Ecology of Freshwater Fish最新文献

{"title":"Movement Pattern and Habitat Use of the Endangered Brook Barbel (Barbus caninus) in a Mediterranean Stream","authors":"Alfredo Schiavon,&nbsp;Claudio Comoglio,&nbsp;Alessandro Candiotto,&nbsp;Michele Spairani,&nbsp;Franz Hölker,&nbsp;Johan Watz,&nbsp;Daniel Nyqvist","doi":"10.1111/eff.70017","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/eff.70017","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Understanding the ecology and behaviour of freshwater fish species is essential for effective management and conservation. Within the genus <i>Barbus</i>, small-sized mountain species remain understudied despite conservation concerns. In this study, we investigated the movement patterns, habitat use and flow preferences of the endangered species <i>Barbus caninus</i> in a Mediterranean mountain stream in northern Italy using passive integrated transponder telemetry. Over a 15-month period, 164 tagged fish were tracked between 2 and 30 times. Most individuals exhibited small home ranges, with a median linear range of 33.7 m, although a few fish moved over hundreds of metres. Fish size did not influence movement patterns. Movements were seasonally variable, with a significantly larger linear range observed during spring compared to other seasons. The barbel showed a weak preference for fast-flowing mesohabitats, and this preference was pronounced during winter. Despite this, <i>B. caninus</i> predominantly utilised low-velocity confined zones within hydromorphological units, potentially indicating energetically efficient microhabitat use. These findings shed light on the habitat requirements and movement patterns of an endangered species that inhabits small mountain streams and is subject to numerous anthropogenic threats.</p>","PeriodicalId":11422,"journal":{"name":"Ecology of Freshwater Fish","volume":"34 4","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.6,"publicationDate":"2025-07-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/eff.70017","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144635322","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Juvenile Convict Cichlids Prefer Shoals Over Potential Shelters","authors":"Karen O'Brien,&nbsp;Natalie A. van Breukelen","doi":"10.1111/eff.70019","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/eff.70019","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Successful strategies of predator deterrence or avoidance are necessary for juvenile organisms to survive to adulthood. Individuals should balance the benefits and risks of any strategy they choose. One strategy used by many fish species is shoaling by forming a loose grouping of conspecifics. This may deter predators through dilution or confusion, though it also increases competition between shoal mates. Another strategy is hiding to avoid predation, though hiding spots are only effective to avoid visual predators and may also be used by predators. Juvenile convict cichlids (<i>Amatitlania nigrofasciata</i>) were given a choice between a shoal of juvenile conspecifics and a potential shelter (plants/rocks), in the presence and absence of a predator (<i>Parachromis dovii</i>). We predicted that the fish would prefer the shoal when the predator was present and would prefer the potential shelter when the predator was absent because while shoaling is a predator deterrent it increases competition for resources. We found that the juvenile convict cichlids preferred to spend more time with a shoal than the potential shelter and did not prefer the potential shelter alone, and this preference did not change with predator presence. This suggests that not only did they prefer the shoal, but that they may have been avoiding the potential shelters, indicating a flexible strategy.</p>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":11422,"journal":{"name":"Ecology of Freshwater Fish","volume":"34 4","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.6,"publicationDate":"2025-07-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144558199","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Temporal and Ontogenetic Changes in Feeding Ecology of a Characid From Karst Dolines of the Neotropics","authors":"Amanda Menegante Caldatto,&nbsp;Rosa Maria Dias,&nbsp;Fernando César Paiva Dagosta,&nbsp;Anderson Ferreira","doi":"10.1111/eff.70018","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/eff.70018","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Environmental and biological factors strongly shape fish diets, yet little is known about such influences in flooded Karst Dolines of the Neotropical region. This study examined the diet of <i>Deuterodon luetkenii</i> and assessed its temporal and ontogenetic variation in Lagoa Misteriosa, a karstic lagoon. Fish were sampled bimonthly over 1 year and categorised into two hydrological periods: with algal blooms (WAB) and without algal blooms (AAB). A total of 540 stomachs from four body size classes were analysed, identifying 33 food items. Diet composition varied significantly between periods and among size classes. Filamentous algae and macrophytes were more consumed during the AAB period, while aquatic invertebrates predominated during the WAB period. Niche breadth remained consistent across periods but differed among size classes, indicating ontogenetic dietary shifts. Our findings underscore the ecological role of autochthonous resources and macrophytes in shaping feeding strategies and habitat use in karst ecosystems. Understanding these dynamics is crucial for conservation efforts and for anticipating the potential impacts of environmental changes on trophic interactions within karst environments.