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Comparative feeding ecology of invasive Ponto-Caspian gobies

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Abstract

Invasions of Ponto-Caspian gobiid fishes are suspected to cause regime shifts in freshwater ecosystems. This study compared the trophic niche differentiations of Neogobius melanostomus and Ponticola kessleri in the upper Danube River using stable isotope analyses (δ13C and δ15N), gut content analyses and morphometric analyses of the digestive tract. Both species were identified as predacious omnivores with high dietary overlap and a generalistic feeding strategy. Amphipods (especially invasive Dikerogammarus spp.) contributed 2/3 to the index of food importance. δ15N-signatures of N. melanostomus revealed an ontogenetic diet shift and significantly exceeded those in P. kessleri by ~1.5‰, indicating a niche separation of half a trophic level. P. kessleri had shorter uncoiled intestinal tracts than N. melanostomus, indicating a narrower niche and adaptation to animal food. Trophic niches in both species expanded during the growth period with increasing intraguild predation and cannibalism in P. kessleri and increasing molluscivory in N. melanostomus. P. kessleri showed a higher degree of specialization and more stable feeding patterns across seasons, whereas N. melanostomus adapted its diet according to the natural prey availability. The feeding patterns of both species observed in the upper Danube River strongly differ from those in their native ranges, underlining their great plasticity. Both goby species consumed mainly other non-native species (~92% of gut contents) and seemed to benefit from previous invasions of prey species like Dikerogammarus villosus. The invasive success of gobies and their prey mirror fundamental ecological changes in large European freshwater ecosystems.

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Acknowledgments

The authors thank all the friendly and helpful owners of the local fishing rights, the ‘Fischereifachberatungen’ and Dr. Gerald Zauner (TBZ, Engelhartszell) who supported our sampling. The authors would like to express their special thanks to Daniela Leitzbach for extending laboratory and field assistance and to Dr. Rudi Schäufele (Technische Universitaet Muenchen) for processing stable isotope analyses. This project is funded by the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG), project-numbers GE 2169/1-1 (AOBJ: 569812) and DFG SCHL567/5-1.

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  1. Aquatic Systems Biology Unit, Center of Life and Food Science Weihenstephan, Technische Universität München, Mühlenweg 22, 85350, Freising, Germany

    Joerg Brandner, Alexander F. Cerwenka & Juergen Geist

  2. Lehrstuhl für Grünlandlehre, Center of Life and Food Science Weihenstephan, Technische Universität München, Alte Akademie 12, 85350, Freising, Germany

    Karl Auerswald

  3. Department of Ichthyology, Bavarian State Collection of Zoology (ZSM), Münchhausenstr. 21, 81247, Munich, Germany

    Alexander F. Cerwenka & Ulrich K. Schliewen

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  1. Joerg Brandner
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  2. Karl Auerswald
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  3. Alexander F. Cerwenka
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  4. Ulrich K. Schliewen
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  5. Juergen Geist
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Correspondence to Juergen Geist.

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Brandner, J., Auerswald, K., Cerwenka, A.F. et al. Comparative feeding ecology of invasive Ponto-Caspian gobies. Hydrobiologia 703, 113–131 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10750-012-1349-9

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  1. Juergen Geist View author profile