Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Day and night drift-feeding by juvenile salmonids at low water temperatures

  • Published:
Environmental Biology of Fishes Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Drift-feeding salmonids in boreal streams face temperatures below physical optima for extensive periods of the year. Because juvenile salmonids react to low water temperatures by becoming nocturnal, knowledge about their foraging ability at low light intensities in cold water is needed to accurately estimate energy intake during non-summer conditions. In a laboratory stream channel, we studied temperature effects on the drift-feeding behaviour of juvenile Atlantic salmon, brown trout, and European grayling in simulated daylight and moonlight at temperatures ranging from 2 °C to 11 °C. Prey capture probability was positively related to temperature, but the temperature dependence did not agree with predictions of the Metabolic Theory of Ecology. Furthermore, reaction distance was positively related to temperature for the three species, which may be one of the underlying mechanisms responsible for the temperature effects on prey capture probability. Overall, the three species had similar capture rates at the different temperature and light levels, although there were species differences. European grayling had a slightly higher prey capture probability than brown trout, and brown trout had a shorter reaction distance than Atlantic salmon and European grayling. These results have implications for both energetics-based drift-foraging theory and for studies of winter ecology.

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

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Ali MA (1961) Histophysiological studies on juvenile Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) retina. Can J Zool 39:511–525. doi:10.1139/z61-055

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Allen AP, Gillooly JF (2007) The mechanistic basis of the metabolic theory of ecology. Oikos 116:1073–1077. doi:10.1111/j.0030-1299.2007.16079.x

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Allen DM, Loew ER, McFarland WN (1982) Seasonal change in the amount of visual pigment in the retinae of fish. Can J Zool 60:281–287. doi:10.1139/z82-037

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Allen DM, McFarland WN, Munz FW, Poston HA (1973) Changes in the visual pigments of trout. Can J Zool 51:901–914. doi:10.1139/z73-137

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Amundsen PA, Gabler HM, Herfindal T, Riise LS (2000) Feeding chronology of Atlantic salmon parr in subarctic rivers: consistency of nocturnal feeding. J Fish Biol 56:676–686. doi:10.1006/jfbi.1999.1187

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Brown JH, Gillooly JF, Allen AP, Savage VM, West GB (2004) Toward a metabolic theory of ecology. Ecology 85:1771–1789. doi:10.1890/03-9000

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Clarke A (2004) Is there a universal temperature dependence of metabolism? Funct Ecol 18:252–256. doi:10.1111/j.0269-8463.2004.00842.x

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Confer JL, Howick GL, Corzette MH, Kramer SL, Fitzgibbon S, Landesberg R (1978) Visual predation by plaktivores. Oikos 31:27–37. doi:10.2307/3543380

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • DeVries MS, Wainwright PC (2006) The effects of acute temperature change on prey capture kinematics in largemouth bass, Micropterus salmoides. Copeia 2006:437–444. doi:10.1643/0045-8511(2006)2006[437:TEOATC]2.0.CO;2

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Elliott JM (2002) Shadow competition in wild juvenile sea-trout. J Fish Biol 61:1268–1281. doi:10.1111/j.1095-8649.2002.tb02470.x

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Elliott JM, Hurley MA (1997) A functional model for maximum growth of Atlantic Salmon parr, Salmo salar, from two populations in northwest England. Funct Ecol 11:592–603. doi:10.1046/j.1365-2435.1997.00130.x

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Elliott JM, Hurley MA (1998) A new functional model for estimating the maximum amount of invertebrate food consumed per day by brown trout, Salmo trutta. Freshwater Biol 39:339–349. doi:10.1046/j.1365-2427.1998.00288.x

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Englund G, Öhlund G, Hein CL, Diehl S (2011) Temperature dependence of the functional response. Ecol Lett 14:914–921. doi:10.1111/j.1461-0248.2011.01661.x

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Fraser NHC, Metcalfe NB (1997) The costs of becoming nocturnal: feeding efficiency in relation to light intensity in juvenile Atlantic salmon. Funct Ecol 11:385–391. doi:10.1046/j.1365-2435.1997.00098.x

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Fraser NHC, Metcalfe NB, Thorpe JE (1993) Temperature-dependent switch between diurnal and nocturnal foraging in salmon. P Roy Soc Lond B Bio 252:135–139

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gillooly JF, Brown JH, West GB, Savage VM, Charnov EL (2001) Effects of size and temperature on metabolic rate. Science 293:2248–2251. doi:10.1126/science.1061967

