The opportunistic trophic behaviour of the European catfish (Silurus glanis) in a recently colonised large peri-alpine lake

The European catfish (Silurus glanis) recently colonised large peri-alpine lakes where its exploitation of the different lake habitats (i.e. littoral, pelagic and deep benthic) may be supported by interindividual trophic variations fostering its establishment. We investigated the prey and lake habitats supporting S. glanis diet in the largest French peri-alpine lake (Lake Bourget) based on the contents of 231 stomachs combined with 217 individual stable isotope measurements (delta C-13 and delta N-15). The interindividual diet variations in stomachs and isotopes were quantified to identify individual specialisation within the population. The effects of body size on trophic characteristics were also explored. For most individuals, a major reliance on littoral resources was determined based on both stomach contents (86% of prey items) and stable isotopes using Bayesian mixing models (BMMs; 70.3 +/- 9.6% contributions of the littoral resources). However, pelagic and deep benthic prey (e.g. whitefish and burbot) were also identified, and BMMs indicated significant contributions of pelagic and deep benthic resources to S. glanis diets (15.8 +/- 5.3% and 13.9 +/- 5.2% respectively). Interindividual variations based on stomach contents were much higher than those estimated from stable isotopes, supporting an opportunistic trophic behaviour; although the population strongly relied on crayfish, perch and roach. Body size explained a minor fraction of S. glanis trophic characteristics, suggesting that ontogeny does not strongly structure the current population diet. Our results underscore the feeding plasticity of S. glanis, revealing that besides the littoral habitat, this invader exploits resources from all habitats in large peri-alpine lakes (deep benthic and pelagic). Therefore, its establishment in these ecosystems may represent a growing threat to resident species, especially if the population and individual body size increase in the near future.

Automated summary

The European catfish (Silurus glanis) in large peri-alpine lakes primarily relies on littoral resources but also consumes prey from pelagic and deep benthic habitats. Individual diet variations are mostly reflected in stomach contents, supporting opportunistic trophic behavior. Body size has minimal impact on the catfish's diet, indicating that ontogeny does not strongly shape its feeding habits. This study highlights the feeding plasticity of the European catfish and its ability to exploit resources from different habitats in peri-alpine lakes.