| Abstract: | Mysis diluviana is an important prey item to the Lake Superior fish community as found through a recent diet study. We further evaluated this by relating the quantity of prey found in fish diets to the quantity of prey available to fish, providing insight into feeding behavior and prey preferences. We describe the seasonal prey selection of major fish species collected across 18 stations in Lake Superior in spring, summer, and fall of 2005. Of the major nearshore fish species, bloater (Coregonus hoyi), rainbow smelt (Osmerus mordax), and lake whitefish (Coregonus clupeaformis) consumed Mysis, and strongly selected Mysis over other prey items each season. However, lake whitefish also selected Bythotrephes in the fall when Bythotrephes were numerous. Cisco (Coregonus artedi), a major nearshore and offshore species, fed largely on calanoid copepods, and selected calanoid copepods (spring) and Bythotrephes (summer and fall). Cisco also targeted prey similarly across bathymetric depths. Other major offshore fish species such as kiyi (Coregonus kiyi) and deepwater sculpin (Myoxocephalus thompsoni) fed largely on Mysis, with kiyi targeting Mysis exclusively while deepwater sculpin did not prefer any single prey organism. The major offshore predator siscowet lake trout (Salvelinus namaycush siscowet) consumed deepwater sculpin and coregonines, but selected deepwater sculpin and Mysis each season, with juveniles having a higher selection for Mysis than adults. Our results suggest that Mysis is not only a commonly consumed prey item, but a highly preferred prey item for pelagic, benthic, and piscivorous fishes in nearshore and offshore waters of Lake Superior. |
| Genre: | Article |
| ProdID: | 70041988 |
| Citation Author: | Isaac, Edmund J.; Hrabik, Thomas R.; Stockwell, Jason D.; Gamble, Allison E. |
| Citation Contributing Office: | Great Lakes Science Center |
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| Citation End Page: | 335 |
| Citation Issue: | 2 |
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| Citation Language: | English |
| Citation Larger Work Title: | Journal of Great Lakes Research |
| Citation LatN: | 49.0 |
| Citation LatS: | 46.25 |
| Citation LonE: | -84.33 |
| Citation LonW: | -92.5 |
| Citation Month: | JUN |
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| Citation Online Only Flag: | |
| Citation Phsyical Description: | 10 p. |
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| Citation Publisher: | Elsevier |
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| Citation Search Results Text: | Prey selection by the Lake Superior fish community; 2012; Article; Journal; Journal of Great Lakes Research; Isaac, Edmund J.; Hrabik, Thomas R.; Stockwell, Jason D.; Gamble, Allison E. |
| Citation Start Page: | 326 |
| Citation Volume: | 38 |
| Citation Year: | 2012 |
| Type: | citation/reference |
| Text: | Prey selection by the Lake Superior fish community; 2012; Article; Journal; Journal of Great Lakes Research; Isaac, Edmund J.; Hrabik, Thomas R.; Stockwell, Jason D.; Gamble, Allison E. |
| URL (THUMBNAIL): | http://pubs.er.usgs.gov/thumbnails/outside_thumb.jpg |
| URL (DIGITAL OBJECT IDENTIFIER): | http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jglr.2012.02.017 |
| Date Other: | Tue, 1 Jan 2013 00:00 -0600 |
| Publisher: | Elsevier |
