Movements and habitat use of native and invasive piscivorous fishes in a temperate and channelized lowland river

Nolan, Emma T.; Hindes, Andrew M.; Bolland, Jonathan D.; Davies, Peter; Gutmann Roberts, Catherine; Tarkan, Ali Serhan; Britton, J. Robert

Abstract

Lowland temperate rivers provide important habitats for piscivorous fishes, but with their year-round spatial and temporal habitat use is often poorly understood, including their use of off-channel habitats. Here, the movements and habitat use of the piscivorous native Northern pike Esox lucius and invasive pikeperch Sander lucioperca were investigated using acoustic telemetry in the highly regulated (through impoundment) lower River Severn, Western England over a 12-month period, where off-channel habitat availability was limited to a single boat marina. The movements of both species varied with season and temperature, with both species moving greater distances in spring. Increasing water temperatures up to 15°C resulted in a higher frequency of movements of both species, but movements then decreased at temperatures higher than this. Northern pike detections in the river increased in periods of lower river discharge and warmer temperatures, with the off-channel refuge providing an important habitat all year round (78% of detections occurred there). While 63% of pikeperch detections also occurred in the marina, 89% of these detections occurred between December and April. These results thus emphasise the importance of this limited off-channel habitat as potential spawning locations for invasive pikeperch and foraging areas for native Northern pike.

Citation

Nolan, E. T., Hindes, A. M., Bolland, J. D., Davies, P., Gutmann Roberts, C., Tarkan, A. S., & Britton, J. R. (2024). Movements and habitat use of native and invasive piscivorous fishes in a temperate and channelized lowland river. Hydrobiologia, https://doi.org/10.1007/s10750-024-05533-2

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Mar 13, 2024
• Online Publication Date: Apr 16, 2024
• Publication Date: 2024
• Deposit Date: Apr 22, 2024
• Publicly Available Date: Apr 22, 2024
• Journal: Hydrobiologia
• Print ISSN: 0018-8158
• Electronic ISSN: 1573-5117
• Publisher: Springer Verlag
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10750-024-05533-2
• Keywords: Esox Lucius, Movement, Sander lucioperca, Spawning, Acoustic telemetry
• Public URL: https://hull-repository.worktribe.com/output/4628731