Publication Abstract

Title: Preliminary study of dietary interactions between invading Ponto-Caspian gobies and some native fish species in the River Danube near Bratislava (Slovakia)

Publication Abstract: Preliminary study of dietary interactions between invading Ponto-Caspian gobies and some native fish species in the River Danube near Bratislava (Slovakia)

G.H. Copp*, V. Kovác, I. Zweimüller, A. Dias, M. Nascimento and M. Balazová

Dietary breadth and overlap was examined in two native fish species (Eurasian perch Perca fluviatilis, Balon’s ruffe Gymnocephalus baloni) and two invading species (round goby Neogobius melanostomus, bighead goby Neogobius kessleri) in the Middle Danube (Slovakia) during at dawn and dusk over two consecutive 24-h periods in late summer 2004. Dietary breadth was narrow in all species/age classes except perch of ages 4 and 5. Dietary overlap between native fishes and the invading gobies was very high, except for age 3 perch. This high overlap is due to a preference, high in some cases, for gammarids. Our preliminary results suggests the potential for competition between the invading and native fishes, which requires further study.

Reference:
G.H. Copp*, V. Kovác, I. Zweimüller, A. Dias, M. Nascimento and M. Balazová. (2008) Preliminary study of dietary interactions between invading Ponto-Caspian gobies and some native fish species in the River Danube near Bratislava (Slovakia). Aquatic Invasions 3, 193-200

Publication Authors: G.H. Copp*, V. Kovác, I. Zweimüller, A. Dias, M. Nascimento and M. Balazová

Preliminary study of dietary interactions between invading Ponto-Caspian gobies and some native fish species in the River Danube near Bratislava (Slovakia)