The effects of winter ice cover on the trophic ecology of whitefish (Coregonus lavaretus L.) in subarctic lakes

Lakes in Arctic and subarctic regions display extreme levels of seasonal variation in light, temperature and ice cover. Comparatively little is known regarding the effects of such seasonal variation on the diet and resource use of fish species inhabiting these systems. Variation in the diet of European whitefish Coregonus lavaretus (L.) during periods of ice cover in this region is often regarded as ‘common knowledge’; however, this aspect of the species' ecology has not been examined empirically. Here, we outline the differences in invertebrate community structure, fish activity, and resource use of monomorphic whitefish populations between summer (August–September) and winter (February–March) in three subarctic lakes in Finnish Lapland. Benthic macroinvertebrate densities did not exhibit measurable differences between summer and winter. Zooplankton diversity and abundance, and activity levels of all fish species (measured as catch per unit effort) were lower in winter. The summer diet of C. lavaretus was typical of a generalist utilising a variety of prey sources. In winter, its dietary niche was significantly reduced, and the diet was dominated by chironomid larvae in all study sites. Pelagic productivity decreases during winter, and fish species inhabiting these systems are therefore restricted to feeding on benthic prey. Sampling time has strong effect on our understanding of resource utilisation by whitefish in subarctic lakes and should be taken into account in future studies of these systems.     

Generalist feeding strategies in Arctic freshwater fish: A mechanism for dealing with extreme environments

Generalist feeding strategies are favoured in stressful or variable environments where flexibility in ecological traits is beneficial. Species that feed across multiple habitat types and trophic levels may impart stability on food webs through the use of readily available, alternative energy pools. In lakes, generalist fish species may take advantage of spatially and temporally variable prey by consuming both benthic and pelagic prey to meet their energy demands. Using stomach content and stable isotope analyses, we examined the feeding habits of fish species in Alaska's Arctic Coastal Plain (ACP) lakes to determine the prevalence of generalist feeding strategies as a mechanism for persistence in extreme environments (e.g. low productivity, extreme cold and short growing season). Generalist and flexible feeding strategies were evident in five common fish species. Fish fed on benthic and pelagic (or nektonic) prey and across trophic levels. Three species were clearly omnivorous, feeding on fish and their shared invertebrate prey. Dietary differences based on stomach content analysis often exceeded 70%, and overlap in dietary niches based on shared isotopic space varied from zero to 40%. Metrics of community‐wide trophic structure varied with the number and identity of species involved and on the dietary overlap and niche size of individual fishes. Accumulation of energy from shared carbon sources by Arctic fishes creates redundancy in food webs, increasing likely resistance to perturbations or stochastic events. Therefore, the generalist and omnivorous feeding strategies employed by ACP fish may maintain energy flow and food web stability in extreme environments.     

Predation as a determinant of size structure in populations of crucian carp (Carassius carassius) and tench (Tinea tinea)

Predation is an important structuring force in many fish assemblages and may have large, direct lethal effects on prey fish populations but also may affect growth rate and survival indirectly through shifts in behavioral patterns. Some species appear more sensitive to predation and earlier studies in a limited set of Finnish ponds suggests that crucian carp (Carassius carassius) is very sensitive to predation, which results in changes in population size-structure and density. In this study we tested the effect of piscivore presence or absence on crucian carp populations by using data from a large number (>600) of Swedish lakes across a wide geographical area and ranging in size from small ponds to large lakes (0.02–4400 ha). We also included a second species, tench (Tinea tinea), in our analyses. The population size structures of crucian carp and tench were clearly related to the presence or absence of piscivores. In lakes and ponds without piscivores. populations were dominated by small-bodied individuals. When piscivores were present, populations consisted almost exclusively of large individuals. Densities of crucian carp and tench were much higher in ponds and lakes without piscivores. There were no differences in size structure or relative abundance when catches from electrofishing were compared with gill net catches, suggesting that our results are not an effect of a behavioral shift in the presence of piscivores.     

