Abstract
The whitefish (Coregonus lavaretus) in Lake Tyrifjorden, southeastern Norway, is monomorphic with regard to gill raker number: (x=32), and exhibits a bimodal length distribution. The small whitefish (<27 cm) were distributed mainly in the littoral zone and the deeper layers of the pelagic zone. The larger whitefish (>27 cm) were mainly distributed in the upper layers of the pelagic zone. Both small and large whitefish fed on zooplankton in the pelagic zone. In the littoral zone the diet of the two size groups was significantly different; the small whitefish fed mainly on zooplankton whereas the large whitefish fed mainly on zoobenthos.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Bengtson, D. A., 1984. Resource partitioning byMenidia menidia andMenidia beryllina (Osteichthyes: Atherinidae). Mar. Ecol. Prog. Ser. 18: 21–30.
Berge, D. (ed.), 1984. Lake Tyrifjorden. Final report, Tyrifjordutvalget (In Norwegian).
Bergstrand, E., 1982. The diet of four sympatric whitefish species in Lake Parkijaure. Rep. Inst. Freshwat. Res. Drottningholm 60: 5–14.
Bodaly, R. A., 1979. Morphological and ecological divergence within the lake whitefish (Coregonus clupeaformis) species complex in Yukon territory. J. Fish. Res. Bd Can. 36: 1214–1222.
Bottrell, H. H., A. Duncan, Z. M. Gliwicz, E. Grygierek, A. Herzig, A. Hillbricht-Illkowska, H. Kurasawa, P. Larsson & T. Weglenska, 1976. A review of some problems in zooplankton production studies. Norw. J. Zool. 24: 419–456.
Cerri, R. D., 1983. The effect of light intensity on predator and prey behaviour in cyprinid fish: factors that influence prey risk. Anim. Behav. 31: 736–742.
Cerri, R. D. & D. F. Fraser, 1983. Predation and risk in foraging minnows: balancing conflicting demands. Am. Nat. 121: 552–561.
Dryagin, P. A., P. L. Pirozhnikov & V. V. Pokrovskiy, 1969. Polymorphism among whitefishes (Coregoninae), its biological significance and economic importance. J. Ichthyol. 9: 9–17.
Fraser, D. F. & R. D. Cerri, 1982. Experimental investigation of predator-prey relationships in a patchy environment: consequences for habitat use patterns in minnows. Ecology 63: 307–313.
Fraser, D. F. & E. E. Emmons, 1984. Behavioral response of blacknose dace (Rhinichthys atratulus) to varying densities of predatory creek chub (Semotilus atromaculatus). Can. J. Fish. aquat. Sci. 41: 364–370.
Garn»s, E., 1983. Food composition and zooplankton selection by smelt,Osmerus eperlanus L., in Lake Tyrifjorden, Norway. Fauna norvegica Ser. A 4: 21–28.
Haraldstad, Ø. & B. Jonsson 1983. Age and sex segregation in habitat utilization by brown trout in a Norwegian lake. Trans. am. Fish. Soc. 112: 27–37.
Hindar, K. & B. Jonsson, 1982. Habitat and food segregation of dwarf and normal Arctic charr (Salvelinus alpinus) from Vangsvatnet Lake, western Norway. Can. J. Fish. aquat. Sci. 39: 1030–1045.
Hyatt, K. D., 1979. Feeding strategy. In: Fish Physiology Vol. VIII. (Hoar, W. S., Randall, D. J. & Brett, J. R.; eds) Academic Press, New York, pp. 71–119.
Jonsson, B. & F. R. Gravem, 1985. Use of space and food by resident and migrant brown trout,Salmo trutta. Envir. Biol. Fish. 14: 281–293.
Keast, A., 1977. Mechanisms expanding niche width and minimizing intraspecific competition in two centrachid fishes. In: Evolutionary biology, volume 10. (Hecht, M. K., Steere, W. C. & Wallace, B., eds.). Plenum Press, New York, pp. 333–395.
Langeland, A., 1974. Long-term changes in the plankton of Lake Tyrifjord, Norway. Norw. J. Zool. 22: 209–219.
Larsson, P., 1978. The life cycle dynamics and production of zooplankton in Øvre Heimdalsvatn. Holarct. Ecol. 1: 162–218.
Lindem, T., 1980. Hydroacustic registrations of fish. Tyrifjordundersøkelsen Fagrapp. 12, 10 pp. (Mimeogr. in Norwegian, English Summary).
