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Feeding ecology of fishes associated with Egeria spp. patches in a tropical reservoir, Brazil
Author(s) -
Pelicice F. M.,
Agostinho A. A.
Publication year - 2006
Publication title -
ecology of freshwater fish
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.667
H-Index - 55
eISSN - 1600-0633
pISSN - 0906-6691
DOI - 10.1111/j.1600-0633.2005.00121.x
Subject(s) - diel vertical migration , macrophyte , biology , ecology , habitat , aquatic plant , nocturnal , aquatic insect , biomass (ecology) , zooplankton , algae
– This research characterised feeding ecology of fishes associated with patches of Egeria najas and Egeria densa , two submerged macrophytes, in Rosana Reservoir, Upper Paraná River basin, Brazil. Fishes were sampled using a 1 m 2 throw trap in patches of different macrophyte biomass and in three diel periods during a wet season. Fish diet (10 species) was primarily composed of autochthonous items (zooplankton, algae and aquatic insect larvae). Almost all intra‐specific diet patterns had moderate to low levels of diet similarity, indicating a high variability in diet. Some species showed no diel patterns in feeding activity, whereas others were primarily diurnal or nocturnal. No differences in feeding activity were observed among habitats of medium and high macrophyte biomasses, and species tended to feed on the same items among these habitats. The most abundant fish species demonstrated low inter‐specific diet overlap and appear not to compete for food resources. We suggest that Egeria patches are feeding grounds and shelter for small‐sized fish species.