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Diet as a mechanism of coexistence between intertidal fish species of the U.K.

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Abstract

While the syntopic nature of many intertidal fish communities suggest that resources such as food are shared, little has been done to assess the importance of diet on the coexistence of intertidal fish of the U.K. In this study, six intertidal fish species (shanny, Lipophrys pholis, Blenniidae; long-spined scorpion fish, Taurulus bubalis, Cottidae; two-spotted goby, Gobiusculus flavescens, Gobiidae; rock goby, Gobius paganellus, Gobiidae; plaice, Pleuronectes platessa, Pleuronectidae; butterfish, Pholis gunnellus, Pholidae) were collected from two sites along the east coast of England (Filey and Thornwick Bay) and two sites around the coast of the Isle of Anglesey, North Wales (Rhosneigr and Penrhos), during summer and winter. A comparison of the diets of those in the highest abundances (L. pholis, T. bubalis and G. flavescens) found that, in general, prey preferences were dissimilar between species, albeit with some slight overlap, and therefore it could be said that diet acts as an important mechanism of interspecific coexistence.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Cefas, Pakefield Road, Lowestoft, Suffolk, NR33 0HT, UK

    C. J. Barrett

  2. CEMS, The University of Hull, Filey Road, Scarborough, North Yorkshire, YO11 3AZ, UK

    M. L. Johnson & S. L. Hull

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  1. C. J. Barrett
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  2. M. L. Johnson
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  3. S. L. Hull
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Correspondence to C. J. Barrett.

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Handling editor: Vasilis Valavanis

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Barrett, C.J., Johnson, M.L. & Hull, S.L. Diet as a mechanism of coexistence between intertidal fish species of the U.K.. Hydrobiologia 768, 125–135 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10750-015-2537-1

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