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Behavioral Suppression of Spawning in Largemouth Bass by Interspecific Competition for Space within Spawning Areas
Author(s) -
Smith Stephen Lee
Publication year - 1976
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 - 10.1577/1548-8659(1976)105<682:bsosil>2.0.co;2
Subject(s) - micropterus , bass (fish) , spawn (biology) , interspecific competition , biology , fishery , hatchery , centrarchidae , population , reproductive cycle , ecology , reproduction , fish <actinopterygii> , demography , sociology
Florida largemouth bass, Micropterus salmoides floridanus, fail to spawn in association with dense populations of stunted sunfish. A recent study indicated that a “physical factor” rather than a chemical factor may be responsible. Three hatchery ponds containing marked bass were stocked at different points in the bass reproductive cycle with concentrations of sunfish known to suppress spawning. It was determined that reduced or complete inhibition of spawning of largemouth bass is related to interspecific population densities in the spawning area and is behavioral in nature. Suppression is linked to aggressive interaction with other species, primarily affects the male bass, and is effective in suppressing the spawning behavior sequence even before nest construction.