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Size structure of benthic freshwater fish communities in relation to environmental gradients
Author(s) -
Holmgren K.,
Appelberg M.
Publication year - 2000
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.1095-8649.2000.tb00489.x
Subject(s) - salmo , biology , benthic zone , salvelinus , perch , brown trout , ecology , trophic level , trout , biomass (ecology) , ecomorphology , community structure , niche , fishery , habitat , fish <actinopterygii>
The benthic fish communities of 161 Swedish lakes, sampled with multi‐mesh gillnets, were examined by direct gradient analyses with ten environmental factors. A geographic gradient, correlated with climatic factors and productivity, was most important for ordination of species optima. By contrast, the distribution of biomass in different size‐classes and trophic groups, was influenced more directly by local factors such as water quality (pH) and lake morphometry (area and maximum depth). The communities are not only structured at the species level, but also by size‐related allocation of resources, within and between coexisting species. This national survey confirmed patterns observed in previous local field studies, as well as experiments designed for testing mechanisms acting on size‐structured populations. However, it highlighted the need for more extensive studies on if and how large‐scale environmental variation affects the cues for size‐related ontogenetic niche shifts in facultative piscivores, because species such as perch Perca fluviatilis , brown trout Salmo trutta , and Arctic charr Salvelinus alpinus often dominate the benthic fish community.