Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Contrasting pike (Esox lucius L.) movement and habitat choice between summer and winter in a small lake

  • INTERNATIONAL PIKE SYMPOSIUM
  • Published:
Hydrobiologia Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The objective of this study was to contrast movement rates and habitat choice of pike (Esox lucius Linnaeus) in mid-summer and mid-winter in a 25-ha lake (Kleiner Döllnsee, northeastern Germany) using radio-telemetry. Positional telemetry for consecutive 96-h was conducted by boat in July 2005 and by walking on surface ice in January/February 2006. Positions of pike (N = 11) were recorded with a GPS unit corrected by a reference station. Movement rates, distance to shore and habitat use were compared between summer and winter and relative to daytime and fish length. Pike moved significantly more in summer, and during summer had activity peaks in twilight periods. In winter, pronounced activity peaks at specific daytime periods were missing and pike chose habitats significantly closer to shore. In summer, submerged macrophyte beds were positively and pelagic areas negatively selected. In winter, pike negatively selected shallow open water in the littoral zone, and there was a tendency to avoid the pelagic. Movement rate and distance to shore were significantly and positively related to the size of pike.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Adamek, Z. & A. Opacak, 2005. Prey selectivity in pike (Esox lucius), zander (Sander lucioperca) and perch (Perca fluviatilis) under experimental conditions. Biologia 60: 567–570.

    Google Scholar 

  • Arlinghaus, R. & T. Mehner, 2004. A management-orientated comparative analysis of urban and rural anglers living in a metropolis (Berlin, Germany). Environmental Management 33: 331–344.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Beaumont, W. R. C., K. H. Hodder, J. E. G. Masters, L. J. Scott & J. S. Welton, 2005. Activity patterns in pike (Esox lucius), as determined by motionsensing telemetry. In Spedicato, M. T., G. Lembo & G. Marmulla (eds), Aquatic telemetry: Advances and Applications. Proceedings of the Fifth Conference on Fish Telemetry held in Europe. Ustica, Italy, 9–13 June 2003. FAO/COISPA, Rome, 231–243.

  • Berg, S., E. Jeppesen & M. Sondergaard, 1997. Pike (Esox lucius L.) stocking as a biomanipulation tool. 1. Effects on the fish population in Lake Lyng (Denmark). Hydrobiologia 342/343: 311–318.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bohl, E., 1980. Diel pattern of pelagic distribution and feeding in planktivorous fish. Oecologia 44: 368–375.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Casselman, J. M., 1974. External sex determination of northern pike, Esox lucius Linnaeus. Transactions of the American Fisheries Society 103: 343–347.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Casselman, J. M., 1978. Effects of environmental factors on growth, survival, activity, and exploitation of northern pike. American Fisheries Society Special Publication 11: 114–128.

    Google Scholar 

  • Casselman, J. M. & C. A. Lewis, 1996. Habitat requirements of northern pike (Esox lucius). Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences 53 (Suppl. 1), 161–174.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Chapman, C. A. & W. C. Mackay, 1984a. Direct observation of habitat utilization by northern pike. Copeia 1: 255–258.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Chapman, C. A. & W. C. Mackay, 1984b. Versatility in habitat use by a top aquatic predator, Esox lucius L. Journal of Fish Biology 25: 109–115.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Charnov, E. L. & J. F. Gillooly, 2004. Size and temperature in the evolution of fish life histories. Integrative & Comparative Biology 44: 494–497.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cook, M. F. & E. P. Bergersen, 1988. Movements, habitat selection and activity periods of northern pike in eleven mile reservoir, Colorado. Transactions of the American Fisheries Society 117, 495–502.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Craig, J. F. (ed.), 1996. Pike: Biology and Exploitation. Chapman & Hall, London.

    Google Scholar 

  • Diana, J. S., W. C. Mackay & M. Ehrman, 1977. Movements and habitat preference of northern pike (Esox lucius) in Lac Ste. Anne, Alberta. Transactions of the American Fisheries Society 106: 561–565.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Fredrich, F., S. Ohmann, B. Curio & F. Kirschbaum, 2003. Spawning migrations of the chub in the River Spree, Germany. Journal of Fish Biology 63: 710–723.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Grimm, M. P. & M. Klinge, 1996. Pike and some aspects of its dependence on vegetation. In Craig, J. F. (ed.), Pike: Biology and Exploitation. Chapman & Hall, London: 125–156.

    Google Scholar 

  • Headrick, M. R. & R. F. Carline, 1993. Restricted summer habitat and growth of northern pike in two Southern Ohio Impoundments. Transactions of the American Fisheries Society 122: 228–236.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Helfman, G. S., 1993. Fish behaviour by day, night and twilight. In Pitcher, T. J. (ed.), Behaviour of Teleost Fishes. Chapman & Hall, London, 479–512.

