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The diet and consumption of dominant fish species in the upper Scheldt estuary, Belgium
Maes, J.; De Brabandere, L.; Ollevier, F.; Mees, J. (2003). The diet and consumption of dominant fish species in the upper Scheldt estuary, Belgium. J. Mar. Biol. Ass. U.K. 83(3): 603-612. https://dx.doi.org/10.1017/S0025315403007537h
In: Journal of the Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom. Cambridge University Press/Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom: Cambridge. ISSN 0025-3154; e-ISSN 1469-7769
Peer reviewed article  
Available in  Authors 
    Vlaams Instituut voor de Zee: Open Marine Archive 98726 [ download pdf ]
Keywords
    Abundance
    Aquatic communities > Benthos
    Construction
    Developmental stages > Juveniles
    Diets
    Fauna > Aquatic organisms > Aquatic animals > Fish
    Interspecific relationships > Predation
    Niches
    Nutritive value
    Properties > Chemical properties > Salinity
    Properties > Physical properties > Turbidity
    Resources > Natural resources > Food resources
    Taxa > Species > Dominant species
    Temporal variations > Periodic variations > Seasonal variations
    Belgium, Schelde R. [Marine Regions]
    Marine/Coastal
Authors  Top 
  • Maes, J.
  • De Brabandere, L.
  • Ollevier, F.
  • Mees, J.
Abstract
    Seasonal changes in the diet composition and trophic niche overlap were examined for the dominant members of the fish assemblage of the turbid low-salinity zone of the Scheldt estuary (Belgium). Samples of fish were taken in the cooling water of a power plant. Juveniles of eight species dominated the fish assemblage: two goby species, herring, sprat, bass, flounder, eel and pikeperch. Together, they had preyed upon 31 different prey taxa. Calanoid copepods and hyperbenthic mysids were the most important prey items with macrobenthic invertebrates being largely ignored. Pair-wise comparisons of trophic niche overlap showed that, in general, niche overlap between individuals of the same species was significantly higher than overlap between individuals from different species, suggesting that the available food resources were partitioned. The total annual prey consumption by the dominant fish species was estimated at 610 mg ash-free dry weight m-3.
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