DeSorcie, T.J. and T.A. Edsall, 1995. Feeding Rates of Young-of-the-Year Ruffe on Eggs of Lake Whitefish, U.S. Geological Survey.

Reprinted from Journal of Freshwater Ecology (1995) 10(3): 225-229

Feeding Rates of Young-of-the-Year Ruffe on Eggs of Lake Whitefish

Abstract
We measured the feeding rate of individual (0.6-12.2 g) young-of-the-year (Gymnocephalus cernuus) on the live eggs of lake whitefish (Coregonus clupeaformis) at 3, 5, and 9°C in the laboratory. These temperatures were selected because they covered the range of lake temperatures over which eggs of most Lakes coregonines would be most vulnerable to predation by ruffe. Ruffe readily consumed lake whitefish eggs, and regression analysis showed consumption increased with ruffe size and water temperature. Mean daily egg consumption percent of mean ruffe body weight was 0.25% at 3°C, 0.59% at 5°C, and 1.00% at 9°C.

Entire Paper
Contact: Thomas Edsall, U.S. Geological Survey, Great Lakes Science Center, 1451 Green Road, Ann Arbor, MI 48105
Key Words: Ruffe, Basic_biology, Environmental_Impacts
Product Type: Research, Basic_biology, Impact
User Type: General