Abstract
A comparison of the composition of natural phytoplankton communities with the gut content of silver carp (Hypophthalmichthys molitrix) showed that this fish species can not take up algae smaller than 10 μm. The species composition of algal assemblages in the gut content of the silver carp usually differs significantly from the composition of the >10 μm size fraction of the natural phytoplankton assemblages. This difference is mainly a result of the taxon selective digestion of silver carp. In vitro experiments with digestive enzymes of this species resulted in a very fast (1–2 minutes) disintegration of non-mucilaginous cyanobacteria. The digestion of diatoms and cryptophytes was also effective, but mucilaginous cyanobacteria and green algae (Chlorococcales) proved practically indigestible.
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Vörös, L., Oldal, I., Présing, M., V.-Balogh, K. (1997). Size-selective filtration and taxon-specific digestion of plankton algae by silver carp (Hypophthalmichthys molitrix Val.). In: Kufel, L., Prejs, A., Rybak, J.I. (eds) Shallow Lakes ’95. Developments in Hydrobiology, vol 119. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-011-5648-6_24
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-011-5648-6_24
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