PARENT SESSION
Poster Session #23: Fish, Lakes, Streams, and Wetlands.
Wednesday, August 8, 2001. Presentation from 10:30 AM to 12:00 PM. Exhibition Hall
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Piscivorous niche expansion by largemouth bass in a temperate experimental lake.
Charipar, Elizabeth1, Hodgson, Jay2, Hodgson, James1, 1 2
ABSTRACT- We examined diet dynamics and niche utilization by largemouth bass Micropterus salmoides, smallmouth bass M. dolomieu, and yellow perch Perca flavescens before (1988-1990) and after (1999-2000) removal of smallmouth bass from a temperate experimantal lake. Prior to manipulation, largemouth bass occupied the largest proportion of the total diet space, but smallmouth bass consumed the greatest proportion of prey fish. After manipulation, largemouth bass consumed increased proportions of fish, nearly claiming the entire piscivorous niche previously occupied by smallmouth bass. Diets of yellow perch did not significantly change. These data demonstrate opportunistic foraging and ecosystem dominance often associated with largemouth bass ecology.
KEY WORDS: Micropterus, prey selection