Changes in abundance and distribution of benthic macroinvertebrates after introduction ofcutthroat trout into a previously fishless lake
Document Type
Article
Journal/Book Title/Conference
Transactions of the American Fisheries Society
Volume
119
Publication Date
1990
Keywords
benthic, macroinvertebrates, cutthroat, trout
First Page
1010
Last Page
1021
Abstract
Densities of dominant macroinvertebrates declined in profundal and pelagic regions but not in littoral regions of Lake Lenore, Washington, after introduction of cutthroat trout Oncorhynchus clarki, Chaoborus flavicans, Hyalella azteca, and Callibaetis sp. composed over 90% of cutthroat trout diets, and these prey taxa showed the greatest response to the introduction. Although cutthroat trout selectively consumed larger individuals of these taxa and reduced mean length of prey in autumn populations, no change in size distribution of overwintering individuals was apparent 6 years after the fish were introduced. Reported changes in spatial distribution of these prey support the hypothesis that prey refuge space in littoral regions buffers prey populations from the direct effects of cutthroat trout predators.
Recommended Citation
Luecke, C. 1990. Changes in abundance and distribution of benthic macroinvertebrates after introduction of cutthroat trout into a previously fishless lake. Trans. Am. Fish. Soc. 119:1010-1021.