</p>","PeriodicalId":11422,"journal":{"name":"Ecology of Freshwater Fish","volume":"34 4","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.6,"publicationDate":"2025-07-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/eff.70018","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144558198","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Summer and Autumn Movement of Endemic Bartram's Bass, Invasive Alabama Bass and Hybrid Congeners in an Upper Savannah River Tributary","authors":"Tyler R. Zumwalt,&nbsp;Troy M. Farmer,&nbsp;Mark C. Scott,&nbsp;Daniel J. Farrae,&nbsp;Tanya L. Darden,&nbsp;Henry J. Hershey,&nbsp;Brandon K. Peoples","doi":"10.1111/eff.70014","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/eff.70014","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Bartram's Bass <i>Micropterus</i> sp. <i>cf. coosae</i> is endemic to the Upper Savannah River Basin of the southeastern United States, and is threatened by hybridization with invasive Alabama Bass <i>M. henshalli</i>. Quantifying movement of these species and their hybrids will improve understanding of how nonnative alleles spread among riverine fish populations. We quantified summer/autumn movement of Bartram's Bass, Alabama Bass and hybrid bass in Eastatoee Creek—a tributary experiencing ongoing invasion from Keowee Reservoir. To do this, we first quantified factors associated with the longitudinal distribution and weekly movement rates of each species, then estimated probabilities of species transitioning among key habitats at the river-reservoir interface. We tagged 291 fish with passive integrated transponder tags, sampling the entire stream length of Eastatoee Creek four times in both 2021 and 2022. We radio-tagged an additional 52 fish and tracked them from early May through mid-October each year. We used mixed effect models and a Bayesian multistate model to quantify movement, river position, movement probability and the effects of abiotic factors thereon. Alabama Bass and hybrid bass moved more than Bartram's Bass and remained in the lower reaches of Eastatoee Creek, apparently restricted by a reach of high-gradient habitat that functioned as a natural barrier. Alabama Bass made greater upstream movements during cooler spring temperatures when higher reservoir levels inundated the creek mouth. Bartram's Bass were distributed throughout Eastatoee Creek, making shorter weekly upstream movements associated with increasing temperature in late spring. Movement of hybrid bass from lower portions of tributaries is likely a primary source of nonnative allele spread in this system.</p>","PeriodicalId":11422,"journal":{"name":"Ecology of Freshwater Fish","volume":"34 3","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.6,"publicationDate":"2025-06-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/eff.70014","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144472822","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Body Size and Thermal Sensitivity of a Facultative Air-Breathing Fish Amidst Environmental Change","authors":"Erin K. Francispillai,&nbsp;Lauren J. Chapman","doi":"10.1111/eff.70015","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/eff.70015","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Many freshwater fish populations are increasingly required to respond to warming waters and low dissolved oxygen concentrations as a result of land-use change and climate change. In addition, the average size of fish in harvested populations can be drastically reduced due to heavy fishing pressure. These factors may be more pronounced in African countries due to current high rates of forest conversion and a greater dependency on local fish catch. To investigate the relationship between fish body size and heat tolerance, we compared the upper thermal tolerance limits (estimated as the Critical Thermal Maximum, CT_max) of the smooth-head catfish (<i>Clarias liocephalus</i>), a facultative air-breathing fish, sampled from Lwamunda Swamp, Uganda. We included additional CT_max trials under low dissolved oxygen concentrations (0.20–0.50 mg/L) to test for potential interactive effects between body size and hypoxia on upper thermal tolerance. Body size did not affect <i>C. liocephalus</i> upper thermal limits, as small and large individuals had similar CT_max values. CT_max values decreased under hypoxic conditions but were similar across a range of body sizes. The agitation temperature (temperature during the CT_max trials when individuals appeared to become agitated, likely avoidance behaviour) was positively related to body size. This suggests that smaller individuals may be more thermally sensitive than larger fish in terms of their behavioural response to acute temperature increase.</p>","PeriodicalId":11422,"journal":{"name":"Ecology of Freshwater Fish","volume":"34 3","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.6,"publicationDate":"2025-06-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/eff.70015","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144339626","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Niche Partitioning Among Three Apex Piscivorous Fishes: Evidence of Limited Intraguild Predation","authors":"Robert W. Eckelbecker,&nbsp;Christopher S. Guy,&nbsp;Paul C. Gerrity,&nbsp;Joe W. Deromedi,&nbsp;Travis E. Neebling,&nbsp;Mark A. Smith","doi":"10.1111/eff.70011","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/eff.70011","url":null,"abstract":"<p>This study aimed to understand the ecological relationship among burbot <i>Lota lota</i>, brown trout <i>Salmo trutta</i> and lake trout <i>Salvelinus