Article
Fisheries
Ashley Trudeau, Thomas Mehner, Thomas Klefoth, Sven Matern, Robert Nikolaus, Robert Arlinghaus
Summary: The trophic niche of aquatic generalist predators is affected by factors such as ontogeny, habitat characteristics, availability and type of prey, and competitive interactions. The study used Eurasian perch as the model species to explore the correlation between multiple lake and fish community characteristics and the size-dependency of perch populations' trophic niche. The results showed that perch populations in shallower lakes reached a higher trophic position at smaller sizes compared to those in deeper lakes. However, the changes in trophic position with increasing size were less significant in perch from deeper lakes, with large individuals achieving higher mean trophic positions. This suggests that deeper lakes are more likely to support the development of large, piscivorous perch compared to shallower lakes.
ECOLOGY OF FRESHWATER FISH
(2023)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Johan Fahlman, Gustav Hellstrom, Micael Jonsson, Jerker Berglund Fick, Martin Rosvall, Jonatan Klaminder
Summary: The study hypothesized that European perch populations exposed to oxazepam would exhibit reduced anti-predator behavior, but the results showed that perch exposed to oxazepam in a lake actually displayed increased anti-predator behavior compared to a control lake. This indicates that the effects of oxazepam on perch behavior in a natural ecosystem may be negligible compared to other environmental factors.
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Jenny C. Vivas Munoz, Christian K. Feld, Sabine Hilt, Alessandro Manfrin, Milen Nachev, Daniel Koester, Maik A. Jochmann, Torsten C. Schmidt, Bernd Sures, Andrea Zikova, Klaus Knopf
Summary: Infection with eye flukes can lead to increased diet selectivity in European perch, with intensively infected fish showing preference for specific prey, while less intensively infected fish behave as generalist feeders with no particular prey preference in their diet. This highlights the indirect effect of parasites on the host's interaction with lower trophic levels and emphasizes the underestimated role of parasites in food web studies.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2021)
Article
Fisheries
Hung Quang Tran, Mikko Kiljunen, Hien Van Doan, Vlastimil Stejskal
Summary: Stable isotope analysis and Bayesian mixing models were used to study the effects of feed components on the development of European perch tissues. Moderate inclusion of yellow mealworm larvae meal was found to promote tissue growth, while higher levels may decrease its contribution, with soy-derived ingredients also playing a significant role in tissue development.
Article
Ecology
Marcus Hall, Oscar Nordahl, Per Larsson, Anders Forsman, Petter Tibblin
Summary: Life history theory suggests that organisms should time their reproduction to maximize fitness. This study found that differences in breeding time among individuals in a perch population were associated with changes in hatching success and reproductive allocation strategies, as well as variation in offspring performance linked to temperature. These time-dependent adaptive differences within the population could influence the population's ability to cope with environmental challenges, such as global warming and exploitation.
JOURNAL OF ANIMAL ECOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Natalija Suhareva, Juris Aigars, Rita Poikane, Juris Tunens
Summary: The study demonstrated that the high mobility of Eurasian perch along associated aquatic systems significantly affects the mercury concentrations measured in the fish. Therefore, trophic position and isotopic signatures, along with identification of food sources, serve as important supplementary tools for more accurate data interpretation of mercury accumulation in perch.
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES EUROPE
(2021)
Article
Fisheries
Carolyn R. R. Wheeler, Duncan J. J. Irschick, John W. W. Mandelman, Jodie L. L. Rummer
Summary: Body condition is an important indicator of the overall health and energetic status of fishes. The commonly used Fulton's condition factor requires length and mass measurements, but mass can be difficult to obtain in large species. Girth measurements can replace mass for wild pelagic sharks, but the validity of this method has not been fully confirmed.
JOURNAL OF FISH BIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Marine & Freshwater Biology
Michelle Gelippi, Monica Francesca Blasi, Marco Friedrich Walter Gauger, Gabriele Favero, Daniela Mattei, Sandra Hochscheid, Andrea Camedda, Giuseppe Andrea de Lucia, Davide Cicala
Summary: Marine turtles, specifically Mediterranean loggerhead turtles, are important indicator species for ecosystem function and environmental health. This study examines the feeding habits of these turtles through analysis of carbon and nitrogen isotope ratios in their blood and epidermis. The results suggest variability in feeding habitats and preferences for lower trophic level prey. The study highlights the importance of sampling live and wild animals to investigate different ecological features of sea turtles.
