic. Females of E. lamellatus appeared in early June and grew to maximum sizes of 2–2.5 mm in early August. Parthenogenesis started in late July and two summer generations could be distinguished by size distributions. Gamogenesis took place in September. Acroperus harpae females appeared in early June and grew to maximum sizes of around 0.7 mm in early August. Parthenogenesis started in early July and gamogenesis took place in September and October. Parthenogenetic females of C. sphaericus appeared already at ice-break and had constant sizes of around 0.4 mm through the entire season. Males or ephippial females were not observed. The acyclic life history may be an adaptation to the challenging environment of this subarctic lake. Summer generations could not be distinguished in the two small-sized species, but both populations reached high abundances in autumn. The abundance of E. lamellatus increased from August, but then decreased, possibly as a result of fish predation. We argue that the present results are typical for large oligotrophic lakes in subarctic Europe.

scholarly journals Sex, Age, and Body Size Distributions of Western Sandpipers During the Nonbreeding Season With Respect to Local Habitat

The Condor ◽  
2006 ◽  
Vol 108 (3) ◽  
pp. 547-557 ◽  
Author(s):  
Guillermo Fernández ◽  
David B. Lank
Keyword(s):  
Population Structure ◽  
Body Size ◽  
Local Density ◽  
Late Winter ◽  
Size Distributions ◽  
Nonbreeding Season ◽  
Age Class ◽  
Migratory Shorebirds ◽  
Western Sandpipers ◽  
Northwestern Mexico

AbstractWe documented the local density and sex, age-class, and body size distributions of Western Sandpipers (Calidris mauri) among habitats at Bahía Santa María, northwestern Mexico, during the nonbreeding season. Three habitats were recognized: brackish flats, mangroves, and cattail marshes, which we ranked as richest to poorest in food resources and safest to most dangerous in predation danger. Western Sandpiper population structure differed among habitats. Bird densities were highest in brackish flats, the richest and safest habitat, and males and adults of both sexes were overrepresented. In cattail marshes, which appeared to be the poorest and most dangerous habitat, bird densities were lower, and the sex ratio and age ratios within each sex were more even. In mangroves, bird densities were similar to those in cattail marshes, but sex and age ratios were similar to those in brackish flats. Exposed culmen, an index of structural size, was not related to habitat use in either sex. Body mass of immature males was more variable than that of adults among habitats and immature males gained mass throughout the winter. Birds in brackish flats and mangroves were initially heavier, but tended to lose mass, whereas birds in cattail marshes were initially lighter, but tended to gain mass. Mass distributions thus converged in late winter. While the social and ecological causes and significance of differential sex and age-class distributions among habitats remain largely unquantified, evidence from this and previous studies suggests that nonbreeding population structure is a common phenomenon with important implications for migratory shorebirds.

scholarly journals Responses of food web to hypolimnetic aeration in Lake Vesijärvi

Hydrobiologia ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 847 (21) ◽  
pp. 4503-4523 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jukka Ruuhijärvi ◽  
Tommi Malinen ◽  
Kirsi Kuoppamäki ◽  
Pasi Ala-Opas ◽  
Mika Vinni
Keyword(s):  
Body Size ◽  
Food Web ◽  
Harmful Algal Blooms ◽  
Algal Blooms ◽  
Perca Fluviatilis ◽  
Fish Predation ◽  
Filamentous Cyanobacteria ◽  
Low Oxygen ◽  
High Quality ◽  
Oxygen Conditions

