Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Three different patterns of how low-intensity waves can affect the energy budget of littoral fish: a mesocosm study

  • Physiological ecology – Original Paper
  • Published:
Oecologia Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

In a mesocosm study, somatic and otolith growth of six types of juvenile cyprinids differing in body size and body shape were studied in a low-intensity wave treatment and a no-wave control. Depending on fish type, somatic growth was either reduced by up to 60% or increased by up to 50% following exposure to the wave treatment. Somatic growth and otolith daily increment width (ODIW), the latter being used as a proxy for the fish energy turnover, were compared to reveal the effects of waves on the energy budget of the fish. Three different reaction types to waves, which correlated to the body morphology of the six fish groups, could be distinguished. Small and fusiform fish benefitted from low-intensity waves and showed higher somatic growth rates and greater ODIW in the wave treatment. In small, deep-bodied fish, growth and ODIW were reduced by waves. Finally, in larger fish with either a fusiform or deep-bodied shape, ODIW was decoupled from somatic growth, with larger ODIW in waves, but reduced somatic growth. These results show that low-intensity hydrodynamic stress is a much more important and complex habitat factor than previously assumed. It is concluded that hydrodynamic stress by waves should be accounted for in bioenergetic models and studies on habitat choice in littoral fish species.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Armstrong JD, Fallon-Cousins PS, Wright PJ (2004) The relationship between specific dynamic action and otolith growth in pike. J Fish Biol 64:739–749

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Barber MC, Jenkins GP (2001) Differential effects of food and temperature lead to decoupling of short-term otolith and somatic growth rates in juvenile King George whiting. J Fish Biol 58:1320–1330

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Blake RW (2004) Fish functional design and swimming performance. J Fish Biol 65:1193–1222

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Blanchet SG (2008) Competition, predation, and flow rate as mediator of direct and indirect effects in a stream food web. Oecologia 157:93–104

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Boisclair D, Leggett WC (1989) The importance of activity in bioenergetics models applied to actively foraging fishes. Can J Fish Aquat Sci 46:1859–1867

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Boisclair D, Tang M (1993) Empirical analysis of the influence of swimming pattern on the net energetic cost of swimming in fishes. J Fish Biol 42:169–183

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Enders EC, Boisclair D, Roy AG (2004) The costs of habitat utilization of wild, farmed, and domesticated juvenile Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar). Can J Fish Aquat Sci 61:2302–2313

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Felley JD (1984) Multivariate identification of morphological-environmental relationships within cyprinidae (Pisces). Copeia 1984:442–455

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Fischer P, Eckmann R (1997a) Seasonal changes in fish abundance, biomass and species richness in the littoral zone of a large European lake, Lake Constance, Germany. Arch Hydrobiol 139:433–448

    Google Scholar 

  • Fischer P, Eckmann R (1997b) Spatial distribution of littoral fish species in a large European lake, Lake Constance, Germany. Arch Hydrobiol 140:91–116

    Google Scholar 

  • Flore L, Keckeis H (1998) The effect of water current on foraging behaviour of the rheophilic cyprinid Chondrostoma nasus (L.) during ontogeny: evidence of a trade-off between energetic gain and swimming costs. Regul Rivers Res Mgmt 14:141–154

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Fulton CJ, Bellwood DR, Wainwright PC (2005) Wave energy and swimming performance shape coral reef fish assemblages. Proc R Soc B 272:827–832

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Gabel F, Garcia X-F, Brauns M, Sukhodolov A, Leszinski M, Pusch MT (2008) Resistance to ship-induced waves of benthic invertebrates in various littoral habitats. Freshw Biol 53:1567–1578

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gabel F, Stoll S, Fischer P, Pusch MT, Garcia X-F (in press) Differential effects of wind and ship waves on predator-prey interactions between fish and benthic invertebrates: an experimental study. Oecologia

  • Gliwicz ZM, Jachner A (1992) Diel migrations of juvenile fish: a ghost of predation past or present? Arch Hydrobiol 124:385–410

    Google Scholar 

  • Hanson PC, Johnson TB, Schindler DE, Kitchell JF (1997) Fish Bioenergetics 3.0 for Windows. University of Wisconsin, Sea Grant Institute, Madison