ESTUARINE COASTAL AND SHELF SCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Ecology
Sebastian A. Klarian, Eric T. Schultz, Maria Francisca Hernandez, Juan Antonio Valdes, Francisco Fernandoy, Monica E. Barros, Sergio Neira, Hugo Arancibia
Summary: This study uses stomach contents and stable isotopes analysis to reveal spatial variability and ontogenetic changes in diet composition of Southern Ray's Bream in Chilean waters. The analysis shows that euphausiids are the dominant component of the diet in both fishing grounds and ontogenetic stages, but the patterns of prey assimilation differ from the diet indicated in stomach contents.
ENVIRONMENTAL BIOLOGY OF FISHES
(2022)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Benjamin Larue, Fanie Pelletier, Steeve D. Cote, Sandra Hamel, Marco Festa-Bianchet
Summary: Life-history theory predicts energy allocation trade-offs between traits when resources are limited. This study evaluated growth versus reproduction trade-offs in female bighorn sheep and mountain goats, finding that growth traits can accurately predict reproductive history. The predictive models based on annual growth could assist conservation and management in a broad range of species.
JOURNAL OF APPLIED ECOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Fisheries
Javier Sanchez-Hernandez, Sebastian Prati, Eirik Haugstvedt Henriksen, Aslak Smalas, Rune Knudsen, Anders Klemetsen, Per-Arne Amundsen
Summary: Disentangling the causes and consequences of ontogenetic niche shifts is crucial for understanding biological processes at different levels. This study examined the dietary shifts of two fish predators over a period of 20 years and found stable patterns of ontogenetic niche shifts. These persistent patterns reduce intra- and inter-specific competition, thus promoting population and community stability.
REVIEWS IN FISH BIOLOGY AND FISHERIES
(2022)
Article
Biology
Jules Dezeure, Alice Baniel, Alecia Carter, Guy Cowlishaw, Bernard Godelle, Elise Huchard
Summary: This study on wild chacma baboons identifies two optimal birth timings in their annual cycle, maximizing offspring survival or minimizing maternal interbirth intervals. Observed births are most frequent between these optima, suggesting an adaptive trade-off between current and future reproduction.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE ROYAL SOCIETY B-BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
(2021)
Review
Biology
Jerry F. Husak, Simon P. Lailvaux
Summary: Phenotypic trade-offs are common in nature, but the mechanisms driving them are not well understood. Research shows that all animals have evolved mechanisms to acquire oxygen and contract muscle, sometimes at the expense of other activities or traits. Convergent pathways have also evolved to deal with environmental challenges. Whole-animal performance traits, such as locomotion, are important for survival but can come at a cost to other aspects of the phenotype. Understanding the mechanisms behind these trade-offs will help explain phenotypic variation at an evolutionary scale.
JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL BIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Meteorology & Atmospheric Sciences
Yao Li, Wusheng Yu, Lide Tian, Stephen Lewis, Kei Yoshimura, Cheng Wang, Jiangpeng Cui, Yaoming Ma, Rong Guo, Jingyi Zhang, Zhaowei Jing, Lili Shao, Xiaoyu Guo, Yong Wang
Summary: By analyzing hydrogen and oxygen stable isotopes, we found that the atmospheric circulation in the central Tibetan Plateau underwent a significant shift in mid-late June during 2016-2018, marking the onset of the Indian monsoon approximately one month later than previous findings. The Indian monsoon replaced the westerlies across the central TP, with persistently lower stable isotope values in water vapor and precipitation. The retreat of the Indian monsoon was denoted by substantial increases in stable isotopes values in late September. Our study suggests that stable isotopes can serve as indicators of atmospheric circulation shifts and potential indices for monitoring vegetation growth in the central TP.
