Diet and trophic niche space and overlap of Lake Ontario salmonid species using stable isotopes and stomach contents

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

12-1-2018

Publication Title

Journal of Great Lakes Research

Volume

44

Issue

6

First Page

1383

Keywords

Diet, Lake Ontario, Salmonids, Stable isotopes, Trophic niche

Last Page

1392

Abstract

Lake Ontario supports a diversity of native and non-native salmonids which are managed largely through stocking practices. Ecological changes (e.g., invasive species) altering the food web structure accompanied with shifts in prey abundance, necessitate understanding the trophic niches of Lake Ontario salmonids to aid in management. The objectives of this study were to quantify salmonid (5 species) trophic niches and dietary proportions using stable isotope ratios (δ13C and δ15N) of a large sample set (adult fish (>300 mm; n = 672) and key offshore prey (5 species, n = 2037)) collected across Lake Ontario in 2013. Estimates of prey based on stable isotope ratios were similar to stomach contents. Based on stable isotope ratios, non-native prey dominated salmonid diet; in particular alewife (Alosa pseudoharengus) constituted the majority (0.31 to 0.93) of all salmonid diets, and round goby (Neogobius melanostomus) contributed 0.26 and 0.19 of brown trout (Salmo trutta) and lake trout (Salvelinus namaycush) diets, respectively. Trophic niche overlap was high between all salmonids, except lake trout. The largest trophic niche overlap occurred between Chinook (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha), coho (Oncorhynchus kisutch), and Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar), and their reliance on alewife infers a strong pelagic foraging strategy. Lake, brown and rainbow (Oncorhynchus mykiss) trout had larger and/or more distinct trophic niches indicative of a more variable diet across individuals and utilizing different foraging strategies and/or habitats. Overall, Lake Ontario salmonids maintained a high reliance on alewife, and their potential for plasticity in diet provides important information to management regarding population sustainability.

DOI

10.1016/j.jglr.2018.08.009

ISSN

03801330

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