The Energy Budget, Niche Shift, Reproduction and Growth in a Population of Arctic Charr, Salvelinus alpinus

We studied age at niche shift and sexual maturity of Arctic charr Salvelinus alpinus (L.) from a Norwegian lake in relation to their energy budget. Young Arctic charr (age −2) fed successfully on zooplankton giving them a significant energy surplus for somatic growth. Energy intake, however, levelled off at age −3 to −4, and decreased with age among older fish. Similarly, energetic costs increased from age −2 to −3 and then the costs levelled off and decreased, probably as a consequence of a niche shift from zooplankton to zoobenthos feeding in deeper water. This shift did not increase energy intake, but reduced costs, probably through higher feeding efficiency on the larger zoobenthos in the deeper water and reduced metabolism at lower ambient temperature

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