牛磺酸对鲫鱼蛋白质消化吸收的影响

选用牛磺酸作为饲料添加剂,以0.2%、0.4%、0.6%、0.8%的剂量将牛磺酸添加到基础饲料中,以基础饲料为对照饲喂鲫鱼(45￣52g)15d后,测定蛋白质消化吸收率。结果表明:牛磺酸可以显著提高鲫鱼对蛋白质的消化吸收率(P<0.05),其中,添加0.60%组效果最佳,比对照组提高6.65%。蛋白质消化率的提高,是牛磺酸促进鱼体生长速度加快的主要原因之一。     

Demonstrating the practical impact of publications in Aquatic Conservation – The case of crucian carp Carassius carassius in the East of England

1. The contribution of nearly three decades of research, much of it published in Aquatic Conservation: Marine and Freshwater Ecosystems (AQC), to the conservation of the crucian carp Carassius carassius in the East of England, including work coordinated by the Norfolk Crucian Project, is summarized.
2. Although recent genetic studies indicate that this species was probably introduced to England about the same time as common carp Cyprinus carpio, the crucian carp is considered a cultural heritage species worthy of conservation in eastern England.
3. This research covers the environmental biology of the species in the East of England, documentation of the species' decline in the county of Norfolk, and the pond management practices implemented in Norfolk to rehabilitate existing and fully terrestrialized pond habitat specifically for crucian carp conservation.
4. The AQC papers that contributed to this line of research showed that England offers a particularly favourable environment for crucian carp growth and reproduction. These AQC articles provided the evidence base to complement crucian carp conservation initiatives in the London area (mainly the counties of Essex and Hertfordshire), as well as forming the basis for the designation of crucian carp as a Biodiversity Action Priority species in the county of Norfolk.
5. The broader impact of the work in the East of England was to inspire the recently‐formed English National Crucian Conservation Project, which aims to promote the conservation of crucian carp and its habitat, and to encourage the development of well‐managed crucian fisheries.
6. These evidence‐based conservation initiatives, perhaps the first throughout Europe, have witnessed a reversal of the species' fortunes in England, which is effectively an ideal geographical region in which to promote the conservation of this species within a wider, European context.

     

Growth and morphology of an endangered native freshwater fish,crucian carp Carassius carassius,in an English ornamental pond

• 1. Crucian carp Carassius carassius, which is native to south‐east England, has received little previous study in Britain but is threatened by introductions of goldfish Carassius auratus through hybridization and by frequent mis‐identification of brown goldfish as crucian carp. The present study provides the first data on back‐calculated growth, morphology and age‐at‐maturity of crucian carp in Britain.
• 2. The youngest mature crucian were female (age 2+), the smallest mature crucian were male (age 3+), with almost all fish mature at age 3+. Sex dimorphism in back‐calculated standard length at age was not observed except at age 2+ (juveniles longest). Shifts in morphological characters often associated with maturation (dorsal and ventral fin length, dorsal and anal fin depth, pre‐dorsal distance, body width) were observed between ages 4+ and 7+, which (in contrast to the relatively abrupt shift in maturity) suggests that age and size at maturation may not reflect the size and age of active (i.e. real) spawning.
• 3. Back‐calculated standard lengths at age for crucian carp were intermediate relative to other European populations, indicating that environmental conditions in England appear to be well suited to the species despite being at the westernmost extent of the species' native European range. The management of ornamental ponds specifically for crucian carp is discussed.

