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Habitat selection and foraging success by an endangered Mediterranean cyprinid: implications for habitat restoration

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Abstract

Habitat loss and degradation are causing collapses in freshwater fish in the Mediterranean region, where habitat restoration actions are still hampered by poor understanding of fish habitat selection and fitness. Here, we combined field surveys and laboratorial experiments to investigate how water velocity, body size and intra-specific interactions influence habitat selection and foraging success by the highly endangered Mira chub Squalius torgalensis. Velocity negatively affected habitat selection and fitness of chub via its negative effects on prey capture rate. Small chub occupied lower velocity ranges than large chub, and both captured the most prey at the range of velocities selected in the stream. Size-based intra-specific interactions also affected capture success, with small chub capturing proportionally less prey in the presence of large chub. Our results suggest that, during base-flow conditions, restoring low and moderate velocities up to 26 cm/s will help ensure suitable habitat and improve the fitness of small and large chub occurring in interacting groups. Integrated approaches uncovering factors directly related to habitat selection and individual fitness should guide habitat restoration for fish in Mediterranean streams and may help identify critical habitat features for other endangered species.

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Data availability

The datasets generated and analyzed during the current study are available from the corresponding author on reasonable request.

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Acknowledgements

Thanks are due to António Martins, Amy Oliver and other assistants for field and laboratory support, and to Robert Ratajczak, Peter Hazelton and Duncan Elkins for training and logistical support. The study was conducted under permits of the Portuguese Forest Authority. Funding was granted by the Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia through Joana Martelo’s doctoral grant (SFRH/BD/35942/2007), the Centre for Ecology, Evolution and Environmental Change, and the Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources. Joana Martelo is currently supported by the Marine and Environmental Sciences Centre.

Funding

Funding was granted by the Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia through Joana Martelo’s doctoral grant (SFRH/BD/35942/2007), the Centre for Ecology, Evolution and Environmental Change, and the Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources. Joana Martelo is currently supported by the project ISO-INVA (FCT ref. PTDC/CTA-AMB/29105/2017).

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  1. Joana Martelo

    Present address: Faculty of Sciences, MARE - Marine and Environmental Sciences Centre, University of Lisbon, 1749-016, Lisbon, Portugal

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Faculty of Sciences, cE3c - Centre for Ecology, Evolution and Environmental Change, University of Lisbon, 1749-016, Lisbon, Portugal

    Joana Martelo & M. Filomena Magalhães

  2. Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, 30602, USA

    Gary D. Grossman

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  1. Joana Martelo
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JM, GG, FM conceived and designed the research; JM performed field surveys and experiments; JM, FM performed statistical analyses; JM, GG, FM wrote and edited the manuscript.

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Correspondence to Joana Martelo.

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The study was conducted under permits of the Portuguese Forest Authority. Laboratory procedures conformed to international guidelines (Vitale et al., 2018) and Portuguese legislation regarding animal capture, manipulation, and experimentation for scientific purposes. Fish feeding normally and with no external parasites were returned to the stream after the experiments.

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Martelo, J., Grossman, G.D. & Magalhães, M.F. Habitat selection and foraging success by an endangered Mediterranean cyprinid: implications for habitat restoration. Hydrobiologia 848, 5187–5202 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10750-021-04701-y

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