Polar light regime and piscivory govern diel vertical migrations of planktivorous fish and zooplankton in a subarctic lake

Kahilainen, Kimmo K.; Malinen, Tommi; Lehtonen, Hannu

doi:10.1111/j.1600-0633.2009.00363.x

Cited by 35 publications

(44 citation statements)

References 46 publications

(121 reference statements)

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“…In no case has predator avoidance or feeding opportunity entirely explained the observed DVM patterns (Hrabik et al 2006;Mehner et al 2007;Gjelland et al 2009;Kahilainen et al 2009;Probst & Eckmann 2009). This assumption can be tested only by appropriate experiments or bioenergetics modelling.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 98%

Temperature‐related nocturnal vertical segregation of coexisting coregonids

Mehner

Busch

Helland

et al. 2010

Ecology of Freshwater Fish

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Mehner T, Busch S, Helland IP, Emmrich M, Freyhof J. Temperature‐related nocturnal vertical segregation of coexisting coregonids. Ecology of Freshwater Fish 2010: 19: 408–419. © 2010 John Wiley & Sons A/S Abstract – Habitat choice of fish may be influenced by many different ecological factors, e.g., predation risk, feeding opportunity, or temperature and oxygen availability. However, because most of the fish prey and their predators rely on vision for feeding, the predator avoidance and feeding opportunity hypotheses may fail to predict distribution of fish at complete darkness. Here, we accumulated patterns of nocturnal vertical distribution of two coexisting coregonid populations in Lake Stechlin from 13 samplings over 4 years, conducted by hydroacoustics and simultaneous midwater trawling. We calculated population depths, dispersion, illumination strengths and vertical temperature gradients for all sampling dates. Illumination strengths at fish population depths were far below the critical levels for feeding by vision, suggesting that predator avoidance or feeding opportunity did not trigger the depth distribution at night. In contrast, nocturnal population depths and dispersion of vendace Coregonus albula were significantly associated with the seasonally changing vertical temperature gradient in Lake Stechlin, whereas night‐time distribution of the coexisting Fontane cisco Coregonus fontanae was almost unaffected by temperature. Vendace occurred just below the thermocline in isothermal water layers of about 6.5–9 °C during stratification of Lake Stechlin, whereas Fontane cisco preferred 4–6 °C cold layers. These experienced temperatures roughly correspond to species‐specific optimum metabolic temperatures determined in earlier experiments. We assume, therefore, that the temperature‐related vertical segregation during non‐feeding hours at darkness is linked with metabolic benefits, thus suggesting that bioenergetics efficiency contributes to ultimate causes of diel vertical migrations at least in vendace.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 98%

Temperature‐related nocturnal vertical segregation of coexisting coregonids

Mehner

Busch

Helland

et al. 2010

Ecology of Freshwater Fish

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“…* Data from Lapland Regional Environment Centre; a raker traits, habitat and diet selection of the studied coregonid populations are highly stable among different years (Amundsen et al 2004a, b;Kahilainen et al 2004Kahilainen et al , 2007Kahilainen et al , 2009). Coregonids were sampled from the three main habitats (littoral, pelagic and profundal) using a combination of gill net series and pelagic trawling.…”

Section: Fish Samplingmentioning

confidence: 99%

The role of gill raker number variability in adaptive radiation of coregonid fish

et al. 2010

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Gill raker divergence is a general pattern in adaptive radiations of postglacial fish, but few studies have addressed the adaptive significance of this morphological trait in foraging and eco-evolutionary interactions among predator and prey. Here, a set of subarctic lakes along a diversifying gradient of coregonids was used as the natural setting to explore correlations between gill raker numbers and planktivory as well as the impact of coregonid radiation on zooplankton communities. Results from 19 populations covering most of the total gill raker number gradient of the genus Coregonus, confirm that the number of gill rakers has a central role in determining the foraging ability towards zooplankton prey. Both at the individual and population levels, gill raker number was correlated with pelagic niche use and the size of utilized zooplankton prey. Furthermore, the average body size and the abundance and diversity of the zooplankton community decreased with the increasing diversity of coregonids. We argue that zooplankton feeding leads to an eco-evolutionary feedback loop that may further shape the gill raker morphology since natural selection intensifies under resource competition for depleted prey communities. Eco-evolutionary interactions may thus have a central role creating and maintaining the divergence of coregonid morphs in postglacial lakes.

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“…Diel vertical migration was observed by whitefish and vendace during August in Lake Skrukkebukta (Gjelland et al . ), and during September by conspecifics in nearby Lake Muddusjarvi (Kahilainen, Malinen & Lehtonen ). During September, Lake Skrukkebukta was nearly isothermal and zooplankton densities in surface waters (0–15 m) dropped to levels that were 20–50% of those present in August (Gjelland et al .…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Latitudinal and photic effects on diel foraging and predation risk in freshwater pelagic ecosystems

Hansen

Beauchamp

2014

Journal of Animal Ecology

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Summary Clark & Levy (American Naturalist, 131, 1988, 271-290) described an antipredation window for smaller planktivorous fish during crepuscular periods when light permits feeding on zooplankton, but limits visual detection by piscivores. Yet, how the window is influenced by the interaction between light regime, turbidity and cloud cover over a broad latitudinal gradient remains unexplored. 2. We evaluated how latitudinal and seasonal shifts in diel light regimes alter the foragingrisk environment for visually feeding planktivores and piscivores across a natural range of turbidities and cloud covers. Pairing a model of aquatic visual feeding with a model of sun and moon illuminance, we estimated foraging rates of an idealized planktivore and piscivore over depth and time across factorial combinations of latitude (0-70°), turbidity (0Á1-5 NTU) and cloud cover (clear to overcast skies) during the summer solstice and autumnal equinox. We evaluated the foraging-risk environment based on changes in the magnitude, duration and peak timing of the antipredation window. 3. The model scenarios generated up to 10-fold shifts in magnitude, 24-fold shifts in duration and 5Á5-h shifts in timing of the peak antipredation window. The size of the window increased with latitude. This pattern was strongest during the solstice. In clear water at low turbidity (0Á1-0Á5 NTU), peaks in the magnitude and duration of the window formed at 57-60°lati-tude, before falling to near zero as surface waters became saturated with light under a midnight sun and clear skies at latitudes near 70°. Overcast dampened the midnight sun enough to allow larger windows to form in clear water at high latitudes. Conversely, at turbidities ≥2 NTU, greater reductions in the visual range of piscivores than planktivores created a window for long periods at high latitudes. Latitudinal dependencies were essentially lost during the equinox, indicating a progressive compression of the window from early summer into autumn. 4. Model results show that diel-seasonal foraging and predation risk in freshwater pelagic ecosystems changes considerably with latitude, turbidity and cloud cover. These changes alter the structure of pelagic predator-prey interactions, and in turn, the broader role of pelagic consumers in habitat coupling in lakes.

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Polar light regime and piscivory govern diel vertical migrations of planktivorous fish and zooplankton in a subarctic lake

Cited by 35 publications

References 46 publications

Temperature‐related nocturnal vertical segregation of coexisting coregonids

Temperature‐related nocturnal vertical segregation of coexisting coregonids

The role of gill raker number variability in adaptive radiation of coregonid fish

Latitudinal and photic effects on diel foraging and predation risk in freshwater pelagic ecosystems

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