Seasonal dynamics of zooplankton in Lake Huetzalin, Xochimilco (Mexico City, Mexico)

We quantified the seasonal changes in the zooplankton abundances collected from the Huetzalin Lake (Mexico City, Mexico) for two years (February 2003–January 2004 and then March 2005–February 2006). Selected physicochemical variables (Secchi depth, temperature, pH, conductivity, dissolved oxygen, phosphorus, nitrogen, carbon and chlorophyll a concentration) were also measured at the time of zooplankton collection. The data on zooplankton abundances and the physicochemical variables were subjected to multiple correlation analysis and we also derived Shannon–Wiener species diversity index. Secchi depth ranged from 9 to 65 cm. Generally the lake was alkaline (pH 7–12). The conductivity ranged from 500–1000 mS cm⁻¹, while the mean water temperature was 20.5 °C. Dissolved oxygen levels were generally >3 mg L⁻¹ and were higher in the winter than warmer months. Nitrates (90–95 μg L⁻¹) and phosphates (.2–.5 mg L⁻¹) indicated that the water was eutrophic. Chlorophyll a levels ranged from 143 to 696 μg L⁻¹ during the study period. The zooplankton community was dominated by rotifers (46 species), followed by cladocerans (9 species) and there were only two copepod species. The dominant rotifer species were Brachionus angularis, Brachionus calyciflorus, Brachionus havanaensis, Brachionus quadridentatus, Lecane bulla and Polyarthra vulgaris. Rare rotifer species in Lake Huetzalin were Lecane ohioensis, Dicranophorus forcipatus, Lecane pyriformis, Lindia torulosa, Pleurotrocha petromyzon and Brachionus durgae. Highest densities (occasional peaks of 400 ind L⁻¹) of B. quadridentatus occurred between April and December, while B. havanaensis reached peak densities, during June to October. B. calyciflorus reached densities higher than 1240 ind L⁻¹ during May–September. Cladoceran and copepod densities in Lake Huetzalin were much lower than that of the rotifers. This study confirmed the earlier findings that Xochimilco system of canals is dominated by rotifers and the crustacean zooplankton have much lower abundances possibly due to predation from fish.     

滇池不同湖区浮游动物群落稳定性及其驱动因子分析

为了揭示滇池不同湖区浮游动物群落稳定性及其驱动因子,于2020年对滇池草海、大泊口、外海3个具有一定空间分隔的区域,按季度进行4次采样调查。结果表明,大泊口区域的溶解氧、透明度指标显著高于外海,总氮、总磷、悬浮物、叶绿素a和化学需氧量等指标浓度显著低于外海,草海理化因子浓度介于大泊口与外海之间。研究期间3个区域共鉴定出浮游动物41属(枝角类12属、桡足类8属、轮虫21属),轮虫种类和密度均占较大比例。浮游动物年平均密度大泊口(7771.3 ind./L)>草海(2901.1 ind./L)>外海(634.8 ind./L);年平均生物量草海(3.72 mg/L)>大泊口(2.15 mg/L)>外海(2.09 mg/L)。非参数多元方差分析(PERMANOVA)与相似性百分比分析(SIMPER)结果表明,滇池3个区域间浮游动物群落结构差异极显著,导致大泊口与草海、外海群落结构呈极显著差异的属种为轮虫类群的种类,导致草海与外海群落结构呈极显著差异的属种为枝角类和轮虫类群的种类。此外,浮游动物群落稳定性与物种多样性呈显著的正相关关系,且经过生态修复后水质有所改善的湖区...     

热带浅水湖泊后生浮游动物群落结构对生态修复的响应

热带浅水湖泊后生浮游动物群落以轮虫和小型枝角类为主,往往缺乏大型浮游动物,其影响因子还存在争议,因此通过减少鱼类,提高大型后生浮游动物密度,从而增强对浮游植物的下行控制、修复热带富营养化湖泊的方法受到质疑.暨大南湖位于广州暨南大学校园内,是热带富营养化浅水湖泊,于2014年1—2月实施以鱼类去除和水生植被重建为主的生态系统修复工程,以期改善水质.通过对南湖修复前后水质、后生浮游动物以及修复后鱼类群落的调查分析,研究了后生浮游动物群落对修复的响应.结果表明:与修复前相比,总氮、总磷和叶绿素a浓度显著降低,透明度显著上升.枝角类丰度和生物量显著增加,修复后初期出现较高密度的大型枝角类蚤状溞(Daphnia pulex),桡足类丰度和生物量没有显著变化,轮虫丰度下降而生物量上升;后生浮游动物体长和生物多样性显著增加.随着鱼类密度的增加,蚤状溞丰度快速降低,后期鱼类减少后蚤状溞丰度又有所升高.因此,本研究显示鱼类是控制热带浅水湖泊大型浮游动物种群的主要因素,由于控制鱼类密度以维持较高大型浮游动物密度较为困难,因此单纯生物操纵在热带浅水湖泊修复中难以取得显著效果.     