Lindsey, C. C., 1962. Sympatric occurrence of two species of humpback whitefish in Squanga Lake, Yukon Territory. J. Fish. Res. Bd Can. 20: 749–767.
Mittelbach, G. G., 1981. Foraging efficiency and body size: a study of optimal diet and habitat use by bluegills. Ecology 62: 1370–1386.
Mittelbach, G. G., 1984. Predation and resource partitioning in two sunfishes (Centrarchidae). Ecology 65: 499–513.
Nilsson, N. A., 1967. Interactive segregation between fish species. In: The biological basis of freshwater fish production (Gerking, S. D., ed.). Blackwell Scientific Publications, Oxford, pp. 296–313.
Persson, L., 1983a. Food consumption and competition between age classes in a perch,Perca fluviatilis, population in a shallow eutrophic lake. Oikos 40: 197–207.
Persson, L., 1983b. Food consumption and the significance of detritus and algae to interspecific competition in roachRutilus rutilus in a shallow eutrophic lake. Oikos 41: 118–125.
Power, M. E., 1984. Depth distribution of armored catfish: predator-induced resource avoidance? Ecology 65: 523–528.
Qvenild, T. & J. Skurdal, 1981. Gill-net selectivity in whitefish surveys with pelagic gill-nets in Lake Tyrifjorden. Fauna (Oslo) 34: 110–115 (In Norwegian, English summary).
Qvenild, T., J. Skurdal & T. Kildal, 1983. Population biology of the brown trout stock in Lake Tyrifjorden. Tyrifjordundersøkelsen Fagrapport 22, 81 pp. (Mimeographed in Norwegian, English summary).
Savino, J. F. & R. A. Stein, 1982. Predator-prey interaction between largemouth bass and bluegills as mediated by simulated, submerged vegetation. Trans. am. Fish. Soc. 111: 255–266.
Skurdal, J., D. O. Hessen & D. Berge, 1985a. Food selection and vertical distribution of pelagic whitefishCoregonus lavaretus (L.) in Lake Tyrifjorden, Norway. Fauna norv. Ser. A 6: 18–23.
Skurdal, J., E. Bleken & N. C. Stenseth, 1985b. Cannibalism in whitefish (Coregonus lavaretus). Oecologia (Berl.) 67: 566–571.
Svärdson, G., 1952. The coregonid problem. IV. The significance of scales and gillrakers. Rep. Inst. Freshwat. Res. Drottningholm 33: 204–232.
Svärdson, G., 1979. Speciation of ScandinavianCoregonus. Rep. Inst. Freshwat. Res. Drottningholm 57: 1–95.
Thorman, S., 1983. Food and habitat resource partitioning between three estuarine fish species on the Swedish west coast. Estuar. Coast. Shelf Sci. 17: 681–692.
Völlestad, L. A. & R. Andersen, 1985. Resource partitioning of various age groups of brown troutSalmo trutta in the littoral zone of Lake Selura, Norway. Arch. Hydrobiol. 105: 177–185.
Völlestad, L. A., J. Skurdal & T. Qvenild, 1985. Habitat use, growth, and feeding of pike (Esox lucius L.) in SE Norway. Arch. Hydrobiol. (in press).
Werner, E. E., 1977. Species packing and niche complementarity in three sunfishes. Am. Nat. 111: 553–578.
Werner, E. E. & P. J. Hall, 1977. Competition and habitat shift in two sunfishes (Centrarchidae). Ecology 58: 869–876.
Werner, E. E., J. F. Gilliam, D. J. Hall & G. G. Mittelbach, 1983b. An experimental test of the effects of predation risk on habitat use in fish. Ecology 64: 1540–1548.
Werner, E. E. & G. G. Mittelbach, 1981. Optimal foraging: field tests of diet choice and habitat switching. Am. Zool. 21: 813–829.
Werner, E. E., G. G. Mittelbach, O. J. Hall & J. F. Gilliam, 1983a. Experimental tests of optimal habitat use in fish: the role of relative habitat profitability. Ecology 64: 1525–1531.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Hessen, D.O., Skurdal, J., Vøllestad, L.A. et al. Habitat use among size groups of monomorphic whitefishCoregonus lavaretus . Hydrobiologia 137, 185–192 (1986). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00004214
Received:
Revised:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00004214