    Google Scholar 

  • Hofmann H (2007) Characteristics and implications of surface gravity waves in the littoral zone of a large lake (Lake Constance). PhD thesis. University of Constance, Constance

  • Hofmann H, Lorke A, Peeters F (2008) The relative importance of wind and ship waves in the littoral zone of a large lake. Limnol Oceanogr 53:368–380

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Huuskonen H, Karjalainen J (1998) A preliminary study on the relationships between otolith increment width, metabolic rate and growth in juvenile whitefish (Coregonus lavaretus L.). Arch Hydrobiol 142:371–383

    Google Scholar 

  • Jackson DA, Peres-Neto PR, Olden JD (2001) What controls who is where in freshwater fish communities—the role of biotic, abiotic, and spatial factors. Can J Fish Aquat Sci 58:157–170

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Keast A (1985) Development of dietary specializations in summer community of juvenile fishes. Environ Biol Fishes 13:211–224

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kottelat M, Freyhof J (2007) Handbook of European freshwater fishes. Publications Kottelat, Cornol

    Google Scholar 

  • Krohn MM, Boisclair D (1994) Use of a stereo-video system to estimate the energy expenditure of free-swimming fish. Can J Fish Aquat Sci 51:1119–1127

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kundu PK, Cohen IM (2002) Fluid mechanics, 2nd edn. Academic Press, London

    Google Scholar 

  • Langerhans RB (2008) Predictability of phenotypic differentiation across flow regimes in fishes. Integr Comp Biol 48:750–768

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lewin W-C, Okun N, Mehner T (2004) Determinants of the distribution of juvenile fish in the littoral area of a shallow lake. Freshw Biol 49:410–424

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Liao JC (2007) A review of fish swimming mechanics and behaviour in altered flows. Phil Trans R Soc B 362:1973–1993

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Lienesch PW, Matthews WJ (2000) Daily fish and zooplankton abundances in the littoral zone of Lake Texoma, Oklahoma–Texas, in relation to abiotic variables. Environ Biol Fishes 59:271–283

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ljunggren L, Sandström A (2007) Influence of visual conditions on the foraging and growth of juvenile fishes with dissimilar sensory physiology. J Fish Biol 70:1319–1334

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • MacKenzie BR, Miller TJ, Cyr S, Leggett WC (1994) Evidence for a dome-shaped relationship between turbulence and larval fish ingestion rates. Limnol Oceanogr 39:1790–1799

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Marchaj CA (1988) Aero-hydrodynamics of sailing. International Marine Publ, Camden

    Google Scholar 

  • Monismith SG, Fong DA (2004) A note on the potential transport of scalars and organisms by surface waves. Limnol Oceanogr 49:1214–1217

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mosegaard H, Svedäng H, Taberman K (1988) Uncoupling of somatic and otolith growth rates in Arctic char (Salvelinus alpinus) as an effect of differences in temperature response. Can J Fish Aquat Sci 45:1514–1524

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Neverman D, Wurtsbaugh WA (1994) The thermoregulatory function of diel vertical migration for a juvenile fish, Cottus extensus. Oecologia 98:247–256

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ohlmer W (1964) Untersuchungen über die Beziehungen zwischen Körperform und Bewegungsmedium bei Fischen aus stehenden Binnengewässern. Zool Jahrb Anat 81:151–240

    Google Scholar 

  • Pierce CL (1994) Littoral fish communities in Southern Quebec lakes: relationship with limnological and prey resource variables. Can J Fish Aquat Sci 51:1128–1138

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rennie MD, Collins NC, Shuter BJ, Rajotte JW, Couture P (2005) A comparison of methods for estimating activity costs of wild fish populations: more active fish observed to grow slower. Can J Fish Aquat Sci 62:767–780

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rossier O, Castella E, Lachavanne J-B (1996) Influence of submerged aquatic vegetation on size class distribution of perch (Perca fluviatilis) and roach (Rutilus rutilus) in the littoral zone of Lake Geneva (Switzerland). Aquat Sci 58:1–14

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rothschild BJ, Osborn TR (1988) Small-scale turbulence and plankton contact rates. J Plankton Res 10:465–474

