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Niche segregation facilitates coexistence between native and introduced fishes in a deep Patagonian lake

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Abstract

Species introductions force sympatry between species that did not coevolve. Introduced salmonids have coexisted with native fish since the early 20th century in Patagonian water bodies, thus generating questions about the mechanisms that facilitate their coexistence. We analyzed the trophic and spatial intra- and inter-specific relationships established among native and salmonid species in a deep oligotrophic lake of Patagonia in order to determine niche partitioning patterns as strategies for their coexistence. Salmonids were more generalist feeders, while native species had narrower trophic niches. Native fish and introduced salmonids partitioned food, mainly through the consumption of the crayfish Samastacus sp. and the native galaxiid Galaxias maculatus, respectively. The diet of most species changed with body size, shifting from insects/amphipods to the larger G. maculatus and crayfish. Trophic interactions varied with season, in association with prey seasonality. In general, fishes feeding on the same prey were captured in the same depth strata, indicating common use of food and space. Our results provide new evidence on the trophic ecology of a mixed fish community (exotic-native), supporting the idea that native and non-native fishes could be avoiding negative interactions (e.g., competition) through trophic and spatial resource partitioning.

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Acknowledgments

This research was partially supported by Universidad Nacional del Comahue (CRUB,UNCo B001) and Agencia Nacional de Promoción Científica y Tecnológica (PICT 25722). We thank all the members of the Grupo de Evaluación y Manejo de Recursos Ícticos (GEMaRI) for their field assistance. Special thanks to Audrey Shaw for revision of the written English.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Laboratorio de Análisis por Activación Neutrónica, Centro Atómico Bariloche, Av. E. Bustillo 9500, 8400, Bariloche, Río Negro, Argentina

    Romina Juncos

  2. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas, CCT-Patagonia Norte, Av. Pioneros 2350, 8400, Bariloche, Río Negro, Argentina

    Romina Juncos

  3. Laboratorio de Fotobiología, Instituto de Investigaciones en Biodiversidad y Medio Ambiente, Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas, Universidad Nacional del Comahue, Bariloche, Río Negro, Argentina

    Daniela Milano

  4. Grupo de Evaluación y Manejo de Recursos Ícticos, Universidad Nacional del Comahue, Bariloche, Río Negro, Argentina

    Patricio Jorge Macchi

  5. Grupo de Evaluación y Manejo de Recursos Ícticos, Instituto de Investigaciones en Biodiversidad y Medio Ambiente, Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas, Universidad Nacional del Comahue, Bariloche, Río Negro, Argentina

    Pablo Horacio Vigliano

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  1. Romina Juncos
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  2. Daniela Milano
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  4. Pablo Horacio Vigliano
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Correspondence to Romina Juncos.

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Juncos, R., Milano, D., Macchi, P.J. et al. Niche segregation facilitates coexistence between native and introduced fishes in a deep Patagonian lake. Hydrobiologia 747, 53–67 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10750-014-2122-z

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