| Abstract: | The abundance of freshwater drum (Aplodinotus grunniens) suggests they play an important role in the Lake Erie ecosystem. Our analysis of freshwater drum digestive tracts and macrobenthic samples collected from western Lake Erie indicates that drum were selective feeders. Planktonic cladocerans and larval midges (Chironomidae) were the primary prey organisms eaten by drum. Young-of-the-year fed mostly on cladocerans, while yearling and older drum ate both cladocerans and midge larvae. Decapods, pelecypods, and fish were found only in the digestive tracts of drum longer than 250 mm. While the most abundant organisms in benthic samples were cladocerans (ephippial) and oligochaetes (89.5% by number), they constituted less than 1% of the diet. An evaluation of food selectivity, using Ivlev‘s index of electivity for benthic organisms, indicated that adult drum preferred midges to any other benthic food. |
| Genre: | Article |
| ProdID: | 1000093 |
| Citation Author: | Bur, Michael T. |
| Citation Contributing Office: | Great Lakes Science Center |
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| Citation End Page: | 675 |
| Citation Issue: | 4 |
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| Citation Language: | English |
| Citation Larger Work Title: | Journal of Great Lakes Research |
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| Citation Number Of Pages: | 3 |
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| Citation Phsyical Description: | p. 672-675 |
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| Citation Search Results Text: | Food of freshwater drum in western Lake Erie; 1982; Article; Journal; Journal of Great Lakes Research; Bur, Michael T. |
| Citation Start Page: | 672 |
| Citation Volume: | 8 |
| Citation Year: | 1982 |
| Type: | citation/reference |
| Text: | Food of freshwater drum in western Lake Erie; 1982; Article; Journal; Journal of Great Lakes Research; Bur, Michael T. |
| URL (THUMBNAIL): | http://pubs.er.usgs.gov/thumbnails/outside_thumb.jpg |
| Date Other: | Fri, 1 Jan 1982 00:00 -0600 |
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