Slimy Sculpin Cottus cognatus is an important component of the benthic ichthyofauna of many lakes and streams in the northern latitudes of North America. Although considerable information exists on the feeding ecology of this species, there is essentially no information available on winter feeding. Consequently, we examined the winter feeding ecology of Slimy Sculpins in a central New York stream. Ephemeropterans (37.8%) and trichopterans (31.2%) were the primary prey taxa consumed in January. There was evidence of diel variation in diet composition, with ephemeropterans making up 24.1% of the diet at 0400 hours and 46.7% at 1600 hours and trichopterans contributing 22.7% at 1200 hours and 43.8% at 2000 hours. During winter, Slimy Sculpins selected chironomids (0.46) and trichopterans (0.43) and avoided coleopterans (−0.84) and nonchironomid dipterans (−0.67). Peak food consumption of Slimy Sculpins occurred at night. Winter feeding patterns of Slimy Sculpins in Grout Brook, a second-order tributary of Skaneateles Lake in central New York, contrasted sharply with observations from other studies carried out during other seasons. Our findings are a significant contribution on the winter feeding ecology of this important benthic species and illustrate the need for both diel and winter studies to fully understand life history characteristics.
The initial, rapid expansion of the invasive round goby (Neogobius melanostomus) throughout the Great Lakes drainage was largely confined to lentic systems. We recently observed round gobies ascending two tributaries of the St. Lawrence River. The expansion of gobies into small lotic environments may place ecologically similar species at risk. Fantail darter (Etheostoma flabellare) is one of the several benthic species of the New York Great Lakes drainages that are threatened by round goby invasion. We examined the habitat use and diet composition of fantail darters and round gobies in Mullet Creek, a third-order tributary of the St. Lawrence River, NY, USA. The objectives of this study were to determine the degree of habitat and diet overlap between fantail darters and round gobies in a tributary of the St. Lawrence River. Gobies and darters co-occurred at 22% of capture sites. Of the four habitat variables examined (cover, depth, substrate and velocity), only depth use was significantly different with gobies using deeper habitats than darters. Among the two species and size classes sampled (large vs. small), large darters had the most restricted habitat use requirements. There was variation in round goby and darter diet composition, but only moderate diet overlap occurred between fantail darters and round gobies (Cλ ¼ 0.43). Conditions in Mullet Creek were appropriate for the evaluation of possible spatial and dietary competition between round goby and native darters. Early detection and management of round goby invasions is critical to maintaining ecological integrity of lotic ecosystems in the St. Lawrence Valley.
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