namaycush</i>, with a focus on burbot, a species of greatest conservation need in Wyoming. While we hypothesised a reciprocal intraguild predation dynamic, where competition and predation occur between predators based on size or age structure, our findings provided limited support for this hypothesis. Both dietary overlap and trophic position were minimal among burbot, brown trout and lake trout. Instances of reciprocal predation were rare; no predation between burbot and lake trout was observed; and brown trout was the only species consumed by all predators (burbot 0.02 mean proportion by weight; lake trout 0.09 mean proportion by weight). Predation by brown trout on burbot was negligible, contributing only 0.01 to the mean proportion by weight and frequency of occurrence. Additionally, both burbot and brown trout were less piscivorous than expected, with fish comprising 0.36 and 0.17 of their mean proportion by weight in their overall diets, respectively. Overall, our findings suggest that these predators coexist with limited competitive or predatory interactions, likely due to differences in prey selection.</p>","PeriodicalId":11422,"journal":{"name":"Ecology of Freshwater Fish","volume":"34 3","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.6,"publicationDate":"2025-06-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/eff.70011","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144332020","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Evaluating Environmental Predictors of Fish Community Composition in a Semi-Arid River System Using a Model-Based Approach","authors":"Mojgan Zare Shahraki,&nbsp;Pejman Fathi,&nbsp;Sami Domisch,&nbsp;Andreas Bruder,&nbsp;Eisa Ebrahimi Dorcheh,&nbsp;Alireza Esmaeili Ofogh,&nbsp;Thomas Mehner","doi":"10.1111/eff.70013","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/eff.70013","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Understanding how the environment shapes species distribution and affects biodiversity patterns is important in ecology and conservation. Environmental stressors like climate change and anthropogenic impacts may lead to a significant decline in aquatic biodiversity. Therefore, it is imperative to characterise the current community structure and explore environmental drivers that may be important for the future community structure, also in biogeographic areas that are largely outside of the main research focus. We investigated how fish species abundances in the Karun River basin, southwest of Iran, respond to environmental predictors along a longitudinal gradient of 108 sampling sites using Generalised Linear Latent Variable Models (GLLVMs). We evaluated the response of 46 fish species to seven environmental predictors and interpreted the bivariate species co-occurrences in the residual covariance matrix in the light of potential biotic interactions. The latent variable model explained 62% of data variability in fish abundance. We identified temperature as the most important predictor, with alien species responding positively to warmer conditions, suggesting potential distribution shifts due to climate change. In contrast, endemic species showed negative responses to higher temperatures, highlighting their vulnerability. Fish abundance responses to total nitrogen concentration and average precipitation were generally negative, indicating threats from nutrient enrichment and changing rainfall patterns. There were a few systematic negative co-occurrences between alien and native fish species, which may reflect both differing environmental preferences and potential negative interactions. The model showed high predictive accuracy for the occurrence of native species, while accuracy was lower for endemic and alien species, likely due to their more limited geographical distributions. This study contributes to the global understanding of how environmental drivers shape fish communities in semi-arid river systems. By highlighting the contrasting responses of endemic and alien species to selected stressors, it provides valuable insights for predicting and managing biodiversity under climate change, offering a framework applicable to similar ecosystems worldwide.</p>","PeriodicalId":11422,"journal":{"name":"Ecology of Freshwater Fish","volume":"34 3","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.6,"publicationDate":"2025-06-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/eff.70013","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144315064","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Seasonal Community Occupancy of Fishes in a Lowland (Arkansas, USA) Headwater Stream","authors":"Tara L. Schnelting,&nbsp;Kyler B. Hecke","doi":"10.1111/eff.70005","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/eff.70005","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Among lowland fish communities, there is limited knowledge of the importance of headwaters. This information is needed to understand their role in fish communities. We addressed this gap by assessing seasonal changes in fish communities in lowland headwater streams (Arkansas, USA). 