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Graham WD, Thorpe JE, Metcalfe NB (1996) Seasonal current holding performance of juvenile Atlantic salmon in relation to temperature and smolting. Can J Fish Aquat Sci 53:80–86. doi:10.1139/f95-167

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hartman GF (1965) The role of behavior in the ecology and interaction of underyearling coho salmon (Oncorhynchus kisutch) and steelhead trout (Salmo gairdneri). J Fish Res Board Can 22:1035–1081. doi:10.1139/f65-095

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Harwood AJ, Metcalfe NB, Armstrong JD, Griffiths SW (2001) Spatial and temporal effects of interspecific competition between Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) and brown trout (Salmo trutta) in winter. Can J Fish Aquat Sci 58:1133–1140. doi:10.1139/f01-061

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Harwood AJ, Metcalfe NB, Griffiths SW, Armstrong JD (2002) Intra- and inter-specific competition for winter concealment habitat in juvenile salmonids. Can J Fish Aquat Sci 59:1515–1523. doi:10.1139/f02-119

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Heggenes J, Dokk JG (2001) Contrasting temperatures, waterflows, and light: seasonal habitat selection by young Atlantic salmon and brown trout in a boreonemoral river. Regul Rivers 17:623–635. doi:10.1002/rrr.620

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Heggenes J, Krog OMW, Lindas OR, Dokk JG, Bremnes T (1993) Homeostatic behavioral responses in a changing environment - brown trout (Salmo trutta) become nocturnal during winter. J Anim Ecol 62:295–308

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Henderson MA, Northcote TG (1985) Visual prey detection and foraging in sympatric cutthroat trout (Salmo clarki clarki) and Dolly Varden (Salvelinus malma). Can J Fish Aquat Sci 42:785–790. doi:10.1139/f85-100

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hill J, Grossman GD (1993) An energetic model of microhabitat use for rainbow trout and rosyside dace. Ecology 74:685–698

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Huusko A et al (2007) Life in the ice lane: the winter ecology of stream salmonids. River Res Appl 23:469–491. doi:10.1002/rra.999

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Johansen M et al (2010) Prey availability and juvenile Atlantic salmon feeding during winter in a regulated subarctic river subject to loss of ice cover. Hydrobiologia 644:217–229. doi:10.1007/s10750-010-0118-x

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kalleberg H (1958) Observations in a stream tank of territoriality and competition in juvenile salmon and trout (Salmo salar L., and Salmo trutta L.). Inst Fresh Res Drott Rep 39:55–98

    Google Scholar 

  • Mallet JP, Charles S, Persat H, Auger P (1999) Growth modelling in accordance with daily water temperature in European grayling (Thymallus thymallus L.). Can J Fish Aquat Sci 56:994–1000. doi:10.1139/f99-031

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mazur MM, Beauchamp DA (2003) A comparison of visual prey detection among species of piscivorous salmonids: effects of light and low turbidities. Environ Biol Fish 67:397–405. doi:10.1023/a:1025807711512

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Metcalfe NB, Fraser NHC, Burns MD (1999) Food availability and the nocturnal vs. diurnal foraging trade-off in juvenile salmon. J Anim Ecol 68:371–381

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Metcalfe NB, Valdimarsson SK, Fraser NHC (1997) Habitat profitability and choice in a sit-and-wait predator: juvenile salmon prefer slower currents on darker nights. J Anim Ecol 66:866–875

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • O’Connor MP et al (2007) Reconsidering the mechanistic basis of the metabolic theory of ecology. Oikos 116:1058–1072. doi:10.1111/j.0030-1299.2007.15534.x

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Orpwood JE, Griffiths SW, Armstrong JD (2006) Effects of food availability on temporal activity patterns and growth of Atlantic salmon. J Anim Ecol 75:677–685. doi:10.1111/j.1365-2656.2006.01088.x

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Piccolo JJ, Hughes HF, Bryant MD (2007) The effects of water depth on prey detection and capture by juvenile coho salmon and steelhead. Ecol Freshw Fish 16:432–441. doi:10.1111/j.1600-0633.2007.00242.x

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Piccolo JJ, Hughes NF, Bryant MD (2008) Water velocity influences prey detection and capture by drift-feeding juvenile coho salmon (Oncorhynchus kisutch) and steelhead (Oncorhynchus mykiss irideus). Can J Fish Aquat Sci 65:266–275. doi:10.1139/f07-172