淮南迪沟采煤沉陷区湖泊后生浮游动物群落结构及其影响因子

2015年8月-2016年6月对安徽省迪沟采煤沉陷区湖泊后生浮游动物群落结构及环境因子进行了调查,研究了其群落结构及与环境因子的关系.共发现后生浮游动物16科27属53种,其中轮虫38种,枝角类9种,桡足类6种,优势种为萼花臂尾轮虫(Brachionus calyciflorus)、角突臂尾轮虫(B.angularis)、蒲达臂尾轮虫(B.budapestiensis)、针簇多肢轮虫(Polyarthra trigla)、曲腿龟甲轮虫(Keratella valga)、螺形龟甲轮虫(K.cochlearis)、长额象鼻溞(Bosmina longirostris)和透明温剑水蚤(Thermocyclops hyalinus).密度和生物量平均值分别为965.00±541.91 ind./L和3.42±2.17 mg/L.密度峰值出现在2015年2月,而生物量峰值出现在10月,最低值均出现在12月.后生浮游动物密度的空间分布呈现西低东高的趋势,而生物量空间分布呈现西高东低的趋势.Shannon-Wiener多样性指数、Margalef丰富度指数和Pielou均匀度指数分别为2.07~3.22、0.83~1.72和0.67~0.80.冗余分析及Pearson相关性分析结果表明,浮游植物生物量、水温、营养盐等是影响后生浮游动物群落结构的主要因子.综合理化指标、营养状态指数、后生浮游动物优势种及生物多样性指数结果表明,迪沟采煤沉陷区湖泊已处于轻度富营养状态.     

Effect of the selective feeding ofGalaxias maculatus (Salmoniformes,Galaxiidae) on zooplankton of a South Andes lake

The effect of larval and juvenile predation ofGalaxias maculatus on a natural small-sized zooplankton was studied in a South Andes lake. Field data of zooplankton density and composition were combined with fish gut content analysis during a spring-summer season. Results showed thatGalaxias early stages ingested mostly planktonic preys. A shift was observed in prey electivity: larvae preferred copepod nauplii whereas juveniles preferred cladocerans. Larval predation provokes the failure of the summer cohort of the calanoid copepodBoeckella gracilipes. The effect of juveniles is more undefined, but seems to prevent the reappearance ofCeriodaphnia in the summer plankton.     

Food Type Effects on the Population Growth Patterns of Littoral Rotifers and Cladocerans

Littoral rotifers and cladocerans feed on bacteria, phytoplankton, and detritus. In comparison to planktonic organisms their species diversity is high, yet little is known about their biology. In this study we present data on the functional response of the cladocerans Macrothrix triserialis and Alona rectangula, and the rotifer Brachionus macracanthus to different levels of the alga Chlorella vulgaris. Based on the incipient limiting level, we chose the food concentration and tested the population growth on four types of diets for three cladoceran species — Macrothrix triserialis, Alona rectangula, and Chydorus sphaericus — and three rotifer species — Brachionus macracanthus, Lecane quadridentata, and Platyias quadricornis. We studied growth rates of each of these species on diets of live Chlorella vulgaris, heat‐killed Chlorella vulgaris, baker's yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae), and field collected detritus. The incipient limiting level was around 0.9 · 10⁶ cells mL^?1 of Chlorella for the tested zooplankton species. The population growth patterns showed that, in general, the cladocerans took 25…50 d to reach their peak population densities, which ranged from 10…75 ind. mL^?11. Among the rotifers L. quadridentata and B. macracanthus had equally high growth rates on live and heat‐killed forms of C. vulgaris while P. quadricornis grew best on detritus. The growth rates ranged from 0.03…0.21 d^?1. The similarities and differences between littoral and planktonic organisms in relation to food type and availability have been discussed.     

