Effects of Prey Abundance on Density and Territorial Behavior of Young Rainbow Trout (Salmo gairdneri) in Laboratory Stream Channels

Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
When rainbow trout (Salmo gairdneri) fry (underyearlings) were introduced into laboratory channels at three different prey levels and permitted to emigrate voluntarily, their density remained highest at the highest prey level. The distribution of fry was positively associated with a gradient in prey abundance. Both territory size and frequency of aggressive encounter varied inversely with prey level; the higher the prey level, the smaller the territory and the lower the frequency of aggressive encounter. Emigration from the channels was neither as rapid nor as marked when prey level was reduced, compared to when fry were initially introduced to different prey levels. However, frequency of aggressive encounter significantly increased when the prey level was decreased and significantly decreased when the prey was increased.

This publication has 0 references indexed in Scilit: