Comparative swimming performance and behaviour of three benthic fish species: The invasive round goby (Neogobius melanostomus), the native bullhead (Cottus gobio), and the native gudgeon (Gobio gobio)

Bernd Egger,Frank Seidel,Joschka Wiegleb,Philipp Emanuel Hirsch,Patricia Burkhardt‐Holm

doi:10.1111/eff.12592

Bernd Egger, Frank Seidel + Show 3 more

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https://doi.org/10.1111/eff.12592

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Abstract

AbstractEfforts to restore river ecosystem connectivity focus predominantly on diadromous, economically important fish species, and less attention is given to nonmigratory, small‐bodied, benthic fish species. Data on benthic fish swimming performance and behaviour in comparison with ecologically similar native species are especially relevant for the study of one of the most successful invaders in the last decades: the Ponto‐Caspian gobiid species Neogobius melanostomus. To evaluate future measures against its further upstream dispersal, we conducted comparative swimming performance and behaviour experiments with round goby and two native species: the European bullhead (Cottus gobio) and the gudgeon (Gobio gobio). Experiments in a swim tunnel revealed a high variation in the swimming performance and behaviour within and among the three species. Gudgeon performed best in both Ucrit and Usprint experiments and displayed a rather continuous, subcarangiform swimming mode, whereas bullhead and round goby displayed a burst‐and‐hold swimming mode. Experiments in a vertical slot pass model, which contained a hydraulic barrier as a challenge to upstream movement, confirmed the high swimming performance of gudgeon. Gudgeon dispersed upstream even across the hydraulic barrier at the highest flow velocities. Round goby showed a higher capability to disperse upstream than bullhead, but failed to pass the hydraulic barrier. Our results on comparative swimming performance and behaviour can inform predictive distribution modelling and range expansion models, and also inform the design of selective barriers to prevent the round goby from dispersing farther upstream.

Highlights

Fragmentation of river systems due to the presence of artificial structures, such as hydropower dams and weirs, has greatly affected fish migration and dispersal, restricting the range and abundance of many freshwater fish species (Freyhof & Brooks, 2011; Fullerton et al, 2010; Geist & Hawkins, 2016)
Given that in fish passes both prolonged and sprint swimming modes are likely to be at play, a combination of Ucrit and Usprint tests might better inform about the upstream passage capabilities of fish (Starrs et al, 2011)
We aimed to obtain a comprehensive insight into swimming performance, behaviour, and upstream dispersal capability across a vertical fish pass for the three benthic fishes mentioned above

Summary

Introduction

Fragmentation of river systems due to the presence of artificial structures, such as hydropower dams and weirs, has greatly affected fish migration and dispersal, restricting the range and abundance of many freshwater fish species (Freyhof & Brooks, 2011; Fullerton et al, 2010; Geist & Hawkins, 2016). Efforts to restore and maintain ecological connectivity in river systems include the construction or the renovation of fish passes—structures created to enable safe and timely fish movement past artificial structures (Silva et al, 2018). Ucrit has been defined as the maximum prolonged swimming speed using both aerobic and anaerobic metabolism and is considered an ecologically relevant measure for migrating and pelagic fish species (Blake, 2004; Plaut, 2001). Starrs et al (2011) proposed an incremental swimming speed test that measures sprint speeds (Usprint) attained by fish over shorter periods (20 – 300 s). Given that in fish passes both prolonged and sprint swimming modes are likely to be at play, a combination of Ucrit and Usprint tests might better inform about the upstream passage capabilities of fish (Starrs et al, 2011)

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