z-logo
Premium
Optimal Foraging by Largemouth Bass in Structured Environments
Author(s) -
Anderson Owen
Publication year - 1984
Publication title -
ecology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.144
H-Index - 294
eISSN - 1939-9170
pISSN - 0012-9658
DOI - 10.2307/1938059
Subject(s) - foraging , micropterus , bass (fish) , predation , ecology , macrophyte , habitat , fishery , biology , optimal foraging theory , centrarchidae , vegetation (pathology) , medicine , pathology
The effects of different densities of vegetation on the foraging behavior of largemouth bass, Micropterus salmoides, were examined in the laboratory. Prey encounter rates and handling times and the swimming velocities of the bass while searching for and handling prey were significantly influenced by changes in the amount of vegetation. An optimal—foraging model was then used to predict prey selection by the bass in two environment with identical prey communities but different densities of macrophytes. Consumption of prey by the bass corresponded closely with the predictions of the model. Diet breadths differed between environments, with bass in the sparse—vegetation habitat being more specialized. There was less variance in the foraging behavior of bass in sparse vegetation, and such fish adopted a particular diet more quickly than did their counterparts in dense vegetation.

This content is not available in your region!

Continue researching here.

Having issues? You can contact us here