© Crown copyright 2007. Reproduced with the permission of Her Majesty's Stationery Office. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Trophic ecology of brown trout (Salmo trutta L.) in subarctic lakes

In subarctic lake systems, fish species like brown trout are often important predators, and their niche performance is a key characteristic for understanding trophic interactions and food web functioning at upper trophic levels. Here, we studied summer habitat use and stomach contents of brown trout under both allopatric and sympatric conditions in six subarctic lakes to reveal its trophic role, and population‐ and individual‐level niche plasticity. In allopatry, brown trout mainly used the littoral habitat, but also less commonly used the pelagic zone. In sympatry with stickleback, there was always a considerable habitat overlap between the two species. In contrast, sympatric populations of brown trout and Arctic charr generally revealed a distinct habitat segregation. In the sympatric systems, in general, there was a distinct resource partitioning between the trout and charr, whereas the observed diet overlap between trout and stickleback was much larger. Trout modified their individual dietary specialisation between the littoral and pelagic zone, always being lower in the pelagic. Piscivorous behaviour of trout was only found in sympatric systems, possibly contributing to a competitive advantage of trout over charr and stickleback. Hence, the trophic level of trout was strongly related to the fish community composition, with a higher trophic level in sympatric systems where piscivorous behaviour was frequent. These changes in the trophic level of trout linked with the observed food resource partitioning might be an important mechanism in the ecosystem functioning of subarctic lakes to allow coexistence among sympatric‐living fish species.     

微卫星分离模式显示雄性三倍体鲫产生非整倍体精子

三倍体鲫(Carassius auratus)行天然雌核发育,其自然种群中却有较高比例的雄性个体,这些雄性个体的性腺发育正常,能产生有活力的精子。而且其精子的DNA含量约为体细胞的一半,显示三倍体鲫精子发生过程中可能经历了均等的减数分裂。流式细胞术虽然能够较准确地测定细胞群的平均DNA含量,但是却很难检测到单个精子中的个别染色体增减,要明确回答雄性三倍体鲫产生的精子是否为整倍体需要定量地检测单个精子的遗传组成。本研究用微卫星标记检测以雌性鲤(Cyprinus carpio)与雄性三倍体鲫为亲本构建的杂种家系的基因型,结果发现母本鲤的多态位点在子代中呈孟德尔分离,父本三倍体鲫具有三套鲫基因组,其等位基因在子代中呈随机分离。上述研究结果提示:三倍体鲫起源于二倍体鲫的同源加倍,而非二倍体鲫和鲤的种间杂交;三倍体鲫通过染色体的随机分离产生非整倍体的精子,其精子发生过程中没有均等的减数分裂。三倍体鲫行雌核发育生殖,却可能并非起源于种间杂交且群体中的雄性个体可育,因而是单性生殖鱼类中的一个特例。     

鳜鱼、青鱼、草鱼、鲤、鲫、鲢消化酶活性的研究

鳜鱼、青鱼、草鱼、鲤、鲫、鲢肝脏蛋白酶活性低于肠蛋白酶。肠蛋白酶活性，鳜鱼最高，其余依次为青鱼、鲤、鲢、草鱼、鲫。鳜鱼、鲢的肠蛋白酶活性由前肠向后肠递减；而青鱼、鲤、草鱼的则由前肠向后肠递增；鲫则中肠活性最低。六种鱼不同组织的脂肪酶活性因鱼而异。青鱼、鳜鱼、鲤、鲢肝脏中脂肪酶活性低于肠脂肪酶活性（Ｐ＜０．０１）；而草鱼和鲫肝脏中脂肪酶活性与肠脂肪酶活性差异不明显（Ｐ＞０．０５）。六种鱼肝脏中脂肪酶活性由高到低依次为鳜鱼＞鲢＞鲫＞草鱼＞青鱼＞鲤；肠脂肪酶活性顺序为鳜鱼＞鲢＞青鱼＞鲤＞草鱼＞鲫。脂肪酶活性与鱼类食性无明显相关性。不同组织间淀粉酶活性存在差异。鳜鱼的肝脏和肠均有较高淀粉酶活性，青鱼和鲫肝脏中淀粉酶活性低于肠中的；草鱼、鲤和鲢肝脏中淀粉酶活性高于肠中的，但差异不显著。六种鱼中鳜鱼的肝脏淀粉酶活性明显高于其它五种无胃鱼，它们的淀粉酶活性顺序依次为鳜鱼＞鲢＞鲤＞草鱼＞青鱼＞鲫；肠淀粉酶活性顺序为鳜鱼＞鲫＞鲤＞青鱼＞鲢＞草鱼。     

