The influence of instream cover and predation risk on microhabitat selection of stone loach Barbatula barbatula (L.)

Abstract— The microhabitat selection of stone loach ( Barbatula barbatula ) in relation to instream cover and predation risk was investigated in artificial streams. In one experiment, stone loach were presented different combinations of shelter structures, two at a time, that provided visual isolation, flow refuge, both, or none. In all cases, visual isolation shelters were selected by the fish, with little use of clear shelters and no apparent selection of flow refuges. In a second experiment, diel activity patterns and habitat selection of stone loach were measured when visual isolation structures were placed in the riffle only, pool only, both riffle and pool or in no habitat. Stone loach were marked with passive integrated transponder tags and a sensor plate was placed between the riffle and pool habitats to measure diel activity patterns. Habitat use was measured by releasing drop gates between the two habitats at the end of each trial. More stone loach used the pool than the riffle in all treatments, but use of the riffle increased when cover was present only there. Furthermore, stone loach were most active between 2100 and 0300. To determine the effect of predation threat on habitat use by stone loach, one adult brown trout ( Salmo trutta ) was added to each pool. The presence of trout caused stone loach to move into the riffle, especially the smaller loach. Overall, the study showed that stone loach used cover in a visual isolation context, preferring deeper water when there was no predation risk, but made more use of shallower water in the presence of brown trout.