AbstractWe studied the responses of a food web, especially fish and zooplankton, to summertime aeration, pumping of oxygen-rich epilimnetic water to the hypolimnion in Lake Vesijärvi, southern Finland. The aim of hypolimnetic aeration was to reduce internal loading of phosphorus from sediment. The population of smelt (Osmerus eperlanus L.), the main planktivore of the pelagial area, collapsed during the two 1st years of aeration due to increased temperature and low oxygen concentrations in the hypolimnion. The population recovered after the 4th year of hypolimnetic aeration, when oxygen conditions were improved. Despite elevated hypolimnetic temperature, smelt reached exceptionally high abundance, which led to a significant reduction in cladoceran body size. The density of perch (Perca fluviatilis L.) increased at first, but then decreased when the proportion of smelt and cyprinids increased. Biomasses of Daphnia decreased probably as a result of the disappearance of dark, low-oxygen deep-water refuge against fish predation and low availability of nutritionally high-quality algae. Occasionally filamentous cyanobacteria, such as turbulence tolerant Planktothrix agardhii (Gomont), were abundant, suggesting deteriorated food resources for zooplankton. The responses of food web were controversial with respect to the aim of the management, which was to prevent the occurrence of harmful algal blooms.

scholarly journals Cladoceran body size distributions along temperature and trophic gradients in the conterminous USA

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
John R Beaver ◽  
Claudia E Tausz ◽  
Katherine M Black ◽  
Benjamin A Bolam
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Body Size ◽  
Multiple Regression ◽  
Water Clarity ◽  
Total Biomass ◽  
Ecosystem Structure ◽  
Strong Positive Correlation ◽  
Size Distributions ◽  
Strong Negative Correlation ◽  
Lake Ecosystems

Abstract Body size is an important functional trait that can be indicative of ecosystem structure and constraints on growth. Both increasing temperatures and eutrophication of lakes have been associated with a shift toward smaller zooplankton taxa. This is important in the context of climate change, as most aquatic habitats are expected to warm over the coming decades. Our study uses data from over 1000 lakes surveyed across a range of latitudes (26–49°N) and surface temperatures (10–35°C) in the USA during the spring/summer of 2012 to characterize pelagic cladoceran body size distributions. We used univariate and multiple regression modeling to determine which environmental parameters were strongly correlated to cladoceran body size. A strong positive correlation was observed between cladoceran body size and latitude, while a strong negative correlation was observed between cladoceran body size and water temperature. The ratio of zooplankton to phytoplankton, as well as relative total biomass contributions by cladocerans, decreased as trophic state increased. Multiple regression identified temperature-related variables and water clarity as significantly affecting cladoceran body size. These observations demonstrate the dual threat of climate change and eutrophication on lake ecosystems and highlight potential changes in biogeographical patterns of zooplankton as lakes warm.

The evolution of body size distributions

1995 ◽  
Vol 10 (5) ◽  
pp. 205
Author(s):  
Robert A. Martin
Keyword(s):  
Body Size ◽  
Size Distributions

Constraints on body-size distributions: an experimental test of the habitat architecture hypothesis

2001 ◽  
Vol 70 (2) ◽  
pp. 248-259 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rebecca Leaper ◽  
Dave Raffaelli ◽  
Chas Emes ◽  
Bryan Manly
Keyword(s):  
Body Size ◽  
Experimental Test ◽  
Size Distributions ◽  
Habitat Architecture

Altered body size distributions in a large river fish community enriched by sewage

2002 ◽  
Vol 59 (5) ◽  
pp. 819-828 ◽  
Author(s):  
Adrian M.H deBruyn ◽  
David J Marcogliese ◽  
Joseph B Rasmussen
Keyword(s):  
Body Size ◽  
Upper Bound ◽  
Fish Community ◽  
Local Variation ◽  
Large River ◽  
Habitat Characteristics ◽  
Size Distributions ◽  
Treated Sewage ◽  
Energetic Constraints ◽  
River Fish

We used two approaches (interspecific upper bound and normalized biomass spectrum, NBS) to study size distributions in a littoral fish community across a natural gradient of epiphytic primary production and at sites enriched by primary-treated sewage. The upper bound of the interspecific density – body size relationship supported universal energetic constraints on the regional assemblage but revealed substantial variation in size distributions at a local scale. Multivariate analysis of the modes composing the NBS suggested possible mechanisms for this local variation in size distributions. Only the largest organisms had higher densities at higher levels of productivity. Densities of smaller organisms could be explained by a combination of habitat characteristics and feeding interactions.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document