Synopsis
Behavior of largemouth bass, Micropterus salmoides, and northern pike, Esox lucius, foraging on fathead minnows, Pimephales promelas, or bluegills, Lepomis macrochirus, was quantified in pools with 50% cover (half the pool had artificial stems at a density of 1000 stems m−2). Both predators spent most of their time in the vegetation. Largemouth bass searched for bluegills and ambushed minnows, whereas the relatively immobile northern pike ambushed all prey. Minnows were closer to predators and were captured more frequently than bluegills. Even when minnows dispersed, they moved continually and eventually wandered within striking distance of a predator. Bluegills dispersed in the cover with predators. Bass captured the few bluegills that strayed into the open and pike captured those that approached too closely in the cover. The ability of predators to capture prey while residing in habitats containing patches of dense cover may explain their residence in areas often considered to be poor ones for foraging.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References cited
Anderson, O. 1984. Optimal foraging by largemouth bass in structured environments. Ecology 65: 851–861.
Butler, M.J., IV & R.A. Stein. 1985. An analysis of the mechanisms governing species replacements in crayfish. Oecologia 66: 168–177.
Chapman, C.A. & W.C. MacKay. 1984. Direct observation of habitat utilization by northern pike. Copeia 1984: 255–258.
Colle, D.E. & J.V. Shireman. 1980. Coefficients of condition for largemouth bass, bluegill, and redear sunfish in hydrilla-infested lakes. Trans. Amer. Fish. Soc. 109: 521–531.
Coull, B.C. & J.B.J. Wells. 1983. Refuges from fish predation: experiments with phytal meiofauna from the New Zealand rocky intertidal. Ecology 64: 1599–1609.
Crowder, L.B. & W.E. Cooper. 1979. Structural complexity and fish-prey interactions in ponds: a point of view. pp. 2–10. In: D.L. Johnson & R.A. Stein (ed.) Response of Fish to Habitat Structure in Standing Water, North Central Division, Amer. Fish. Soc. Spec. Publ. 6, Bethesda.
Diana, J.S., W.S. Mackay & M. Ehrman. 1977. Movements and habitat preference of northern pike (Esox lucius) in Lac Ste. Anne, Alberta. Trans. Amer. Fish. Soc. 106: 560–565.
Fish, P.A. & J. Savitz. 1983. Variations in home ranges of largemouth bass, yellow perch, bluegills, and pumpkinseeds in an Illinois lake. Trans. Amer. Fish. Soc. 112: 147–153.
Gilinsky, E. 1984. The role of fish predation and spatial heterogeneity in determining benthic community structure. Ecology 65: 455–468.
Glass, N.R. 1971. Computer analysis of predation energetics in the largemouth bass. pp. 325–363. In: B.C. Patten (ed.) Systems Analysis and Simulation Ecology, volume 1, Academic Press, New York.
Grobecker, D.B. 1983. The ‘lie-in-wait’ feeding mode of a cryptic teleost, Synanceia verrucosa. Env. Biol. Fish. 8: 191–202.
Hackney, P.A. 1979. Influence of piscivorous fish on fish community structure of ponds. pp. 111–121. In: H. Clepper & R.H. Stroud (ed.) Predator-Prey Systems in Fisheries Management, Sport Fishing Institute, Washington, D.C.
Hershey, A.E. 1985. Effects of predatory sculpin on the chironomid communities in an arctic lake. Ecology 66: 1131–1138.
Hobson, E.S. 1979. Interactions between piscivorous fishes and their prey. pp. 231–242. In: H. Clepper & R.H. Stroud (eds.) Predator-Prey Systems in Fisheries Management, Sport Fishing Institute, Washington, D.C.
Hollander, M. & D.A. Wolfe. 1973. Nonparametric statistical methods. John Wiley and Sons, New York. 503 pp.
Mauck, W.L. & D.W. Coble. 1971. Vulnerability of some fishes to northern pike (Esox lucius) predation. J. Fish. Res. Board. Can. 28: 957–969.
Magurran, A.E. & T.J. Pitcher. 1987. Provenance, shoal size and the sociobiology of predator-evasion behaviour in minnow shoals. Proc. R. Soc. Lond. B 229: 439–465.
