Diets of Largemouth Bass (Micropterus salmoides) in the Sacramento San Joaquin Delta

Largemouth Bass (Micropterus salmoides) were introduced into the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta (the Delta) over 100 years ago. In the last 2 decades, the abundance of centrarchids (including Largemouth Bass) in the littoral zone has increased, while some native fish and fish that were previously abundant in the pelagic zone have declined. Largemouth Bass are now one of the most abundant piscivores in the Delta. Understanding the ecology of this top predator — including a comprehensive understanding of what prey are important in Largemouth Bass diets — is important to understanding how this species may affect the Delta fish community. To address this need, we conducted electrofishing surveys of Largemouth Bass at 33 sites every 2 months from 2008 to 2010, measuring fish fork lengths and collecting stomachs contents at each site. We characterized diets using Percent Index of Relative Importance for 3,004 Largemouth Bass, with samples that spanned all seasons. Amphipods dominated the diets of Largemouth Bass ≤175 mm FL year-round, with dipterans, odonates, and copepods and cladocerans representing other important diet items. Non-native red swamp crayfish (Procambarus clarkii) were the most important prey for Largemouth Bass >175 mm FL. Non-native centrarchids (including Largemouth Bass) and amphipods were important prey items as well. Prickly Sculpin (Cottus asper) were the most frequently consumed native fish. Other native fish and pelagic fish species rarely occurred in Largemouth Bass diets, and we discuss trends in how the frequency of co-occurrence of these fishes with Largemouth Bass in the electrofishing surveys was associated with their frequency in Largemouth Bass diets. The Largemouth Bass in the Delta appear to be sustained largely on a diet of other non-natives that reside in the littoral zone.

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Perturbation Planktivory, and Pelagic Community Structure: The Consequence of Winterkill in a Small Lake

Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences ◽

10.1139/f89-271 ◽

1989 ◽

Vol 46 (12) ◽

pp. 2203-2209 ◽

Cited By ~ 32

Author(s):

Donald J. Hail ◽

Timothy J. Ehlinger

Keyword(s):

Largemouth Bass ◽

Fish Community ◽

Lake Michigan ◽

Micropterus Salmoides ◽

Daphnia Pulex ◽

Top Predator ◽

Daphnia Species ◽

Golden Shiner ◽

Golden Shiners

The top predator (largemouth bass, Micropterus salmoides) in eutrophic Wintergreen Lake, Michigan, was eliminated by successive winterkills in 1978 and 1979. Within 2 yr, the golden shiner (Notemigonus crysoleucas), a facultative planktivore, dominated the fish community. The zooplankton, previously consisting of large Daphnia pulex and D. galeata mendotae, concomitantly shifted to a community consisting of smaller species: Bosmina and small copepods. In situ fish enclosure experiments in 1981 and 1982 revealed that the large Daphnia species would grow in Wintergreen Lake in the absence of the golden shiner. Golden shiners exhibit both a particulate and filtering mode of planktivory on large and small zooplankton, respectively. This flexible feeding behavior suggests that golden shiners are able to prevent the reestablishment of Daphnia, while Bosmina and the other small zooplankton support a high and apparently stable golden shiner density.

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Key Drivers Influencing the Presence and Absence of Micropterus salmoides and Their Effect on Native Fish Communities and Biotic Integrity

Water ◽

10.3390/w13233430 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 13 (23) ◽

pp. 3430

Author(s):

Jung-Jae Kim ◽

Usman Atique ◽

Kwang-Guk An

Keyword(s):

