Abstract
The fish community of Loch Lomond is of national importance. Its diversity of species and rare populations of powan (Coregonus lavaretus) and freshwater feeding river lampreys (Lampetra fluviatilis) warrant high conservation status. It is also of value for its sport fisheries for sea-trout (Salmo trutta), salmon (Salmo salar) and pike (Esox lucius). Historical records demonstrate that the species composition of the fish community has remained stable over a very long period until recently when a series of introductions of fish species new to the catchment has resulted in successful colonisation by a number of species. These have resulted in fundamental changes in the ecosystem. Here using historical records the long-term stability of the fish community is examined, recent rapid changes in the fish community are documented and some of the resultant effects of changes in the fish community are demonstrated.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Adams, C. E., 1991. Shift in pike, Esox lucius L., predation pressure following the introduction of ruffe, Gymnocephalus cernuus (L.) to Loch Lomond. J. Fish Biol. 38: 663–667.
Adams, C. E., D. W. Brown & L. Keay, 1994. Elevated predation risk associated with inshore migrations of fish in a large lake, Loch Lomond, Scotland. Hydrobiologia 290: 135–138.
Adams, C. E., D. W. Brown & R. Tippett, 1990. Dace (Leuciscus leuciscus (L.)) and chub (L. cephalus (L.)) new introductions to Loch Lomond. Glasg. Nat. 21: 509–513.
Adams, C. E. & P. S. Maitland, 1991. Evidence of further invasions of Loch Lomond by non-native fish species with the discovery of a roach X bream, Rutilus rutilus (L.) X Abramis brama (L.), hybrid. J. Fish Biol. 38: 961–963.
Adams, C. E. & J. Mitchell, 1992. Introduction of another non-native fish species to Loch Lomond: Crucian carp (Carassius carassius (L.)). Glasg. Nat. 22: 165–168.
Adams, C. E. & R. Tippett, 1990. The status of the fish community. Report to the Nature Conservancy Council, Hope Terr., Edinburgh, 29 pp.
Adams, C. E. & R. Tippett, 1991. Powan, Coregonus lavaretus (L.) ova predation by newly introduced rufre, Gymnocephalus cernuus (L.), in Loch Lomond, Scotland. Aqua. Fish. Mgmnt 22: 239–246.
Barel, C. D. N., R. Dorit, P. H. Greenwood, G. Fryer, N. Hughes, P. B. N. Jackson, H. Kawanabe, R. H. Lowe-McConnel, M. Nayoshi, A. J. Ribbink, E. Trexavas, F. Witte & K. Yamaoka, 1985. Destruction of fisheries in Africas lakes. Nature 315: 19–20.
Bergman, 1987. Temperature dependent differences in foraging ability of 2 percids, Perca fluviatilis (L.) and Gymnocephalus cernuus. Envirn. Biol. Fish 19: 45–53.
Bidie, G., 1896. Char in Loch Lomond. Ann. Scot. Nat. Hist. p 258.
Brown, A., 1891. The fishes of Loch Lomond and its tributaries. Scot. Nat. 10: 114–124.
Brown, A., 1896. Char in Loch Lomond. Ann. Scot. Nat. Hist. p 192.
Brown, E. A. R. & D. B. Scott, 1994. Life histories of the powan, Coregonus lavaretus (L.) (Salmonidae, Coregoninae) of Loch Lomond and Loch Eck. Hydrobiologia 290: 121–133.
Cambell, A. D., 1971. The occurrence of Argulus (Crustacea: Branchiura) in Scotland. J. Fish Biol. 3: 145–146.
Carnell, D., 1987. Pike baits have fled the loch. Anglers Mail, 3rd October 1987.
Case, T. J., 1990. Invasion resistance arises in strongly interacting species-rich model competilion communities. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. 87: 9610–9614.
Ehrlich, P. R., 1986. Which animals will invade? In The Ecology of Biological Invasions of North America and Hawaii (H. A. Mooney & J. A. Drake, eds) Ecological Studies 58, Springer Verlag, New York.
Fryer, G., 1982. The parasitic copedoda and branchiura of British freshwater fishes. F. B. A. Publication No. 46, Freshwaler Biological Association, Windermere.
Giles, N., 1981. Summer diet of the grey heron. Scott. Birds 11: 153–159.
Hunter, W. R., M. D. Slack, & M. R. Hunter, 1959. The lower vertebrates of the Loch Lomond district. Glas. Nat. 18: 84–90.
Lamond, M., 1931. Loch Lomond. Jackson, Glasgow, pp. 340.
Johnson, P., 1965. Studies on the distribution and food of ruffe (Acerina cernua) in Denmark with notes on other aspects. Denmarks Fiskeri-og Huvundersogelser 4: 137–156.
Lumsden, J. & A. Brown, 1895. A guide to the natural history of Loch Lomond and neighbourhood. Bryce, Glasgow, 103 pp.
