TY - JOUR
T1 - Comparative microhabitat use of ecologically similar benthic fishes
AU - Van Snik Gray, Ellen
AU - Stauffer, Jay R.
N1 - Funding Information:
We would like to thank K.A. Kellogg, D.J. Parise, R.A. Ruffing, and J. Stingelin for field assistance. Edie Marsh-Matthews and J. Todd Petty provided constructive comments on the manuscript. This study was supported by the National Biological Survey RWO42.
Copyright:
Copyright 2004 Elsevier Science B.V., Amsterdam. All rights reserved.
PY - 1999
Y1 - 1999
N2 - Although benthic insectivorous fishes such as darters and sculpins represent a significant component of riffle communities, few studies have compared the habitat use of these non-related but ecologically similar fishes. The objectives of this study were to examine the habitat use of Etheostoma olmstedi (tessellated darter) compared to Cottus bairdi (mottled sculpin) in Nescopeck Creek and Cottus cognatus (slimy sculpin) in Jack's Creek, Pennsylvania through underwater observation. Etheostoma olmstedi occupied habitats with significantly deeper waters than those available, whereas adult and young of the year Cottus occupied habitats with significantly faster water velocities than those available. Canonical discriminant analysis revealed microhabitat partitioning between E. olmstedi and each Cottus species. Cottus bairdi and C. cognatus occupied significantly shallower habitats with faster water velocities than E. olmstedi. Sculpin species were observed most frequently under substrate whereas E. olmstedi occurred most frequently on the top surface of the substrate. Hurlbert's standardized niche breadth values indicated that C. bairdi and C. cognatus were habitat specialists with regard to water velocity measures, but exhibited generalistic patterns of depth and substrate size use. Etheostorna olmstedi was a habitat specialist with respect to depth, but exhibited generalistic patterns of resource use for substrate size. Differential habitat use by these benthic fishes is consistent with the hypothesis that resource partitioning facilitates species coexistence among stream fishes.
AB - Although benthic insectivorous fishes such as darters and sculpins represent a significant component of riffle communities, few studies have compared the habitat use of these non-related but ecologically similar fishes. The objectives of this study were to examine the habitat use of Etheostoma olmstedi (tessellated darter) compared to Cottus bairdi (mottled sculpin) in Nescopeck Creek and Cottus cognatus (slimy sculpin) in Jack's Creek, Pennsylvania through underwater observation. Etheostoma olmstedi occupied habitats with significantly deeper waters than those available, whereas adult and young of the year Cottus occupied habitats with significantly faster water velocities than those available. Canonical discriminant analysis revealed microhabitat partitioning between E. olmstedi and each Cottus species. Cottus bairdi and C. cognatus occupied significantly shallower habitats with faster water velocities than E. olmstedi. Sculpin species were observed most frequently under substrate whereas E. olmstedi occurred most frequently on the top surface of the substrate. Hurlbert's standardized niche breadth values indicated that C. bairdi and C. cognatus were habitat specialists with regard to water velocity measures, but exhibited generalistic patterns of depth and substrate size use. Etheostorna olmstedi was a habitat specialist with respect to depth, but exhibited generalistic patterns of resource use for substrate size. Differential habitat use by these benthic fishes is consistent with the hypothesis that resource partitioning facilitates species coexistence among stream fishes.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=0033378825&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=0033378825&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1023/A:1007536019444
DO - 10.1023/A:1007536019444
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:0033378825
SN - 0378-1909
VL - 56
SP - 443
EP - 453
JO - Environmental Biology of Fishes
JF - Environmental Biology of Fishes
IS - 4
ER -