Assessing the Potential for Direct Feeding Interactions among Larval Black Bass and Larval Shad in Two Southeastern Reservoirs

Abstract

Abstract We quantified diets of larvae of black bass Micropterus spp., threadfin shad Dorosoma petenense, and gizzard shad D. cepedianum in two Alabama reservoirs, and sampled limnetic and littoral crustacean zooplankton to evaluate the potential for feeding competition. Diet overlap between larval black bass and larval shad never exceeded 17%, was less than 5% on 12 of 14 sample dates, and was greatest early, when zooplankton was most abundant. Copepod nauplii and cyclopoid copepods were responsible for over 95% of the diet overlap between larval bass and shad; however, larval black bass consumed longer individuals within both prey taxa than did either shad species. Further, the timing of greatest diet overlap was during peak zooplankton abundance. We conclude that direct negative feeding interactions among larval shad and larval black bass are of little biological importance.