Food Consumption and Competition between Age Classes in a Perch Perca fluviatilis Population in a Shallow Eutrophic Lake

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Abstract
Food consumption rates and niche relationships in different age classes of a perch P. fluviatilis population were studied in a shallow eutrophic lake. Compared with other studies, food consumption was low, suggesting that the fish were highly resource limited. Food overlap was high. The age classes could not segregate on the habitat dimension to any large extent because of the pronounced habitat homogeneity. When comparing perch populations in lakes differing in area, depth and transparency, the length class diversity was higher in more transparent lakes which offered a more diversified habitat for visually hunting predators such as perch. It is argued that intraspecific competition limits the diversity and number of age classes more as the habitat heterogeneity decreases.