16 sites were sampled seasonally (winter, spring, summer and fall) in four events from Jan. to Oct. 2023. Multiple sampling gears (backpack electrofishing, kick nets and seines) were used to increase species detection. Fish presence/absence data, site and survey covariates were analysed using multiseason, community occupancy models to estimate <i>μ</i>, a value between 0 and 1, which represents the likelihood that an individual species is a member of the community and essentially represents that species occupancy (species probability), <i>Ω</i>, a value between 0 and 1, which represents the average occupancy probability across all species in the community across sites (community occupancy mean), and <i>p</i>, a value between 0 and 1, which is the probability of observing a species at a site given that the species is present (detection probability). A total of 37 species from 10 families were observed. Of the many models, we explored the best three: <i>μ</i> (canopy cover), <i>Ω</i> (canopy cover), <i>p</i> (.); <i>μ</i> (catchment area), <i>Ω</i> (catchment area), <i>p</i> (stream flow); <i>μ</i> (catchment area), <i>Ω</i> (catchment area) and <i>p</i> (.). The model incorporating canopy cover suggests that <i>μ</i> varied by species, <i>Ω</i> (± SE) varied by season and that <i>p</i> was constant. Overall, seasonal variation exists at the species and community levels; canopy cover and catchment area are the main drivers of <i>μ</i> and <i>Ω</i> and stream flow is the main driver of <i>p</i>. This research aids in the understanding of fish patterns and species richness on a temporal scale, improving knowledge of lowland headwater stream functionality in South Central Plains watersheds.</p>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":11422,"journal":{"name":"Ecology of Freshwater Fish","volume":"34 3","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.6,"publicationDate":"2025-06-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144292297","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"River Flow Regime Predicts Life History Traits in Poeciliid Fish","authors":"Raphaela Batista dos Santos,&nbsp;Luciana Lameira dos Santos,&nbsp;Romullo Guimarães de Sá Ferreira Lima,&nbsp;Bruno Eleres Soares,&nbsp;Carla Ferreira Rezende,&nbsp;José Roberto Feitosa Silva","doi":"10.1111/eff.70012","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/eff.70012","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Life history theory seeks to explain how the environment shapes life history traits. Based on this theory, we expected that <i>Poecilia vivipara</i> in rivers with intermittent and perennial flow regimes would show differences in maturation and reproductive investment. We sampled specimens from two rivers in the Brazilian semi-arid region with these contrasting river flow regimes. One is intermittent, where the flow ceases during the dry season and fish populations become confined to isolated pools on the riverbed, and the other is artificially perennial with continuous flow. We predicted that females would mature earlier and invest more in reproduction in the intermittent river than in the perennial river. Our findings supported the predictions; river intermittency apparently has shaped the traits of <i>P. vivipara</i> in natural environments as contrasted with those affected by anthropogenic alterations. Further study is needed to investigate whether these traits reflect genetic differences or phenotypic plasticity.</p>","PeriodicalId":11422,"journal":{"name":"Ecology of Freshwater Fish","volume":"34 3","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.6,"publicationDate":"2025-06-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/eff.70012","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144220200","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Prey Availability and Diet of Early Life Stages of Lake Whitefish (Coregonus clupeaformis) in the Fishing Islands of Lake Huron","authors":"Issac Hébert,&nbsp;Erin S. Dunlop","doi":"10.1111/eff.70010","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/eff.70010","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Declines in recruitment of lake whitefish (<i>Coregonus clupeaformis</i>) in the Laurentian Great Lakes have been attributed to a reduction in the amount of zooplankton prey available to young life stages, stemming from the ecosystem effects of invasive dreissenid mussels. Here, we examine the diets of two life stages of lake whitefish, the larval and post-larval stages, in relation to zooplankton availability in the environment at a historically important spawning shoal complex in Lake Huron to better understand the potential for food limitation to influence the growth and survival of these critical early life stages. The digestive tracts of larval (size range 12–26 mm) and post-larval (size range 23–43 mm) lake whitefish were extracted, and contents were identified and enumerated to describe feeding strategies and calculate electivity indices to assess selection for specific prey groups and sizes. We found that the amount of food consumed varied among years and there was an ontogenetic shift in feeding strategy, with larval fish having a more generalist diet than post-larval fish. The most important prey items were calanoid copepods for larvae and copepods and adult/pupa staged dipterans for post-larval fish. Zooplankton densities in the environment were often low, variable among years, and mostly comprised of the smallest zooplankton taxa, nauplii, which were the least preferred prey group of larval fish. The peak in zooplankton density was variable among years, including being absent, and occurred after the peak of larval abundance. Thus, it is possible that low zooplankton availability is increasing the scope for food limitation and contributing to recruitment variation in this population.</p>","PeriodicalId":11422,"journal":{"name":"Ecology of Freshwater Fish","volume":"34 3","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.6,"publicationDate":"2025-05-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/eff.70010","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144140468","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}