Prey fish selection by Far Eastern catfish <Emphasis Type="Italic">Silurus asotus</Emphasis> and largemouth bass <Emphasis Type="Italic">Micropterus salmoides</Emphasis>

ABSTRACT:   Prey fish selection by Far Eastern catfish and largemouth bass were examined using bluegill, Japanese dace and crucian carp as food fish. In both aquaria (1.2 m × 0.45 m) and ponds (2.8 m × 1.2 m), bluegill was not preyed on by catfish and bass more than dace and crucian carp. In aquaria, there was no significant difference in the consumption of dace and crucian carp between catfish and bass, but in ponds, catfish preyed on dace and crucian carp more and less than bass, respectively. In the case that only bluegill and catfish were introduced in ponds, catfish consumed 4–15 g of bluegill per day. The introduction of catfish into ponds and lakes for the purpose of eradicating bluegill is considered appropriate for areas with few native fish species.     

The effect of feeding commercial diets on the development of juvenile crucian carp (Carassius carassius,L.). Part 1: Skeletal deformations

The crucian carp (Carassius carassius, L.) is a cyprinid freshwater species, whose wild‐living populations have decreased in recent years due to an increasing competition of invasive species. Several initiatives were launched, attempting to reintroduce this fish back into its native open waters, which requires the use of crucian carp fry grown under controlled conditions. However, the use of popular commercial diets results in severe developmental abnormalities. The aim of this study was to analyse the impact of feeding natural feed (Chironomidae sp. larvae) or two popular commercial diets on the skeletal development of crucian carp juveniles. Whole‐mount staining and histological methods were used in the study. Skeletal tissues of fish fed both commercial diets were demineralized and displayed a variety of deformities, such as abnormal vertebral spines and vertebral fusion, as well as a new type of deformation, which involved the action of dorsal fin pterygiophores upon the spine. Finally, a novel analytical method was proposed, which utilizes LA‐ICP‐MS for the estimation of bone mineralization. The study proved that basic commercial diets are inadequate for the rearing of crucian carp juveniles.     

Trophic structure of fish assemblages from Mamoré River floodplain lakes (Bolivia)

Abstract –  The fish assemblage of the floodplain of the Mamoré River (Bolivia) was estimated in eight lakes, corresponding to four habitat types, situated on an environmental gradient related to the river distance: lakes situated near the river, in the forested floodplain, at the floodplain edge and lakes isolated in the savanna. This paper documents the diet of 71 fish species (among the 140 recorded) and compares the taxonomic and trophic structure of fish assemblages between four lake types. The diet analysis was conducted to determine five trophic guilds: algivores/iliophages, herbivores, zooplanktivores, invertivores and piscivores. The taxonomic and trophic structures of the fish assemblages were not similar in the different lake types of the Mamoré River. The trophic structure of assemblages showed a coarse pattern of dominance of algivores/iliophages and invertivores, but different situations were observed in relative abundance of the trophic groups in relation to the spatial position of the lakes (except for piscivores). Lakes close to the river appeared more favourable to the microphages (algivores/iliophages, zooplanktivores) although remote lakes appeared more favourable to the macrophages (invertivores, herbivores). These results support the general idea that fish distribution follows a pattern linked to the ecology of the species, and related to environmental characteristics of the lakes.     