ATMOSPHERIC RESEARCH
(2023)
Article
Forestry
Jianghuan Qin, Chunyu Fan, Yan Geng, Chunyu Zhang, Xiuhai Zhao, Lushuang Gao
Summary: This study examines the demographic trade-offs in forest dynamics, particularly the impacts of conspecific negative density dependence (CNDD) on growth and survival. The results suggest that density dependence and environmental filtering are key factors influencing individual growth-survival trade-offs. Additionally, CNDD plays a role in shaping these trade-offs at the community level. Shade-tolerance, mycorrhizal type, and life-stage of forest species respond differently to CNDD, providing insights into different community assembly mechanisms and their interactions.
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Huan Zhang, Pablo Urrutia-Cordero, Liang He, Hong Geng, Fernando Chaguaceda, Jun Xu, Lars-Anders Hansson
GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY
(2018)
Article
Limnology
Anna C. Nydahl, Marcus B. Wallin, Lars J. Tranvik, Carolin Hiller, Katrin Attermeyer, Julie A. Garrison, Fernando Chaguaceda, Kristin Scharnweber, Gesa A. Weyhenmeyer
LIMNOLOGY AND OCEANOGRAPHY
(2019)
Article
Ecology
Pablo Urrutia-Cordero, Huan Zhang, Fernando Chaguaceda, Hong Geng, Lars-Anders Hansson
Article
Ecology
Kristin Scharnweber, Fernando Chaguaceda, Erik Dalman, Lars Tranvik, Peter Eklov
FRESHWATER BIOLOGY
(2020)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Charlotte Grasset, Sebastian Sobek, Kristin Scharnweber, Simone Moras, Holger Villwock, Sara Andersson, Carolin Hiller, Anna C. Nydahl, Fernando Chaguaceda, William Colom, Lars J. Tranvik
GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY
(2020)
Article
Ecology
Fernando Chaguaceda, Kristin Scharnweber, Erik Dalman, Lars J. Tranvik, Peter Eklov
Summary: The study found that shared predation can lead to apparent mutualism between benthic and pelagic prey, strongly affecting short-term responses of aquatic food webs to increases in productivity.
JOURNAL OF ANIMAL ECOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Ecology
Kristin Scharnweber, Fernando Chaguaceda, Peter Eklov
Summary: Fatty acids are commonly used to study trophic interactions, recent research suggests that many fishes may possess genes for bioconversion enzymes, potentially more widespread than previously thought; a study on perch found that they accumulate DHA when feeding on DHA-poor benthic resources, indicating the capability of bioconversion in a natural freshwater fish population.
Article
Ecology
Kristin Scharnweber, Matilda L. Andersson, Fernando Chaguaceda, Peter Eklov
Summary: Metabolism plays a key role in shaping specific TDF (i.e., Delta C-13 and Delta N-15 of muscle tissue) and highlights significant differences between individuals of different ontogenetic stages within a species.
ECOLOGY AND EVOLUTION
(2021)
Review
Limnology
Lena Fehlinger, Benjamin Misteli, Daniel Morant, Noel Juvigny-Khenafou, David Cunillera-Montcusi, Fernando Chaguaceda, Olivera Stamenkovic, Julie Fahy, Vojtech Kolar, Dariusz Halabowski, Liam N. Nash, Ellinor Jakobsson, Veronica Nava, Pietro Tirozzi, Pablo Urrutia Cordero, Julien Mocq, Alba Camacho Santamans, Jose Manuel Zamora-Marin, Pierre Marle, Teofana Chonova, Luca Bonacina, Margaux Mathieu-Resuge, Ena Suarez, Stephen E. Osakpolor, Pablo Timoner, Vesela Evtimova, Darmina Nita, Bruno M. Carreira, Kalman Tapolczai, Joana Martelo, Remi Gerber, Valentin Dinu, Jorge Henriques, Geza B. Selmeczy, Biljana Rimcheska
Summary: Permanent ponds are valuable freshwater systems and biodiversity hotspots that provide a wide range of ecosystem services. However, they are often overlooked in management plans and legislation. This review emphasizes the importance of connectivity between ponds and identifies emerging insects as another ecosystem service of ponds. It also discusses potential stressors that affect pond diversity and integrity. Adaptive measures are recommended for future pond management to protect and restore these important ecosystems.