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The role of filter-feeding Asian carps in algal dispersion

  • PHYTOPLANKTON & SPATIAL GRADIENTS
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Abstract

The gut contents of filter-feeding fish often contain considerable amounts of viable phytoplankton cells; thus, these animals can act as vectors in the horizontal and vertical transport of algae. In this study, the potential role of the introduced filter-feeding Asian carps (hybrids of silver carp Hypophthalmichthys molitrix and bighead carp H. nobilis) in algal dispersion was studied in the oligo-mesotrophic Lake Balaton (Hungary). We examined the algal composition in the lake water, gut contents (foregut and hindgut), and occasionally in the filtered suspensions collected directly from the gill rakers (filtering apparatus) of fish. Microscopic analyses revealed that the phytoplankton composition of the ingested food differed considerably from what we found in the lake water. Cryptophytes, dinoflagellates, and euglenophytes were observed in both the lake water and foregut samples but were absent in the hindgut samples. However, in the cultured hindgut samples, we found viable cells of several phytoplankton taxa (e.g., diatoms, blue-greens, desmids, volvocalean and chlorococcalean green algae), which managed to survive the physical and chemical digestion. These results imply that the presence of these filter-feeding fish can alter the phytoplankton species composition and promote the dominance of taxa that are able to resist digestion.

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Acknowledgments

We thank Ildikó Starkné Mecsnóbel, Géza Dobos, Zoltán Poller and the Balaton Fish Management Non-Profit Ltd. for their assistance with sample collecting and processing. The study was supported by OTKA (K 83893).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Tisza Research, MTA Centre for Ecological Research, 18/c Bem Square, Debrecen, 4026, Hungary

    Judit Görgényi, Gábor Várbíró & Gábor Borics

  2. Balaton Limnological Institute, MTA Centre for Ecological Research, 3. Klebelsberg Kuno Street, Tihany, 8237, Hungary

    Gergely Boros, Zoltán Vitál & Attila Mozsár

  3. Department of Botany, University of Debrecen, 1. Egyetem Square, Debrecen, 4032, Hungary

    Gábor Vasas

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  1. Judit Görgényi
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  2. Gergely Boros
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  3. Zoltán Vitál
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  4. Attila Mozsár
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  5. Gábor Várbíró
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  6. Gábor Vasas
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  7. Gábor Borics
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Correspondence to Judit Görgényi.

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Guest editors: Luigi Naselli-Flores & Judit Padisák / Biogeography and Spatial Patterns of Biodiversity of Freshwater Phytoplankton

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Görgényi, J., Boros, G., Vitál, Z. et al. The role of filter-feeding Asian carps in algal dispersion. Hydrobiologia 764, 115–126 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10750-015-2285-2

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