Comparison of Bioenergetics Parameters from Two Spring-Fed Riverine Largemouth Bass Populations

Abstract

This study applies a new bioenergetics modeling framework put forth by Walters and Essington (this volume) which estimates bioenergetics parameters and consumption rates of fishes using commonly collected size-at-age and cap- ture-recapture data from field studies. Bioenergetics model parameters and consumption rates are estimated for two popu- lations of largemouth bass Micropterus salmoides with observed differences in growth patterns. We also compare con- sumption estimates from the bioenergetics model formulated by Walters and Essington with a more commonly employed bioenergetics model. We show that bioenergetics model parameters can be estimated with limited data on size-at-age and incremental growth when informative prior distributions on metabolic parameters are used. The general bioenergetics model revealed differences in bioenergetics parameters between the two largemouth bass populations that are well sup- ported by auxiliary data on largemouth bass diets and observed prey abundance patterns. Lifetime growth and consump- tion estimates between the general bioenergetics model and Wisconsin bioenergetics model differed slightly. However, seasonal patterns in growth and consumption rates differed drastically between the two models. Estimating bioenergetics parameters using field data collected on specific populations of interests has the potential to allow for more realistic repre- sentation of seasonal growth and consumption patterns.