<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">

<p>Lake Ostrowite is a mesotrophic lake in Northern Poland 280.7 ha in area and 43 m deep at its deepest point. To study vendace (<italic>Coregonus albula</italic> L.) diet in the lake, fish and zooplankton were sampled at two stations on 28-29 April, 15-16 May (fish only), 28-29 July and 15-16 August 2004. Fish were caught by gill netting, while zooplankton was collected from the whole water column by means of a Ruttner sampler (5 x 2 dm<sup>3</sup>). In total 91 vendace specimens were analysed, of which 64.8% had non-empty alimentary tracts. In the April and May samples Copepoda were the most numerous prey, while Daphnidae dominated the diet in the July- and September-caught fish. Planktonic Chironomidae pupae were also an important dietary item in the April-caught fish. Cladocerans, especially from Daphnidae family, were positively selected by vendace whilst copepods were not. Large predatory cladocerans, <italic>Leptodora kindtii</italic>, and the non-indigenous <italic>Bythotrephes longimanus</italic> were consumed in substantial quantities by the July- and September-sampled fish, with the vendace feeding more intensively on the <italic>L. kindtii</italic> than on the <italic>B. longimanus.</italic></p>
</abstract>

Lake Ostrowite is a mesotrophic lake in Northern Poland 280.7 ha in area and 43 m deep at its deepest point. To study vendace (Coregonus albula L.) diet in the lake, fish and zooplankton were sampled at two stations on 28-29 April, 15-16 May (fish only), 28-29 July and 15-16 August 2004. Fish were caught by gill netting, while zooplankton was collected from the whole water column by means of a Ruttner sampler (5 x 2 dm3). In total 91 vendace specimens were analysed, of which 64.8% had non-empty alimentary tracts. In the April and May samples Copepoda were the most numerous prey, while Daphnidae dominated the diet in the July- and September-caught fish. Planktonic Chironomidae pupae were also an important dietary item in the April-caught fish. Cladocerans, especially from Daphnidae family, were positively selected by vendace whilst copepods were not. Large predatory cladocerans, Leptodora kindtii, and the non-indigenous Bythotrephes longimanus were consumed in substantial quantities by the July- and September-sampled fish, with the vendace feeding more intensively on the L. kindtii than on the B. longimanus.

Diet composition and prey selection of vendace <italic>Coregonus albula</italic> in the mesotrophic, temperate Lake Ostrowite (Northern Poland)

Institute of Environmental Protection Department of Hydrobiology

Oceanological and Hydrobiological Studies

Diet composition and prey selection of vendace  in the mesotrophic, temperate Lake Ostrowite (Northern Poland)

Lake Ostrowite is a mesotrophic lake in Northern Poland 280.7 ha in area and 43 m deep at its deepest point. To study vendace (Coregonus albula L.) diet in the...

Diet composition and prey selection of vendace Coregonus albula in the mesotrophic, temperate Lake Ostrowite (Northern Poland)

Published Online: Apr 03, 2008

Page range: 57 - 68

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/v10009-007-0036-z

Keywords
Coregonus albula, Bythotrephes longimanus, Leptodora kindtii, mesotrophic lake, prey selection

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