Fish Species ◽

Largemouth Bass ◽

Micropterus Salmoides ◽

Fish Communities ◽

Biotic Integrity ◽

Economic Losses ◽

Native Fish ◽

Ecological Health ◽

Significant Difference ◽

Key Drivers

Invasive alien fish species (IAFS) influence recipient ecosystems in multiple ways, from altered native fish communities to poor ecological health and higher economic losses to control and eradication. We tested key drivers and connections between an IAFS (Micropterus salmoides) presence, absence, geomorphological, hydro-chemical, physical habitat, native fish assemblages, and large river basins biotic integrity during 2016–2019. A total number of 62,121 individuals (TNI) representing 74 fish species were observed, out of which 68 species (45,677 TNI) belonged to the Geum River (GR) basin, while 63 species (16,444 TNI) were from the Mankyong/Dongjin River (MDR) basin. The results illustrated a significant contrast based on stream order, catchment area, altitude, stream gradient, and width among the sites with and without largemouth bass. However, fluctuations in nutrients (nitrogen and phosphorus) were not affected by variations in pH, dissolved oxygen, conductivity, suspended solids, and river flow. The largemouth bass has emerged as the 8th largest fish population in the GR and swiftly occupies the MDR basin with a constancy value of 45.5. Native sensitive (r = −0.38), insectivore (r = −0.252), carnivores (r = −0.085), and TNI (r = −0.512) displayed a negative correlation with increasing largemouth bass abundance. Largemouth bass induced significant regime transformation in the carnivore species. A significant difference (p < 0.01) of biotic integrity was illustrated among the largemouth bass population sites. A conspicuous interplay between ‘poor’ ecological health (r = 0.33, p = 0.038, n = 41) sites and ‘fair–excellent’ (r = −0.38, p < 0.001, n = 622) sites as compared to the overall ecological health linked with largemouth bass abundance (r = −0.397, p < 0.001, n = 663) alluded to stronger impact of the IAFS. In conclusion, the largemouth bass has potentially altered the native fish assemblage and ecological health. Further, we conclude that rapidly shifting flow patterns supported by the expanding anthropogenic interventions (weirs and dam) are the most approving factors of impending fish invasions.

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Impact of Largemouth Bass (Micropterus salmoides) on the Population of Korean Native Fish, Crucian Carp (Carassius auratus)

Environmental Biology Research ◽

10.11626/kjeb.2013.31.4.370 ◽

2013 ◽

Vol 31 (4) ◽

pp. 370-375 ◽

Cited By ~ 5

Author(s):

Jin-Woong Lee ◽

◽

Jeong-Hui Kim ◽

Sang-Hyeon Park ◽

Kee-Ryong Choi ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Largemouth Bass ◽

Carassius Auratus ◽

Crucian Carp ◽

Micropterus Salmoides ◽

Native Fish ◽

Crucian Carp Carassius Auratus

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Muskellunge Management: Fifty Years of Cooperation Among Anglers, Scientists, and Fisheries Biologists

Muskellunge Management: Fifty Years of Cooperation Among Anglers, Scientists, and Fisheries Biologists ◽

10.47886/9781934874462.ch14 ◽

2017 ◽

Keyword(s):

Rainbow Trout ◽

Relative Abundance ◽

Largemouth Bass ◽

Micropterus Salmoides ◽

Gastric Lavage ◽

Smallmouth Bass ◽

Diet Analysis ◽

Important Prey ◽

Population Reduction ◽

Lake Washington

Abstract.—Tiger muskellunge (Muskellunge Esox masquinongy × Northern Pike E. lucius) growth, condition, and diet, as well as the effect of stocking on Northern Pikeminnow Ptychocheilus oregonensis, were studied at Curlew Lake, Washington from 2001 to 2006. Curlew Lake (373 ha) was stocked with tiger muskellunge beginning in 1998 to reduce an overabundant Northern Pikeminnow population and to create a unique trophy fishery. Historically, Curlew Lake had provided good fishing opportunity for stocked Rainbow Trout Oncorhynchus mykiss, as well as naturally reproducing Largemouth Bass Micropterus salmoides and Smallmouth Bass M. dolomieu. The quality of trout fishing, however, had declined throughout the 1990s, commensurate with anecdotal observations of increased numbers of Northern Pikeminnow in the sport catch. To monitor changes in species relative abundance, the lake was sampled annually in the fall with standardized boat electrofishing surveys. Additionally, the lake was sampled by boat electrofishing monthly, from spring through fall, to collect tiger muskellunge diet samples by gastric lavage. Rainbow Trout and Northern Pikeminnow were the most important prey species for tiger muskellunge in Curlew Lake while Largemouth Bass were a distant third. Diet varied seasonally, with Rainbow Trout being the most important prey during spring, while Northern Pikeminnow was most important in summer. Both Rainbow Trout and Northern Pikeminnow were important in the fall. The relative abundance of Northern Pikeminnow in Curlew Lake significantly declined over the duration of the study. The high proportion of Northern Pikeminnow observed in the tiger muskellunge diet analysis indicates that the reduction can be attributed to the added presence of tiger muskellunge to the community. Therefore, the goal of Northern Pikeminnow population reduction through tiger muskellunge introduction (biological control via predation) has been successful. Continued biannual monitoring of the fish community to assess Northern Pikeminnow abundance should provide the necessary data to refine future tiger muskellunge stocking rates in Curlew Lake.

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