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Herbivory by temperate freshwater fishes and its consequences

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Studies of the plant contribution to the food of fish in eutrophic lakes in Poland show that roach (Rutilus rutilus) and rudd (Scardinius erythrophthalmus), which frequently dominate in biomass and numbers, are the main plant consumers. Submerged macrophytes and filamentous algae are the most important plant food. The fish examined feed selectively on macrophytes and show a preference for species with low cost/ benefit ratio. The variability of plant ingestion according to temperature and the size of fish is discussed, and estimates of the annual consumption of algae and macrophytes by fish in the lakes examined are given. The possibility and effectiveness of mechanical and enzymatic processing of the ingested plants are presented. Qualitative and quantitative descriptions of faeces as well as their possible impact on the lake system are given. The herbivorous fish studied were found to be relatively efficient grazers but inefficient assimilators, thus they play a significant role in initiating the internal, biologically mobilized, nutrient sources.

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  1. Department of Hydrobiology, University of Warsaw, Nowy Świat 67, 00-046, Warsaw, Poland

    Andrzej Prejs

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Prejs, A. Herbivory by temperate freshwater fishes and its consequences. Environ Biol Fish 10, 281–296 (1984). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00001481

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