Diet and prey selection by Lake Superior lake trout during springs 1986-2001

Journal of Great Lakes Research
By: , and 

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Abstract

We describe the diet and prey selectivity of lean (Salvelinus namaycush namaycush) and siscowet lake trout (S. n. siscowet) collected during spring (April–June) from Lake Superior during 1986–2001. We estimated prey selectivity by comparing prey numerical abundance estimates from spring bottom trawl surveys and lake trout diet information in similar areas from spring gill net surveys conducted annually in Lake Superior. Rainbow smelt (Osmerus mordax) was the most common prey and was positively selected by both lean and siscowet lake trout throughout the study. Selection by lean lake trout for coregonine (Coregonus spp.) prey increased after 1991 and corresponded with a slight decrease in selection for rainbow smelt. Siscowet positively selected for rainbow smelt after 1998, a change that was coincident with the decrease in selection for this prey item by lean lake trout. However, diet overlap between lean and siscowet lake trout was not strong and did not change significantly over the study period. Rainbow smelt remains an important prey species for lake trout in Lake Superior despite declines in abundance.

Publication type Article
Publication Subtype Journal Article
Title Diet and prey selection by Lake Superior lake trout during springs 1986-2001
Series title Journal of Great Lakes Research
DOI 10.3394/0380-1330(2007)33[104:DAPSBL]2.0.CO;2
Volume 33
Issue 1
Year Published 2007
Language English
Publisher International Association for Great Lakes Research
Contributing office(s) Great Lakes Science Center
Description 10 p.
First page 104
Last page 113
Online Only (Y/N) N
Additional Online Files (Y/N) N
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