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Savino JF, Stein RA (1989a) Behaviour of fish predators and their prey: habitat choice between open water and dense vegetation. Environ Biol Fish 24:287–293

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Savino JF, Stein RA (1989b) Behavioural interactions between fish predators and their prey: effects of plant density. Anim Behav 37:311–321

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sims DW, Wearmouth VJ, Southall EJ, Hill JM, Moore P, Rawlinson K, Hutchinson N, Budd GC, Righton D, Metcalfe JD, Nash JP, Morritt D (2006) Hunt warm, rest cool: bioenergetic strategy underlying diel vertical migration of a benthic shark. J Anim Ecol 75:176–190

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Stoll S, Fischer P, Klahold P, Scheifhacken N, Hofmann H, Rothhaupt K-O (2008) Effects of water depth and hydrodynamics on the growth and distribution of juvenile cyprinids in the littoral zone of a large pre-alpine lake. J Fish Biol 72:1001–1022

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Stoll S, Hofmann H, Fischer P (2010) Effect of wave exposure dynamics on gut content mass and growth of young-of-the-year fishes in the littoral zone of lakes. J Fish Biol 76:1714–1728

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Tonn WM, Magnuson JJ (1982) Patterns in the species composition and richness of fish assemblages in northern Wisconsin lakes. Ecology 63:1149–1166

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Webb PW (2002) Control of posture, depth, and swimming trajectories of fishes. Int Comp Biol 42:94–101

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Werner EE, Hall DJ (1988) Ontogenetic habitat shifts in bluegill: the foraging rate-predation risk trade-off. Ecology 69:1352–1366

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Werner EE, Hall DJ, Laughlin DR, Wagner DJ, Wilsmann LA, Funk FC (1977) Habitat partitioning in a freshwater community. J Fish Res Board Can 34:360–370

    Google Scholar 

  • Wolter C, Arlinghaus R (2003) Navigation impacts on freshwater fish assemblages: the ecological relevance of swimming performance. Rev Fish Biol Fish 13:63–89

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wolter C, Arlinghaus R, Sukhodolov A, Engelhardt C (2004) A model of navigation-induced currents in inland waterways and implications for juvenile fish displacement. Env Mgmnt 34:656–668

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wright PJ (1991) The influence of metabolic rate on otolith increment width in Atlantic salmon parr, Salmo salar L. J Fish Biol 38:929–933

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wright PJ, Fallon-Cousins P, Armstrong JD (2001) The relationship between accretion and resting metabolic rate in juvenile Atlantic salmon during a change in temperature. J Fish Biol 59:657–666

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Yamamoto T, Ueda H, Higashi S (1998) Correlation among dominance status, metabolic rate and otolith size in masu salmon. J Fish Biol 52:281–290

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

We thank J. Koeritzer, A. Meriac, T. Merz, O. Okle, M. Schmid and M. Wolf for help during the mesocosm experiment and lab work and P. Hirsch and H. Hofmann for fruitful discussions. R. Eckmann and W. N. Probst provided valuable comments on earlier versions of this manuscript. This study was completed within the Collaborative Research Centre 454 “Littoral Zone of Lake Constance” and was financially supported by the German Research Foundation (DFG) and a personal grant to S.S. by the German National Academic Foundation. The experiments comply with the current laws of Germany, where this study was performed.

Author information

Author notes

  1. Stefan Stoll

    Present address: Department for Limnology and Conservation, Research Institute Senckenberg, Clamecystr. 12, 63571, Gelnhausen, Germany

  2. Philipp Fischer

    Present address: Alfred-Wegener-Institute for Polar and Marine Research, Biologische Anstalt Helgoland, Kurpromenade 201, 27498, Helgoland, Germany

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Limnological Institute, University of Constance, 78457, Constance, Germany

    Stefan Stoll & Philipp Fischer

Authors
  1. Stefan Stoll
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Philipp Fischer
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Stefan Stoll.

Additional information

Communicated by Craig Osenberg.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Stoll, S., Fischer, P. Three different patterns of how low-intensity waves can affect the energy budget of littoral fish: a mesocosm study. Oecologia 165, 567–576 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00442-010-1793-z

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00442-010-1793-z

Keywords

Search

Navigation