Growth and reproduction of threatened native crucian carp Carassius carassius in small ponds of Epping Forest,south‐east England

• 1. The crucian carp Carassius carassius is a species of cyprinid fish native to south‐east England, but few studies exist on its growth and reproduction in England, and the species is threatened by introductions of its Asiatic congener, goldfish Carassius auratus. To increase knowledge of the crucian carp as a means of aiding its conservation, the present study assesses the growth (back‐calculated length at age, body condition) and reproduction (fecundity, egg size, length and age at maturity) of crucian carp in small ponds of Epping Forest (north‐east London, England).
• 2. Evaluation of growth and reproduction data with published data for populations from northern Europe (i.e. latitude ?50°) suggest that growth is very variable, even within the same area, and that data on reproductive indices, in particular length and age at maturity, are scarce. In England, the length at age trajectory of crucian carp living in sympatry with feral goldfish Carassius auratus did not differ significantly from allopatric crucian carp populations, but crucian carp body condition and relative fecundity (eggs per body weight) were highest, and mean age and standard length at maturity were lowest in sympatry with goldfish.
• 3. These data suggest that somatic growth and reproductive output may be maximized in crucian carp when confronted by coexistence with feral goldfish. However, the potential impact of goldfish introductions on crucian carp growth and reproduction requires further study, involving a much larger number of crucian carp populations, both in allopatry and sympatry with feral goldfish populations.

© Crown copyright 2009. Reproduced with the permission of Her Majesty's stationery Office. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Ontogeny and dietary specialization in brown trout (Salmo trutta L.) from Loch Ness, Scotland, examined using stable isotopes of carbon and nitrogen

Abstract – The trophic ecology of many fish species in cold temperate lakes is often characterized by a generalist or opportunist strategy. In this study, the diets of polytrophic brown trout in Loch Ness, Scotland, have been examined using stable isotopes of carbon and nitrogen to complement gut content analyses and aging by otolith annuli counts. Using the stable isotope ratios, it was possible to trace trout ontogeny from parr development in a natal river to piscivory in the pelagic. Potential dilution of maternal isotope signatures from eggs to parr was also demonstrated. Despite the low productivity of the loch, intraspecific variability in isotope ratios suggested dietary specialization, rather than opportunism, in some individuals.     

Impaired littoral energy pathways cause a shift to pelagic resources by fish in recovering lake food webs

Fish communities may increase in biomass and productivity due to energy subsidies from the littoral invertebrate community. In lakes recovering from acidification and metal contamination, such as those in Sudbury, Ontario, Canada, impaired benthic invertebrate communities (i.e., low diversity with higher abundance of small‐bodied taxa) allowed a critical test of the role of these littoral pathways on fish diet. We compared fish abundance, diversity, diet and biomass in eight recovering and eight reference lakes and related availability of the main littoral and pelagic invertebrate groups to fish diet regime using stable isotope analysis. A Bayesian mixing model (MixSIR) was used to estimate diet likelihood, and convex hull analysis was used to estimate trophic niche space of fish communities. Fish biomass did not differ between impaired and reference lakes despite substantial differences in potential diet. Fish depended strongly on littoral benthos in the reference lakes but consumed more pelagic food in the impaired lakes. The trophic niche of the focal, most common fish species (i.e., yellow perch, smallmouth bass, pumpkinseed and brown bullhead) was larger in the impaired lakes. We attributed these differences to low diversity at the highest trophic levels of fish communities in the impaired lakes as well as to depauperate benthic invertebrate communities. In contrast to the food webs of most temperate lakes, fish in impaired lakes preyed less on littoral invertebrates yet still managed to maintain a reference lake level of biomass standing crop by relying more on pelagic resources – macro zooplankton such as Chaoborus.     

