Foraging success of largemouth bass at different light intensities: implications for time and depth of feeding

Abstract

Laboratory feeding trials were conducted to determine how light intensity affects foraging success by the visual piscivore, the largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides). Foraging success was greater than 95% at light levels ranging from low intensity daylight (2·43 10 2 lx) to moonlight (3 10 3 lx), but declined significantly to 62% at starlight (2 10 4 lx) and near 0% in total darkness. Over a range of low to high water clarities (0·5, 2·0, and 4·0 m Secchi depth), estimated depth limits for feeding during the day ranged between 5·5 to 44 m and from 1·6 to 13 m at night during a full moon. At starlight, light intensity rapidly attenuated to a level below the feeding threshold within 0·5 m of the surface at all water clarities. The depth of the water column available for feeding in low clarity water (0·5 m Secchi) was 67 and 75% less than at moderate (2·0 m Secchi) and high (4·0 m Secchi) water clarities. The findings illustrate how differences in the light environment can have important ramifications for predator-prey interactions.

Signaling without the risk of illegitimate receivers: do predators respond to the acoustic signals of Cyprinella (Cyprinidae)?

“…Bass are known to be visual predators, as the results of this study strongly support, and visual stimulants (such as movement) readily entice bass feeding behavior (Heidinger 1975;McMahon and Holanov 1995;Kawamura and Kishimoto 2002). Because M. coosae are considered feeding generalists (meaning that their diet consists of an array of items from insects, to fish, to mammals such as mice in some cases; Hurst 1969), use of visual cues is probably a more effective method of prey localization than acoustic cues.…”

Effects of environmental variables on fish feeding ecology: implications for the performance of baited fishing gear and stock assessment

“…In contrast, many economically important fishes, especially those living in turbid water or in deep shelf environment, have low light thresholds for visual feeding. For example, McMahon & Holanov (1995) found thresholds near 2 × 10 −4 lx (3·9 × 10 −6 μmoles photons m −2 s −1 ) for piscivory in largemouth bass ( Micropterus salmoides Lacépède). Thresholds for planktivorous juvenile walleye pollock ( Theragra chalcogramma Pallas) and sablefish were 5 × 10 −7 and 5 × 10 −5 μmoles photons m −2 s −1 , respectively (Ryer & Olla, 1999).…”

Fishing in the Dark: A Pursuit-Diving Seabird Modifies Foraging Behaviour in Response to Nocturnal Light Levels

“…The foraging abilities and activity patterns of visual predators are strongly influenced by light levels [1]–[4]. Because prey detection depends on sufficient lighting, visual predators tend not to forage when efficiency is compromised by low light levels [5], [6].…”