Minello, T.J. & R.J. Zimmerman. 1983. Fish predation on juvenile brown shrimp, Penaeus aztecus Ives: the effet of simulated Spartina structure on predation rates. J. Exp. Mar. Biol. Ecol. 72: 211–231.
Ming, A. 1974. Regulation of largemouth bass harvest with a quota. pp. 39–53. In: J.L. Funk (ed.) Symposium on Overharvest and Management of Largemouth Bass in Small Impoundments, North Central Division, Amer. Fish. Soc. Spec. Publ. 3, Bethesda.
Mittelbach, G.G. 1981. Foraging efficiency and body size: a study of optimal diet and habitat use by bluegills. Ecology 62: 1370–1386.
Moody, R.C., J.M. Helland & R.A. Stein. 1983. Escape tactics used by bluegills and fathead minnows to avoid predation by tiger muskellunge. Env. Biol. Fish. 8: 61–65.
Nyberg, D.W. 1971. Prey capture in the largemouth bass. Amer. Midi. Nat. 86: 128–144.
Pitcher, T.J. 1983. Heuristic definitions of fish shoaling behaviour. Anim. Behav. 31: 611–613.
Prince, E.D. & O.E. Maughan. 1979. Attraction of fishes to tire reefs in Smith Mountain Lake, Virginia. pp. 19–25. In: D.L. Johnson & R.A. Stein (ed.) Response of Fish to Habitat Structure in Standing Water, North Central Division, Amer. Fish. Soc. Spec. Publ. 6, Bethesda.
Radakov, D.V. 1973. Schooling in the ecology of fishes. Translated from Russian by H. Mills. John Wiley and Sons, New York. 173 pp.
Rahel, F.J. 1984. Factors structuring fish assemblages along a bog lake successional gradient. Ecology 65: 1276–1289.
Saiki, M.K. & J.C. Tash. 1979. Use of cover and dispersal by crayfish to reduce predation by largemouth bass. pp. 44–48. In: D.L. Johnson & R.A. Stein (ed.) Response of Fish to Habitat Structure in Standing Water, North Central Division, Amer. Fish. Soc. Spec. Publ. 6, Bethesda.
Savino, J.F. & R.A. Stein. 1982. Predator-prey interaction between largemouth bass and bluegills as influenced by simulated, submersed vegetation. Trans. Amer. Fish. Soc. 111: 255–266.
Savino, J.F. & R.A. Stein. 1988. Behavioural interactions between fish predators and their prey: effects of plant density. Anim. Behav. (in press).
Schramm, H.L., Jr. & A.V. Zale. 1985. Effects of cover and prey size on preferences of juvenile largemouth bass for blue tilapias and bluegills in tanks. Trans. Amer. Fish. Soc. 114: 725–731.
Seghers, B.H. 1974. Schooling behavior in the guppy (Poecilia reticulata): an evolutionary response to predation. Evolution 28: 486–489.
Stein, R.A. 1977. Selective predation, optimal foraging, and the predator-prey interaction between fish and crayfish. Ecology 58: 1237–1253.
Sullivan, J.F. & G.J. Atchison. 1978. Predator-prey behavior of fathead minnows, Pimephales promelas, and largemouth bass, Micropterus salmoides, in a model ecosystem. J. Fish. Biol. 13: 249–253.
Tomcko, C.M., R.A. Stein & R.F. Carline. 1984. Predation by tiger muskellunge on bluegill: effects of predator experience, vegetation, and prey density. Trans. Amer. Fish. Soc. 113: 588–594.
Tonn, W.M. & J.J. Magnuson. 1982. Patterns in the species composition and richness of fish assemblages in northern Wisconsin lakes. Ecology 63: 1149–1166.
Treisman, M. 1975. Predation and the evolution of gregariousness. 1. Models for concealment and evasion. Anim. Behav. 23: 779–800.
Werner, E.E., J.F. Gilliam, D.J. Hall & G.G. Mittelbach. 1983. An experimental test of the effects of predation risk on habitat use in fish. Ecology 64: 1540–1548.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Additional information
The unit is sponsored jointly by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service, Ohio Department of NaturalResources, The Ohio State University, and the Wildlife Management Institute
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Savino, J.F., Stein, R.A. Behavior of fish predators and their prey: habitat choice between open water and dense vegetation. Environ Biol Fish 24, 287–293 (1989). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00001402
Received:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00001402