Summary
The spatial distribution of juvenile roach (Rutilus rutilus), rudd (Scardinius erythrophtalamus), bream (Abramis brama) and bleak (Alburnus alburnus) was registered by echosounding during two years in small Bavarian lakes. The gut contents of the fish were analysed in order to reconstruct their rhythmicity of food intake. Fish were found in the pelagic zone only during the night, feeding before midnight with maximal rate. The vertical position of the fish was dependent on the water transparency following a light intensity in the order of 10-3 Lux. The diel migration between littoral and pelagic zones was a mainly horizontal one with a vertical component. Both the speed of increase of fish density in the open water and of the vertical movement was correlated to the speed of change of light intensity. Shoals broke up into single fish during the offshore migration. The span of presence in the pelagic zone was identical with the duration of the dark period. During winter no diel migration nor periodical feeding took place.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Ali, N.A.: The ocular structure, retinomotor and photobehavioural responses of the juvenile Pacific Salmon. Can. J. Zool. 37, 965–996 (1959)
Baumann, P.C., Kitchell, J.F.: Diel patterns of distribution and feeding of bluegill Lepomis macrochirus in Lake Wingra Wisconsin USA. Trans. Am. Fish. Soc. 103, 255–260 (1974)
Begg, G.W.: The relationship between the diurnal movements of some of the zooplankton and the sardine Limnothrissa miodon in Lake Kariba Rhodesia. Limnology and Oceanography 21, 529–539 (1976)
Blaxter, J.H.: Do fishes have an absolute sense of light intenstiy? Vision Research 13, 719–729 (1973)
Bohl, E.: Mechanismen der Nahrungsselektivität planktivorer Cypriniden. Doctoral thesis in Biology, University Munich. München (1979)
Brooks, J.L., Dodson, S.J.: Predation, body size and composition of plankton. Science 150, 28–35 (1965)
Clarke, G.L.: Elements of Ecology. John Wiley and Sons (eds) New York (1954)
Dembinski, W.: Vertical distribution of vendace Coregonus albula L. and other pelagic fish species in some Polsh lakes. J. Fish. Biol. 3, 341–357 (1971)
Hobson, E.S.: Diurnal-nocturnal activity of some inshore fishes in the Gulf of California. Copeia 3, 291–301 (1970)
Hrbáček, J.: Fishstock as a protective agent in the occurence of slow developing dwarf species of the genus Daphnia. Int. Rev. Hydrobiol. 45, 355–358 (1960)
Ivlev, V.W.: Experimental ecology of the feeding of fishes. Yale Univ. Press. New Haven, Connecticut (1961)
Jacobs, J.: Coexistence of similar species by differential adaptation to reproduction and escape in an environment with fluctuating food and enemy densities: III Laboratory experiments. Oecologia (Berl.) 35, 35–54 (1978)
Karst, H.: Under water observations of social grouping of fresh water fishes in the non-breeding season. Int. Rev. Hydrobiol. 53, 573–599 (1968)
McNaught and Hasler, A.D.: Rate of movement of populations of Daphnia in relations to changes of light intensity. J. Fish. Res. Board. Can. 21, 291–318 (1964)
Melzer, A.: Makrophytische Wasserpflanzen als Indikatoren des Gewässerzustandes oberbayerischer Seen. Dissertationes Botanicae 34 Vaduz Verlag J. Cramer, (1976)
Müller, K.: Die Tagesperiodik bei Fischen. Österreichs Fischerei 1, 6–9 (1969)
Narver, D.W.: Diel vertical movements of underyearling sockeye salmon in Babine Lake, British Columbia. J. Fish. Res. 27, 281–316 (1970)
O'Brian, W.J.: Apparent size as the determinant of prey selection by bluegill sunfish (Lepomis macrochirus). Ecology 57, 1304–1310 (1976)
Schüler, F.: Über die echographische Aufzeichnung des Verhaltens von Meeresfischen während der Sonnenfinsternis vom 30. Juni 1954. Dt. Hydrograph. Z. 7, 141–143 (1954)
Seitz, A.: Die Bedeutung von Umweltfaktoren, Konkurrenz und Räuber-Beute-Beziehungen für die Koexistenz dreier Daphnienarten. Doctoral thesis in Biology, University Munich. München (1977)
Siebeck, O.: Untersuchungen über die Vertikalwanderung planktischer Crustaceen unter Berücksichtigung der Strahlungsverhältnisse. Int. Rev. Hydrobiol. 45, 381–454 (1960)
Stenson, J.: Significance of predator influence on composition of Bosmina spp populations. Limnology and Oceanography 21, 814–822 (1976)
Werner, E.E., Hall, J.D.: Optimal foraging and the size selection of prey by bluegill sunfish (Lepomis macrochirus). Ecology 55, 1042–1052 (1974)
Wunder, W.: Wie fangen planktonfressende Fische ihre Nahrungstiere? Versuche an Karpfen. Z.f. vergl. Physiol. 17, 304–336 (1932)
Zaret, T.M., Suffern, J.S.: Vertical migration in zooplankton as a predator avoidance mechanism. Limnology and Oceanography 21, 804–813 (1976)
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Bohl, E. Diel pattern of pelagic distribution and feeding in planktivorous fish. Oecologia 44, 368–375 (1979). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00545241
Received:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00545241