Food habits of stunted and non-stunted white perch (Morone americana)

Journal of Freshwater Ecology
By: , and 

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Abstract

We studied food habits of white perch (Morone americana) from two populations with different stable states (stunted [Branched Oak Lake, Nebraska] and non-stunted [Pawnee Lake, Nebraska]) to determine if change in food habits of white perch is likely to occur in situations where a stunted white perch population is altered to a non-stunted state and vice versa. Three approaches were used to quantitatively describe seasonal (spring = March-May, summer = June-August, autumn = September-November) diets of white perch—1) frequency of occurrence, 2) percentage of composition by volume, and 3) mean stomach fullness. White perch diets were dominated by cladocerans and dipterans in both reservoirs during all seasons. Fish egg predation was similar between reservoirs, and white perch rarely consumed fishes in either the stunted or the non-stunted population. Shifting a white perch population between stunted and non-stunted states will likely cause little or no change in food habits; fish in both states will primarily consume invertebrates.

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Publication type Article
Publication Subtype Journal Article
Title Food habits of stunted and non-stunted white perch (Morone americana)
Series title Journal of Freshwater Ecology
DOI 10.1080/02705060.2010.9664354
Volume 25
Issue 1
Year Published 2010
Language English
Publisher Taylor and Francis
Description 9 p.
First page 31
Last page 39
Country United States
State Nebraska
Other Geospatial Pawnee Lake, Branched Oak Lake
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