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rader RB, Belish T, Young MK, Rothlisberger J (2007) The scotopic visual sensitivity of four species of trout: a comparative study. W N Am Nat 67:524–537. doi:10.3398/1527-0904(2007)67[524:tsvsof]2.0.co;2

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Railsback SF, Harvey BC (2011) Importance of fish behaviour in modelling conservation problems: food limitation as an example. J Fish Biol 79:1648–1662. doi:10.1111/j.1095-8649.2011.03050.x

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Railsback SF, Harvey BC, Hayse JW, LaGory KE (2005) Tests of theory for diel variation in salmonid feeding activity and habitat use. Ecology 86:947–959. doi:10.1890/04-1178

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rall BC, Brose U, Hartvig M, Kalinkat G, Schwarzmüller F, Vucic-Pestic O, Petchey OL (2012) Universal temperature and body-mass scaling of feeding rates. Philos T Roy Soc B 367:2923–2934. doi:10.1098/rstb.2012.0242

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Riley WD, Ives MJ, Pawson MG, Maxwell DL (2006) Seasonal variation in habitat use by salmon, Salmo salar, trout, Salmo trutta and grayling, Thymallus thymallus, in a chalk stream. Fisheries Manag Ecol 13:221–236. doi:10.1111/j.1365-2400.2006.00496.x

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ringler NH (1985) Individual and temporal variation in prey switching by brown trout, Salmo trutta. Copeia 4:918–926

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Robinson FW, Tash JC (1979) Feeding by Arizona trout (Salmo apache) and brown trout (Salmo trutta) at different light intensities. Environ Biol Fish 4:363–368. doi:10.1007/bf00005525

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Savage VM, Gillooly JF, Brown JH, West GB, Charnov EL (2004) Effects of body size and temperature on population growth. Am Nat 163:429–441

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Schmidt D, O’Brien WJ (1982) Planktivorous feeding ecology of Arctic grayling (Thymallus arcticus). Can J Fish Aquat Sci 39:475–482

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Tunney TD, Steingrímsson SÓ (2012) Foraging mode variation in three stream-dwelling salmonid fishes. Ecol Freshw Fish 21:570–580. doi:10.1111/j.1600-0633.2012.00577.x

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Vehanen T, Huusko A (2002) Behaviour and habitat use of young-of-the-year Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) at the onset of winter in artificial streams. Arch Hydrobiol 154:133–150

    Google Scholar 

  • Vogel JL, Beauchamp DA (1999) Effects of light, prey size, and turbidity on reaction distances of lake trout (Salvelinus namaycush) to salmonid prey. Can J Fish Aquat Sci 56:1293–1297. doi:10.1139/f99-071

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Watz J, Piccolo JJ (2011) The role of temperature in the prey capture probability of drift-feeding juvenile brown trout (Salmo trutta). Ecol Freshw Fish 20:393–399. doi:10.1111/j.1600-0633.2010.00470.x

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Watz J, Piccolo JJ, Greenberg L, Bergman E (2012) Temperature-dependent prey capture efficiency and foraging modes of brown trout Salmo trutta. J Fish Biol 81:345–350. doi:10.1111/j.1095-8649.2012.03329.x

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Webb PW (1978) Temperature effects on acceleration of rainbow trout (Salmo gairdneri). J Fish Res Board Can 35:1417–1422

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wintzer AP, Motta PJ (2004) The effects ofbtemperature on prey capture kinematics of bluegill (Lepomis macrochirus): implications for feeding studies. Can J Zool 82:794–799. doi:10.1139/z04-061

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zamor RM, Grossman GD (2007) Turbidity affects foraging success of drift-feeding rosyside dace. T Am Fish Soc 136:167–176. doi:10.1577/t05-316

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

Funding was provided by the Department of Environmental and Life Sciences, Karlstad University. The study was approved by the Animal Ethical Board of Sweden (reference 341–2009).

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Environmental and Life Sciences, Karlstad University, Universitetsgatan 2, 651 88, Karlstad, Sweden

    Johan Watz, John Piccolo, Eva Bergman & Larry Greenberg

Authors
  1. Johan Watz
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. John Piccolo
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Eva Bergman
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Larry Greenberg
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Johan Watz.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Watz, J., Piccolo, J., Bergman, E. et al. Day and night drift-feeding by juvenile salmonids at low water temperatures. Environ Biol Fish 97, 505–513 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10641-013-0190-y

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10641-013-0190-y

Keywords

Search

Navigation