Dietary plasticity of Arctic charr (Salvelinus alpinus) facilitates coexistence with competitively superior European whitefish (Coregonus lavaretus)

Abstract – Habitat use and diet of Arctic charr (Salvelinus alpinus) coexisting with European whitefish (Coregonus lavaretus) and grayling (Thymallus thymallus) were studied in one deep and two relatively shallow subarctic lakes in northern Norway. Stomach content and stable isotope analyses revealed clear and temporally stable resource partitioning between the species in all three lakes. Arctic charr had a wide and flexible trophic niche and was the only piscivorous species. In contrast, whitefish and grayling had remarkably stable planktivorous and benthivorous niches, respectively. In the deepest lake, Arctic charr together with grayling mainly utilised littoral benthos, while piscivory was more prevalent in Arctic charr in the two shallower lakes. In one of the shallow lakes, whitefish was apparently relegated to the inferior profundal niche because of dominance of the littoral by grayling. Our results suggest that Arctic charr may not necessarily need an extensive profundal zone as a refuge, but can coexist with whitefish if a third competing fish species like grayling occurs in the littoral habitat or if profitable small prey fish are available. The study demonstrates that strong dietary plasticity of Arctic charr is instrumental in the observed coexistence with the commonly competitively superior whitefish.     

Body depth variation in crucian carp Carassius carassius: an experimental individual-based study

Abstract –  Induced morphological defences, where individuals develop morphological structures as a response to signals from sympatric predators, are common among invertebrates. Such defences have also been reported in a freshwater fish, the crucian carp Carassius carassius . In crucian carp, the presence of piscivorous fish presumably induces the development of a deep body as a defence mechanism. We tested how the growth rate (in body depth, length and mass) of individually tagged crucian carp responds to pike Esox lucius odours and control water. In general, crucian carp exposed to pike odour grew better (both in length and mass) than control fish. The treatment crucian carp also developed deeper bodies than control crucian carp. Further, there was a strong positive relationship between individual growth rate and the rate of change in body depth and this relationship did not differ between control and treatment fish.     

中国水产养殖种类组成、不投饵率和营养级

根据1950–2014年水产养殖种(类)有关统计和调研数据,并在对养殖投饵率、饲料中鱼粉鱼油比例、各类饵料(配合饲料、鲜杂鱼/低值贝类/活鱼、天然饵料等)营养级等基本参数进行估算的基础上,研究分析了中国水产养殖种类组成、生物多样性、不投饵率和营养级的特点及其变化。结果表明:中国水产养殖结构相对稳定,变化较小,其显著特点是种类多样性丰富、优势种显著、营养层次多、营养级低、生态效率高、生物量产出多。其中:(1)养殖种类296个、品种143个,合计为439个。种类组成区域差异明显,淡水养殖鱼类占绝对优势,如2014年草鱼、鲢鱼、鳙鱼、鲤鱼、鲫鱼和罗非鱼排名前6个种类的养殖占淡水养殖产量69.6%,其次为甲壳类、其他类、贝类及藻类,而海水养殖则以贝藻类为主,如2014年牡蛎、蛤、扇贝、海带、贻贝和蛏6个种(类)的养殖占海水养殖产量71.3%,其次为甲壳类、鱼类及其他类;(2)养殖种类多样性特征显著,与世界其他主要水产养殖国家相比,独为一支,具较高的多样性、丰富度和均匀度,发展态势良好;(3)由于养殖方式从天然养殖向投饵养殖转变,不投饵率呈明显下降趋势,从1995年90.5%降至2014年53.8%(淡水35.7%,海水83.0%),但与世界平均水平相比,仍保持较高的水准;(4)与世界相比,营养级低且较稳定。由于配合饲料的广泛使用及其鱼粉鱼油使用量减少,近年营养级略有下降,从2005年较高的2.32降至2014年2.25(淡水2.35,海水2.10)。营养级金字塔由4级构成,以营养级2为主,近年占70%,表明其生态系统有较多的生物量产出。中国水产养殖未来发展需要遵循绿色、可持续和环境友好的发展理念,探讨适宜的、特点各异的新生产模式,发展以养殖容量为基础的生态系统水平的水产养殖管理,建设环境友好型的水产养殖业,为保障国家食物安全、促进生态文明建设作出更大贡献。