Resource use among top-level piscivores in a temperate reservoir: implications for a threatened coldwater specialist

Evaluations of resource use among native piscivores in natural lakes have consistently documented significant partitioning that supports coexistence. Partitioning may be less prominent in reservoirs where water-level fluctuations can compress habitat and trophic diversity, but studies are lacking. Stable isotopes and bioenergetic models were used to quantify trophic interactions within a native piscivore assemblage inhabiting a temperate irrigation reservoir and explore implications for coexistence with a focus on threatened bull trout (Salvelinus confluentus). As hypothesised, adult bull trout exhibited the greatest degree of trophic specialisation by consuming mostly coldwater pelagic forage fish, which were consumed seasonally by the more abundant burbot (Lota lota) and northern pikeminnow (Ptychocheilus oregonensis). Numerous trophic niche overlap probabilities exceeded 70%, were as high as 93% and greatest between bull trout and burbot. Bioenergetics simulations demonstrated the high seasonal consumption capacity of burbot relative to northern pikeminnow. As a result, threefold to fourfold fewer burbot were required to consume the annual productivity of coldwater prey important for bull trout, particularly in the absence of small-bodied mesothermic or eurythermal fish as a buffer. Collectively, our analysis elucidated relatively strong trophic niche overlap among similarly sized piscivores, the importance of maintaining a diverse forage fish community for promoting coexistence and the greatest potential for competitive interactions between adult bull trout and burbot if key prey were limited or less diverse. More studies in regulated systems are needed to test for consistent patterns and identify mechanisms that limit or promote coexistence amid growing human-induced environmental change and demands on freshwater.

Automated summary

This study found that in a temperate irrigation reservoir, adult bull trout exhibited the highest degree of trophic specialization, mainly consuming coldwater pelagic fish. Trophic niche overlap probabilities were high between bull trout and burbot, emphasizing the importance of maintaining a diverse forage fish community for promoting coexistence. Competitive interactions between adult bull trout and burbot could potentially increase if key prey were limited or less diverse.