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Food Habits of Young Spots in Nursery Areas of the Cape Fear River Estuary, North Carolina
Author(s) -
Hodson Ronald G.,
Hackman John O.,
Bennett Charles R.
Publication year - 1981
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(1981)110<495:fhoysi>2.0.co;2
Subject(s) - estuary , benthos , marsh , benthic zone , habitat , fishery , cape , nursery habitat , environmental science , geography , ecology , biology , wetland , archaeology
The food of 1,026 young spots Leiostomus xanthurus (9–124 mm standard length) collected from marsh and tidal creek habitats in the Cape Fear River estuary included 53 categories. Nondetrital categories were grouped as microzooplankton, macrozooplankton, benthos, or fish. Microzooplankton and benthos had the highest percent occurrences; benthos made up the greatest volume. Volume of food consumption was greatest during night and in the marsh. Spots change from planktivorous feeders as postlarvae to benthic feeders as juveniles; this transition is a critical period during which spots obtain most of their food in marsh habitats. Marsh habitat is vital to the continued production of spot in many estuarine systems.