Development of a foraging model framework to reliably estimate daily food consumption by young fishes
Authored by David Deslauriers, Steven R Chipps, Alex J Rosburg
Date Published: 2017
DOI: 10.1139/cjfas-2016-0331
Sponsors:
United States Geological Survey (USGS)
United States Fish and Wildlife Service
United States Army Corps of Engineers
Platforms:
No platforms listed
Model Documentation:
Other Narrative
Mathematical description
Model Code URLs:
Model code not found
Abstract
We developed a foraging model for young fishes that incorporates
handling and digestion rate to estimate daily food consumption. Feeding
trials were used to quantify functional feeding response, satiation, and
gut evacuation rate. Once parameterized, the foraging model was then
applied to evaluate effects of prey type, prey density, water
temperature, and fish size on daily feeding rate by age-0 (19-70 mm)
pallid sturgeon (Scaphirhynchus albus). Prey consumption was positively
related to prey density (for fish > 30 mm) and water temperature, but
negatively related to prey size and the presence of sand substrate.
Model evaluation results revealed good agreement between observed
estimates of daily consumption and those predicted by the model (r(2) =
0.95). Model simulations showed that fish feeding on Chironomidae or
Ephemeroptera larvae were able to gain mass, whereas fish feeding solely
on zooplankton lost mass under most conditions. By accounting for
satiation and digestive processes in addition to handling time and prey
density, the model provides realistic estimates of daily food
consumption that can prove useful for evaluating rearing conditions for
age-0 fishes.
Tags
Individual-based model
Functional-response
Shovelnose sturgeon
Mississippi river
Bioenergetics model
Yellow perch
Sturgeon scaphirhynchus-albus
Endangered pallid
sturgeon
Missouri river-basin
Prey
size