Greater predation by Double-crested Cormorants on cutthroat versus rainbow trout fingerlings stocked in a Wyoming river
2000
Lovvorn, James R | Yule, Daniel | Derby, Clayton E
We studied the relative vulnerability of Yellowstone cutthroat trout (Oncorhynchus clarki bouvieri) versus rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) stocked as fingerlings in the North Platte River, Wyoming, to Double-crested Cormorant (Phalacrocorax auritus) predation. Cutthroat fingerlings decreased as a fraction of the population from stocking in late June to electrofishing surveys in the following October and March. In contrast, the fraction of cutthroat fingerlings among tagged fingerlings eaten by cormorants collected on the river was significantly greater than that in the population when originally stocked. More limited data from pellets regurgitated by adult cormorants at a nearby colony and in American White Pelicans (Pelecanus erythrorhynchos) collected on the river showed the same trend toward greater percentages of cutthroat trout being consumed than were present among trout stocked. There were no differences in cormorant predation rates on the Eagle Lake strain of rainbow trout reared under shaded versus partially shaded conditions, or between Auburn and Bar BC strains of Snake River (Yellowstone) cutthroat trout. On the North Platte River, cutthroat trout fingerlings were more susceptible to cormorant predation than rainbow trout of similar size that were stocked simultaneously.
显示更多 [+] 显示较少 [-]