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Physiological responses of over-wintering common carp (Cyprinus carpio) to disturbance by Eurasian otter (Lutra lutra)

Fish Physiology and Biochemistry volume 34, pages 223–234 (2008)Cite this article

Abstract

Using a tame animal, the impact of otter (Lutra lutra) disturbance on over-wintering carp (Cyprinus carpio) was monitored in two experiments, 133 and 140 days, respectively, over two consecutive winters (November–April). The level of stress in over-wintering carp exposed to various intensities of disturbance by otters was quantified using biological indicators of stress (cortisol, cortisone, indices of nitrogen, carbohydrate, lipid and mineral metabolism and activity of basic blood plasma enzymes) taken from blood plasma of stocked carp at the end of the winter seasons (when the photoperiod was 12 light:12 dark, respectively, 13L:10D). Moreover, condition (Fulton’s coefficient of condition and fat content in muscles) and mortality rate of that carp were measured after over-wintering and also after the subsequent vegetation period. The analysis of blood and tissue samples of experimental fish showed changes in nitrogen, carbohydrate and mineral metabolism as well as levels of hormones and fat reserves. Higher response to stress in metabolism of carp with lower intensity of disturbance by otter suggests that high level of disturbance can lead to metabolic adaptation of carp to stress. The effect of stress on the mortality rate of carp during the over-wintering is not clear. Nevertheless, the negative effect of stress on survival, condition and growth rate of carp in the subsequent vegetation period was not observed.

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Acknowledgements

We would like to thank everyone from the Otter Station in Pavlov and Petra Hlaváčová, who helped with experiments and who took care of the tame otters. We also thank Klaus Hackländer, Jim Conroy and Richard Hampl for valuable comments on an draft of the manuscript. Finally, we are grateful to Hartmut Gossow. The project was financed by the European Commission (project no. EVK2-CT-2002-00142).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Wildlife Biology and Game Management, University of Natural Resources and Applied Life Sciences, Gregor-Mendel-Str. 33, 1180, Vienna, Austria

    Lukáš Poledník, Andreas Kranz & Kateřina Poledníková

  2. Department of Zoology, Silesian Museum, Nádražní okruh 33, 746 01, Opava, The Czech Republic

    Jiří Řehulka

  3. Agency for Nature Conservation and Landscape Protection of the Czech Republic, Husova 2115, 580 02, Havlickuv Brod, The Czech Republic

    Václav Hlaváč

  4. Institute of endocrinology, Národní 8, 116 94, Prague, The Czech Republic

    Hana Kazihnitková

Authors
  1. Lukáš Poledník
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  2. Jiří Řehulka
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  3. Andreas Kranz
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  4. Kateřina Poledníková
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  5. Václav Hlaváč
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Correspondence to Lukáš Poledník.

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Poledník, L., Řehulka, J., Kranz, A. et al. Physiological responses of over-wintering common carp (Cyprinus carpio) to disturbance by Eurasian otter (Lutra lutra). Fish Physiol Biochem 34, 223–234 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10695-007-9180-3

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Keywords

  • Cortisol
  • Cortisone
  • Predator–prey interaction
  • Stress

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