Skip to main content

Influences of angler subsidies on the trophic ecology of European barbel Barbus barbus.

de Santis, V., Gutmann Roberts, C. and Britton, J.R., 2019. Influences of angler subsidies on the trophic ecology of European barbel Barbus barbus. Fisheries research, 214 (June), 35-44.

Full text available as:

[img]
Preview
PDF
Isotopic_ecology_of_European_barbel_revision_FishRes_accepted.pdf - Accepted Version
Available under License Creative Commons Attribution Non-commercial No Derivatives.

1MB

DOI: 10.1016/j.fishres.2019.01.028

Abstract

European barbel Barbus barbus is a recreationally important riverine fish that is widely introduced outside of its natural range. Contemporary angling practices for B. barbus involve the use of baits based on marine fishmeal (MF). MF is isotopically distinct from freshwater prey via highly enriched δ13C and thus its dietary influence on B. barbus can be tested via differences in fractionation factors (Δ13C). Correspondingly, stable isotope data from 11 riverine B. barbus populations tested how their trophic ecology varied across populations according to MF from angling. Δ13C of fish with macroinvertebrate prey resources varied within and between populations (range 0.90 to 10.13 ‰) and indicated that, within populations, up to 71 % of B. barbus had relatively high dietary contributions of MF. These contributions were significantly and positively related to fish length, with MF influences increasingly apparent as fish length increased. Population isotopic niche sizes increased as the dietary influence of MF in that population increased. These results indicated that whilst MF from angling can act as a strong trophic subsidy, its influence varies spatially and with fish length, with its use as a food resource by B. barbus generally involving dietary specializations of larger-bodied individuals.

Item Type:Article
ISSN:0165-7836
Uncontrolled Keywords:Catch-and-release angling; Fractionation; Marine derived nutrients; Stable isotope analysis
Group:Faculty of Science & Technology
ID Code:31733
Deposited By: Symplectic RT2
Deposited On:06 Feb 2019 11:43
Last Modified:14 Mar 2022 14:14

Downloads

Downloads per month over past year

More statistics for this item...
Repository Staff Only -