Lyle, A. & P. S. Maitland, 1992. Conservation of freshwater fish in the British Isles: the status of fish in National Nature Reserves. Aquatic Conservation: Marine and Freshwater Ecosystems 2: 19–34.
Maitland, P. S., 1965. The feeding relationships of salmon, trout, minnows, stone loach and three-spined-stickleback in the River Endrick, Scotland. J. Anim. Ecol. 34: 109–153.
Maitland, P. S., 1966a. Rainbow trout, Salmo irideus Gibbons, in the Loch Lomond district. Glasg. Nat. 18: 421–423.
Maitland, P. S., 1966b. Studies on Loch Lomond II — the fauna of the River Endrick. Blackie, Glasgow. 194 pp.
Maitland, P. S., 1972. Loch Lomond: Man's effects on the salmonid community. J. Fish. Res. Bd Can. 29: 849–860.
Maitland, P. S., 1977. A coded checklist of animals living in freshwater in the British Isles. ITE, Edinburgh. 76 pp.
Maitland, P. S. & K. East, 1989. An increase in the numbers of ruffe Cymnocephalus cernua (L.) in a Scottish loch from 1982 to 1987. Aqua. Fish. Mgmnt 20: 227–228.
Maitland, P. S., K. East & K. H. Morris, 1983. Ruffe, Gymnocephalus cernua (L.) new to Scotland in Loch Lomond. Scott. Nat. 7–9.
Maitland, P. S., K. H. Morris & K. East, 1994. The ecology of lampreys (Petromyronidae) in the Loch Lomond area. Hydrobiologia 290: 105–120.
Mann, R. H. K., 1974. Observations on the age, growth, reproduction and food of dace Leuciscus leuciscus (L.) in two rivers in southern England. J. Fish Biol. 6: 237–253.
Moyle, P. B., 1986. Fish introductions into North America: Patterns and ecological impact. In The Ecology of Biological Invasions of North America and Hawaii (Mooney, H. A. & Drake, J. A. eds) Ecological Studies 58, Springer-Verlag, New York.
Muus, B. J. & P. Dahlstrom, 1967. Freshwater fish of Britain and Europe. Collins, London. 148 pp.
Orians, G. H., 1986. Site characteristics favouring invasion. In The Ecology of Biological Invasions of North America and Hawaii (Mooney, H. A. & Drake, J. A. eds) Ecological Studies 58, Springer-Verlag, New York.
Pratt, D. M., W. H. Blust & J. Selgeby, 1992. Ruffe, Gymnocephalus cernuus: newly introduced in North America. Can. J. Fish. Aquat. Sci. 49: 1616–1618.
Pokrovski, V. V., 1961. Basic environmental factors determining the abundance of whitefish. Trudy Soveshchanii, 13: 228–234.
Regan, C. T., 1911. British Freshwater Fishes, Methuen, London.
Robertson, D., 1870. On Petromyzon fluviatilis and its mode of preying on Coregonus clupeoides. Proc. Nat. Hist. Soc. Glasg. 2: 61–63.
Roughgarden, J., 1986. Predicting invasions and rates of spread. p 179–188. In The Ecology of Biological Invasions of North America and Hawaii (Mooney, H. A. & Drake, J. A. eds) Ecological Studies 58, Springer-Verlag, New York.
Scott, T. & A. Brown, 1901. The marine and freshwater fishes. In The fauna, flora and geology of the clyde area (Elliot, G. F., Laurie, M. & Murdoch, J. B., eds) Brit. Assoc. Adv. Sci., Glasgow.
Selgeby, J. H. & D. H. Ogle, 1991. Status of ruffe in Lake Superior. Report to the Great Lakes Fishery Commission, March 1991.
Shafi, M., 1969. Comparative studies of populations of perch (Perca fluvialilis) and pike (Esox lucius) in two Scottish lochs. Ph.D. thesis, University of Glasgow, 143 pp.
Slack, H. D., 1957. Studies on Loch Lomond-1. Blackie, Glasgow. 133 pp.
Stewart, J., 1796. Parish of Luss. Statistical Account of Scotland 17: 238–271.
Tippett, R., 1994. An introduction to Loch Lomond. Hydrobiologia 290: xi-xv.
Ure, D., 1795. Parish of Killearn. Stast. Acc. Scot. 16: 100–129.
Varley, M. E., 1967. British freshwater fishes — factors affecting their distribution. Fishing News Books, London, 148 pp.
Welcomme, R. L., 1986. International measures for the control of introductions of aquatic organisims. Fisheries 11: 4–9.
Wheeler, A., 1969. The fishes of the British Isles and North-west Europe. Macmillan, London, 613 pp
Young, J., 1870. Tench from Loch Lomond. Proc. Nat. Hist. Soc. Glasg. 2: 67.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Adams, C.E. The fish community of Loch Lomond, Scotland: its history and rapidly changing status. Hydrobiologia 290, 91–102 (1994). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00008956
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00008956