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Distribution and variation in the growth of roach, Rutilus rutilus (L.), and dace, Leuciscus leuciscus (L.), in a river catchment in south‐west England
Author(s) -
Cowx I. G.
Publication year - 1988
Publication title -
journal of fish biology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.672
H-Index - 115
eISSN - 1095-8649
pISSN - 0022-1112
DOI - 10.1111/j.1095-8649.1988.tb05448.x
Subject(s) - rutilus , leuciscus , biology , drainage basin , habitat , range (aeronautics) , cyprinidae , ecology , fish <actinopterygii> , fishery , geography , materials science , cartography , composite material
The distribution and growth of roach and dace in the R. Exe catchment was studied. Distribution conformed to the classic theories of zonation, although human interference extended or reduced the range of species. Distinct differences were found in the growth rates of roach and dace between different regions of the catchment. Both species achieved their fastest growth in zones where the river topography portrayed their ‘preferred’ habitat characteristics, i.e. the fast‐flowing middle and slow‐flowing lower reaches for dace and roach, respectively. Female roach were found to grow considerably faster than male fish, whilst no sexual differentiation in growth rates was found in dace. Considerable fluctuations in year class strength were observed in both species.