Predatory Efficiency and Prey Selection: Interactions between Pike Esox lucius, Perch Perca fluviatilis and Rudd Scardinus erythrophthalmus

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Abstract
Predator behaviour and relative capture success of pike Esox lucius on rudd Scardinus erythrophthalmus and perch Perca fluviatilis were studied in a laboratory and field enclosure experiment. Pike preferred the soft-rayed rudd over the spiny-rayed perch in open water. At low vegetation density the prey species were selected equally and at dense vegetation the more available perche were selected over rudd. In the low productivity Lake Ornanas, Sweden, rudd were mainly found in the inner part of the littoral zone, while perch were found in the outer part and in the pelagic zone. The main potential piscivor found in the littoral zone was pike. This suggests that rudd and perch habitat distribution is infuenced by pike predation where the prey species wither can use physical complexity or morphological defence as antipredator devices. Consequently rudd is expected to take cover in the vegetation to which it seems to be better adapted while the spiny-rayed perch can withstand pike predation and stay in the more open habitat.
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