Feeding activity of adult roach (Rutilus rutilus (L.)), perch (Perca fluviatilis L.) and ruffe (Gymnocephalus cernuus (L.)) in eutrophic Lake Aydat (France)

The feeding activity of adult roach (Rutilus rutilus), perch (Perca fluviatilis) and ruffe (Gymnocephalus cernuus) was studied over a one year cycle to show trophic relations between fish and the prey communities in eutrophic Lake Aydat.Daily consumption rates were referred to the stock of the different age classes of fish. Seven food compartments (phytoplankton, macrophytes, Cladocera, Copepoda, macroinvertebrates, fish and sediment) were used by the fish. The main prey compartment ofR. rutilus were macroinvertebrates (39.7%), sediment (29.0%), macrophytes (15.4%) and phytoplankton (14.9%). Little zooplankton was consumed (2.4%).P. fluviatilis fed mainly on macroinvertebrates and fish fry (both 41.8%) and some zooplankton (15.0%). ForG. cernuus, macroinvertebrates dominated in the diet (97.4%). During spring, Bacillariophyceae and macroinvertebrates represented the principal preys. During summer, insect larvae, phytoplankton and macrophytes were the principal components of the diet. At the end of summer, macrofauna was scare and fish tended to move to the pelagic zone feeding on plankton. In autumn, the prey spectrum was large. During winter, sediment was the most important item consumed, together with some macroinvertebrates. The impact of this fish community through consumption is highest on macroinvertebrates (40.7%), flora (27.7%) and sediment (28.4%). The predation of these three fish on zooplankton was low (1% per day of the zooplankton biomass) and restricted to periods when the other items were scarce. Interspecific competition is not excluded for macroinvertebrates.     

Ontogenic shifts in predatory roles involving two invasive species

The red swamp crayfish, Procambarus clarkii, and the eastern mosquitofish, Gambusia holbrooki have been introduced worldwide, but the interactions between these invasive species are not well known. The effects of crayfish presence, crayfish size and water depth on the consumption of G. holbrooki by P. clarkii were analyzed, as were the effects of mosquitofish presence and water depth on the consumption of recently hatched crayfish (RHC) by mosquitofish. To better understand this subject we conducted aquaria and open air mesocosm experiments simulating a rice field section. Aquarium experiments showed that P. clarkii consumes G. holbrooki and that G. holbrooki consumes RHC. Adult crayfish size did not significantly affect the consumption of mosquitofish and water depth had no effect on the consumption of G. holbrooki by P. clarkii and vice versa. In the outdoor mesocosm experiments P. clarkii caused no statistically significant effect on G. holbrooki numbers or biomass when compared with controls without crayfish. In spite of this, the analysis of crayfish stomach contents clearly demonstrated that several G. holbrooki individuals were consumed, indicating that crayfish can profit from the presence of G. holbrooki. Results from our study suggest that in shallow pools there are strong interactions between the two invasive species since adult crayfish predate mosquitofish and mosquitofish predate recently hatched crayfish. Therefore, there are bidirectional trophic interactions between these invasive species which change depending on their relative size. We believe that these interactions should become more relevant in confined areas such as small shallow pools formed during the late summer and autumn.     

Zooplankton community structure and ecology of the tropical-highland Lake Hayq, Ethiopia

Lake Hayq, a highland lake in Ethiopia, was stocked with Tilapia fish (Oreochromis niloticus) in late 1970s, offering an opportunity to study the effect of fish predation in a natural lake. Since 1930s, some limnological surveys have been done sporadically documenting a change in zooplankton composition including the disappearance of cladocerans, hypothesizing the stocked planktivorous fish could be a cause. Nevertheless, no detailed research was conducted to identify potential effects of fish stocking predominantly due to its remote location. The article presents data about zooplankton composition, abundance and biomass done between October 2007 and January 2009 on short-time intervals including the underlying limnological variables. The zooplankton community was depauperate comprising two copepods, three cladocerans, and six rotifers taxa, as typical for tropical lakes. Total mean standing biomass of all crustacean zooplankton was 237 mg dry mass m⁻³, which gave Lake Hayq an intermediate position when compared with other tropical lakes. Of copepods, Thermocyclops ethiopiensis was almost an exclusive species, and its temporal variation was influenced by food supply and water temperature. We refute the hypothesis that Tilapia was the cause for the seasonal disappearance of cladocerans, and attribute it to the adverse effect of episodic mixing. Nevertheless, the planktivorous fish probably plays a key role in structuring the cladocerans in particular the large-sized Daphnia magna. In January 2008, we observed a massive planktivorous fish mortality that triggered high algal biomass, which was later grazed by large-sized D. magna demonstrating the trophic cascade hypothesis in a natural ecosystem.     

鲫(Carassius auratus)对浅水湖泊水体浊度、营养水平和浮游生物生物量的影响——基于中宇宙模拟实验

鲫(Carassius auratus)是我国各类淡水水体的优势鱼类之一.作为底栖杂食性鱼类,一方面,鲫可以通过排泄和扰动沉积物影响湖泊营养和光照水平,通过"上行效应"促进浮游植物生长;另一方面,鲫也可以捕食浮游动物,通过"下行控制"影响藻类生长以及营养盐循环.对于浅水湖泊,两种途径对于生态系统影响的相对重要性仍有待研究.本研究设计了一个两因素户外中宇宙实验,通过在沉积物表面添加隔网的方式,比较两种情况下(能、否接触沉积物),鲫对水体浊度、营养盐和浮游生物生物量的影响.实验在16个大型钢化玻璃桶(400 L)中进行,持续36 d(2019年8月6日—9月11日).研究结果表明:1)在能接触沉积物的条件下,鲫显著促进了沉积物再悬浮,表现为水体的总悬浮物(TSS)和无机悬浮物(ISS)浓度大幅升高;水体的光衰减系数(Kd)增加,总氮(TN)和总磷(TP)浓度明显升高; 2)在不能接触沉积物的条件下,鲫对水体悬浮物(TSS和ISS)浓度和Kd的影响不明显,但是显著降低了水体TN和TP浓度; 3)在两种情况下,鲫对浮游植物叶绿素a浓度以及浮游动物生物量的影响均不显著.本研究表明鲫只有在能够接触沉积物的条件下,才会显著提高水体浊度和营养水平.因此,在缺乏沉水植被的浅水湖泊中,鲫扰动沉积物产生的"上行效应"可能是其对生态系统产生负面影响的主要途径.     

Extended larval development compensates for sublethal effects of fish predation in a mayfly population (Rhithrogena semicolorata, Ephemeroptera)

Many predation experiments in streams are carried out in enclosures. Hence, the relevance of their results to predict population dynamics is often unclear due to the relatively small spatial and temporal scale of the experiments. To enhance the transferability of experimental results on the ecosystem scale the impact of fish predators on a prey population was observed in a reach scale approach over 2 years in a natural stream. A 400-m reach inhabited by the small benthivorous fishes gudgeon (Gobio gobio) and stone loach (Barbatula barbatula) was compared with a fishless reference reach.It was shown that fish predation may affect the population of the grazing mayfly Rhithrogena semicolorata on the ecosystem scale. Although the larvae grew slower in the fish reach than in the fishless reach, the adults reached the same size and fecundity because they emerged 2–3 weeks later. By this compensation, the prey species avoided a reduction of their individual fecundity. On the other hand, the extended exposure to the fish predators resulted in an enhanced mortality and a reduced density of adult mayflies. Thus, there was obviously a trade-off between maximising fecundity and minimising mortality from fish predation.The observed differences were almost certainly caused be fish predation and not by natural differences of the reaches. This was concluded from results gained after eliminating all benthivorous fish from the former fish reach.With the help of scenario analyses based on our empirical data and simple model assumptions we could demonstrate that compensating the potential loss in fecundity by extending development time led to higher average fitness of the prey population than emerging at an earlier fixed time to avoid additional predation losses. Therefore, we concluded that this strategy was adaptive in the presence of benthivorous fish.     

抚仙湖浮游甲壳动物群落结构与空间分布

云南抚仙湖是我国典型的高原深水湖泊,为揭示湖中浮游甲壳动物对生态系统变化的响应,研究了其群落结构与空间分布特征.2005年6-7月在抚仙湖共采集浮游甲壳动物8种,平均密度为27.6ind./L,优势类群为桡足类.桡足类优势种为舌状叶镖水蚤(Phyllodiaptomus tunguidus Shen et Tai),枝角类优势种为角突网纹涵(Ceriodaphnia cornuta Sars)和象鼻溞(Bosmina sp.).浮游甲壳动物主要分布在0-30m水层,密度随水深增加而下降;0-10m水层,枝角类和无节幼体占优势,大于10m水层,桡足类占优势.浮游甲壳动物密度南区大于北区(P<0.01),而沿岸区与湖心区之间、沉水植物区与非沉水植物区之间无显著性差异(P>0.05).相关分析表明:浮游甲壳动物密度的垂直分布与藻类密度和水体理化凼子相关关系显著,而水平分布与藻类密度和水体理化因子相关关系不显著.与20世纪80年代相比,抚仙湖浮游甲壳动物优势种发生了演替,西南荡镖水蚤(Neutrodiaptomus mariadviagae mariadviagae (Brohm))消失,被舌状叶镖水蚤代替,可能与太湖新银鱼(Neosalanx taihuensi Chen)引入有关;浮游甲壳动物密度表现出增加趋势,但仍处于较低水平,与水体营养水平的提高及太湖新银鱼的捕食压力有关.     

