Sammanfattning

The benthic fish communities of 161 Swedish lakes, sampled with multi-mesh gillnets, were examined by direct gradient analyses with ten environmental factors. A geographic gradient, correlated with climatic factors and productivity, was most important for ordination of species optima. By contrast, the distribution of biomass in different size-classes and trophic groups, was influenced more directly by local factors such as water quality (PH) and lake morphometry (area and maximum depth). The communities are not only structured at the species level, but also by size-related allocation of resources, within and between coexisting species. This national survey confirmed patterns observed in previous local field studies, as well as experiments designed for testing mechanisms acting on size-structured populations. However, it highlighted the need for more extensive studies on if and how large-scale environmental variation affects the cues for size-related ontogenetic niche shifts in facultative piscivores, because species such as perch Perca fluviatilis, brown trout Salmo trutta, and Arctic charr Salvelinlus alpinus often dominate the benthic fish community. (C) 2000 The Fisheries Society of the British Isles.

Nyckelord

direct gradient analysis; size-classes; species; trophic groups

Publicerad i

Journal of Fish Biology
2000, Volym: 57, nummer: 5, sidor: 1312-1330
Utgivare: WILEY-BLACKWELL

Associerade SLU-program

Sjöar och vattendrag


UKÄ forskningsämne

Ekologi


Publikationens identifierare

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1006/jfbi.2000.1395

Permanent länk till denna sida (URI)

https://res.slu.se/id/publ/87496