    Google Scholar 

  • Jacobsen, L., S. Berg, N. Jepsen & C. Skov, 2004. Does roach behaviour differ between shallow lakes of different environmental state? Journal of Fish Biology 65: 135–147.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Jepsen, N. & K. Aarestrup, 1999. A comparison of the growth of radio-tagged and dye-marked pike. Journal of Fish Biology 55: 880–883.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Jepsen, N., S. Beck, C. Skov & A. Koed, 2001. Behavior of pike (Esox lucius L.) <50 cm in a turbid reservoir and in a clearwater lake. Ecology of Freshwater Fish 10: 26–34.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Koed, A., K. Balleby, P. Mejhelde & K. Aarestrup, 2006. Annual movement of adult pike (Esox lucius L.) in a lowland river. Ecology of Freshwater Fish 15: 191–199.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lucas, M. C. & E. Baras, 2000. Methods for studying spatial behaviour of freshwater fishes in the natural environment. Fish and Fisheries 1: 283–316.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Masters, J. E. G., K. H. Hodder, W. R. C. Beaumont, R. E. Gozlan, A. C. Pinder, R. E. Kenward & J.S. Welton, 2005. Spatial behaviour of pike Esox lucius L. in the River Frome, UK. In Spedicato, M. T., G. Lembo, G. Marmulla (eds), Aquatic Telemetry: Advances and Applications. Proceedings of the Fifth Conference on Fish Telemetry held in Europe. Ustica, Italy, 9–13 June 2003. FAO/COISPA, Rome, 179–190.

  • Pitcher, T. J. & R. Turner, 1986. Danger at dawn: experimental support for the twilight hypothesis in shoaling minnows. Journal of Fish Biology 29: 59–70.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Prejs, A., A. Martyniak, S. Boron, P. Hliwa & P. Koperski, 1994. Food web manipulation in a small, eutrophic Lake Wirbel, Poland: effects on stocking with juvenile pike on planktivorous fish. Hydrobiologia 275/276: 65–70.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Raat, A. J. P., 1988. Synopsis of Biological Data on the Northern Pike Esox lucius Linneaus 1758. FAO Fisheries Synopsis 30 Rev 2: 178 pp.

  • Rogers, K. B., 1998. Habitat Use by Largemouth Bass and Northern Pike on the Rocky Mountain Arsenal, Colorado. Colorado State University Fort Collins, Colorado (PhD Thesis).

  • Rogers, K. B. & E. P. Bergersen, 1996. Application of geographic information systems in fisheries: Habitat use by northern pike and largemouth bass. American Fisheries Society Symposium 16: 315–323.

    Google Scholar 

  • Rogers, K. B. & G. C. White, 2007. Analysis of movement and habitat use from telemetry data. In Brown, M. & C. Guy (eds), Analysis and Interpretation of Freshwater Fisheries Data. American Fisheries Society, Bethesda, Maryland Chapter 14, 625–676.

  • Rosell, R. S. & K. C. MacOscar, 2002. Movements of pike, Esox lucius, in Lower Lough Erne, determined by mark-recapture between 1994 and 2000. Fisheries Management and Ecology 9: 189–196.

  • Skov, C., O. Lousdal, P. H. Johansen & S. Berg, 2003. Piscivory of 0+pike (Esox lucius L.) in a small eutrophic lake and its implication for biomanipulation. Hydrobiologia 506: 481–487.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Vehanen, T., P. Hyvärinen, K. Johansson & T. Laaksonen, 2006. Patterns of movement of adult northern pike (Esox lucius L.) in a regulated river. Ecology of Freshwater Fish 15: 154–160.

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

We thank Alexander Türck for excellent technical assistance in the field. Many thanks to Alina, Alexandra, Kay and Johnny for scuba diving and Thomas Mehner for measuring water depth with echo-sounder. We thank Michael Fritsch for his help creating digital maps of macrophytes and water depth of Lake Kleiner Döllnsee. Also thanks to Dieter Opitz for installing a GPS reference station and giving ideas for the experimental setup, and to Christian Helms and Thomas Hintze for technical assistance. Many thanks to Ben Beardmore for his English correction of this manuscript and to Anders Koed and one anonymous reviewer. This study was approved through an animal care permit granted by the Ministry for Rural Development, Environment and Consumer Protection, Brandenburg, according to the German Animal Protection Act.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Faculty of Agricultural Sciences, University of Hohenheim, 70593, Stuttgart, Germany

    A. Kobler

  2. Department of Biology and Ecology of Fishes, Leibniz-Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries, Müggelseedamm 310, 12587, Berlin, Germany

    T. Klefoth, C. Wolter & R. Arlinghaus

  3. Gesellschaft zur Rettung des Störes, An der Jägerbäk 2, 18069, Rostock, Germany

    F. Fredrich

  4. Faculty of Agriculture and Horticulture, Institute of Animal Sciences, Humboldt-University of Berlin, Philippstrasse 13, 10115, Berlin, Germany

    R. Arlinghaus

Authors
  1. A. Kobler
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. T. Klefoth
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. C. Wolter
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. F. Fredrich
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. R. Arlinghaus
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to R. Arlinghaus.

Additional information

Guest editors: J. M. Farrell, C. Skov, M. Mingelbier, T. Margenau & J. E. Cooper

International Pike Symposium: Merging Knowledge of Ecology, Biology, and Management for a Circumpolar Species

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Kobler, A., Klefoth, T., Wolter, C. et al. Contrasting pike (Esox lucius L.) movement and habitat choice between summer and winter in a small lake. Hydrobiologia 601, 17–27 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10750-007-9263-2

Download citation

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10750-007-9263-2

Keywords

Search

Navigation