秀丽白虾(Exopalaemon modestus)对亚热带湖库春夏季水体营养水平和浮游生物群落的影响——基于微宇宙模拟实验

秀丽白虾(Exopalaemon modestus)是我国大型淡水湖库的重要经济渔获对象,也是水体中浮游动物的捕食者之一.以往的研究从渔业的角度揭示了秀丽白虾的生物学特征与食性,但少有研究探讨秀丽白虾这一无脊椎动物捕食者对春、夏季浮游生物群落的影响.本研究设计了一个单因素户外微宇宙实验,比较了春季—初夏(4-6月)时期,有无秀丽白虾条件下水体氮、磷浓度以及浮游生物生物量和群落结构的变化.结果 表明:1)秀丽白虾的存在显著降低了春季水体总氮(TN)浓度,增加了水体总磷(TP)浓度,降低了水体TN∶TP比值;2)秀丽白虾的捕食减少了大型枝角类Daphnia pulex和浮游动物总生物量,D.pulex在浮游动物群落中的优势度被轮虫取代,浮游动物群落趋于小型化;3)秀丽白虾显著增加了春季水体叶绿素a浓度,但对浮游植物群落结构的影响不明显.研究表明在大型湖库中,秀丽白虾等无脊椎动物捕食者可能是影响浮游生物群落变化的因素之一,在春季浮游生物研究中应予以关注.     

Predation Efficacy of Larvivorus Fishes on Cyclops,Transmitting Dracunculiasis

The predatory potentiality of G. affinis and P. reticulata fishes on cyclops was tested by ‘no-choice’ and ‘choice’ experiments. In ‘no-choice’ experiments predation increased significantly with the number of cyclops exposed (1, 3, 5, 7 and 10 preys) and decreased with the increase in the water volume (1, 2 and 3 litres) in case of both the fishes. A similar trend for cyclops predation was observed in ‘choice’ experiments. The relative rate of predation of G. affinis and P. reticulata was more in ‘no-choice’ as compared to in ‘choice’ experiments. However, the predatory efficacy of G. affinis was relatively higher than that of P. reticulata in all the experiments. The comparative rate of predation on three zooplanktons by G. affinis and P. reticulata showed that Daphnia spec. was most susceptible to predation by both the fishes. It was followed by calanoids and the least preferred prey being cyclops.     

春秋两季鄱阳湖浮游动物的编目、数量分布与变动

分析鉴定了1999年春、秋两季,在鄱阳湖区8个断面24个采样站采得的水样．共观察到各类浮游动物共150种．其中轮虫动物物种最为丰富,为96种,占总种数的64．0％,且单位体积的数量亦呈明显优势,说明轮虫动物是该湖区浮游动物的优势类群;其次为原生动物．24个采样站中,原生动物、轮虫动物、枝角类、桡足类这四类浮游动物个体数量分布的差异极大,其中第10、12、13和23号站中的个体数量较高,超过100ind／L最大数量出现在13号站,个体数量高达1101．60ind／L鄱阳湖浮游动物的数量有明显的季节变动,尤属轮虫的变动最大．本次调查中轮虫和枝角类的数量春季大于秋季,而原生动物和桡足类则秋季大于春季．     

Horizontal distribution of the rotifer plankton of Lake Aydat (France)

We investigated the causes of the shift which occurs in the horizontal distribution of planktonic rotifers of Lake Aydat. A normalised PCA was used to analyse the spatio-temporal distribution of 18 rotifer species. They are more numerous in the littoral zone, but seasonal changes remain higher than spatial changes. Results illustrate the capability of rotifers to take efficiently advantage of available space and food. The digestive tracts of fry and juvenile roach was also analysed and the index of Ivlev was used to determine prey selection. Fish predation occurs in the nearshore zone and the interactions between invertebrate predators and their prey are illustrated by the quantitative changes in community dynamics. Among the complex cascade of events varying in the course of the year, and despite of resource partitioning, predator-prey interactions as well as the exploitative competition between rotifers and crustaceans produce gradients exhibited in the horizontal distribution of rotifers in Lake Aydat.     

Diet of two invading gobiid species (Proterorhinus semilunaris and Neogobius melanostomus) during the breeding and hatching season: No field evidence of extensive predation on fish eggs and fry

One of the potential impacts of invasive gobies on native fish fauna is predation on eggs and fry. Therefore, the diet composition of two invading gobiid species, the tubenose goby Proterorhinus semilunaris and round goby Neogobius melanostomus, was examined in the Dyje river system (Danube basin, Central Europe) during the 2011 reproductive season to ascertain the extent of gobiid predation on heterospecific and conspecific eggs and juveniles. Consumption of fish eggs and juveniles by invading gobies was very low. The diets of both species consisted largely of benthic macroinvertebrates, and particularly insect larvae. These results indicate that invading gobies in the Dyje river system are likely to impact native fish fauna more through competitive effects than through direct predation on eggs and juveniles.     

Zooplankton succession during extraordinary drought–flood cycles: A case study in a South American floodplain lake

We examined the zooplankton abundance and composition of Laguna Grande, a floodplain wetland of the Lower Paraná Basin (Argentina), during an extraordinary drought–flood cycle that affected both the environment and the biological conditions of the lake. Low waters were characterised by remarkably high conductivities and pH values, and high phytoplankton and bacterioplankton abundances with cyanobacterial blooms, while high waters showed opposite features. In relation to zooplankton, the mean abundances of all the taxonomic groups (rotifers, cladocerans, copepods, ciliates, and heterotrophic nanoflagellates) were slightly higher at low waters. Major changes were observed in the specific composition of metazooplankton: the euryhaline species assemblage that dominated in the dry warm period was replaced by several oligohaline littoral and planktonic species characteristic of the Paraná River Basin, when the water level rose. Mean species richness values at high waters doubled those of low waters and were directly correlated to water depth. Most of the rotifers of the genus Brachionus and the cladoceran Moina micrura switched from parthenogenetic to sexual reproduction during low waters, as a response to a harsh environment and crowding. We suggest that the main changes in the environmental conditions in this eutrophic floodplain lake are driven by the hydrology, which regulates the zooplankton succession. The herein described shifts in the zooplankton structure and dynamics of Laguna Grande over an extraordinary drought–flood cycle contribute to the understanding of the processes that might occur under the scenarios predicted by climate change models.     

鲢鳙对浮游动物群落结构的影响

1990年4—7月,在武汉东湖运用围圈的方法,研究了鲢(Hypophthalmichthys molitriac)、鳙(Aristichthys nobilis)对浮游动物群落结构的影响。观察表明:在鲢鳙混养的围圈中,原生动物和小型轮虫的数量较多,而甲壳动物和大型轮虫较少。在无鱼的围圈中,结果正好相反。就浮游动物平均生物量而论,无鱼的两个围圈(55.035mg/L和38.374mg/L)比鲢鳙混养的两个围圈(3.028mg/L和3.490mg/L)高得多。甲壳动物(无节幼体除外)的体长频度分布表明:在无鱼的围圈中,大型甲壳动物的频度比有鱼的围圈高得多。围圈实验表明:鲢鳙的摄食促进了浮游动物向小型化方向发展。     

Differential piscivory of the native Percichthys trucha and exotic salmonids upon the native forage fish Galaxias maculatus in Patagonian Andean lakes

The present paper analyses predation patterns, of Percichthys trucha and salmonid fish upon Galaxias maculatus in five lakes of northern Patagonia with differing community and environmental characteristics. Tank experiments were performed to evaluate relative efficiency of native and exotic predators of G. maculatus under treatments with and without cover (aquatic vegetation). Important differences were found between predators with regards to distribution and consumption of G. maculatus. Salmonids are more efficient than P. trucha in consuming G. maculatus in deep environments with scarcely vegetation; in contrast to native species they frequently use the pelagic environment. Although pelagic habitat might have served in the past as a refuge from native predators in the past, G maculatus now experiences intense predation in the pelagic zone by exotic salmonids. It is suggested that the widespread distribution of G. maculatus in Patagonian lakes may have facilitated the success of salmonids throughout Patagonia.