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Diversity in Habitat Use and Trophic Ecology of Brook Trout in Lake Superior and Tributary Streams Revealed Through Stable Isotopes
Author(s) -
Robillard Melissa M.,
McLaughlin Robert L.,
Mackereth Robert W.
Publication year - 2011
Publication title -
transactions of the american fisheries society
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.696
H-Index - 86
eISSN - 1548-8659
pISSN - 0002-8487
DOI - 10.1080/00028487.2011.601219
Subject(s) - trout , salvelinus , trophic level , ecology , fontinalis , tributary , streams , habitat , spawn (biology) , trophic state index , biology , lake ecosystem , environmental science , fishery , geography , fish <actinopterygii> , phytoplankton , computer network , cartography , computer science , nutrient
Two distinct types of brook trout Salvelinus fontinalis have been hypothesized to occur in Lake Superior: large fish that inhabit Lake Superior for much of the year but spawn in tributary streams, and small fish that are resident in tributary streams. The lake type has declined markedly in range and abundance, and a greater understanding of the behavior and ecology of these populations is needed to support conservation efforts. Comparisons of stable isotope (δ 13 C and δ 15 N) signatures between fish caught in the lake and those captured in streams supported the hypothesis of relatively distinct types differing in habitat use and trophic ecology. Comparisons of δ 13 C values for brook trout, other fishes, and aquatic invertebrates collected from stream, stream‐mouth, and lake habitats suggested that large‐type brook trout are lake specialists, whereas small‐type brook trout are stream specialists, stream–lake generalists, or some mixture of the two. Delineating the diversity in habitat use and trophic ecology of Lake Superior brook trout represents a crucial initial step toward understanding the mechanisms responsible for the observed phenotypic diversity and for developing science‐based plans to conserve or restore this diversity.