Abstract
Black bullheads Ameiurus melas are an environmentally tolerant omnivorous fish species that are found throughout much of North America and parts of Europe. Despite their prevalence, black bullheads are an infrequently studied species making their biology, ecology, and life history poorly understood. Although limited information has been published on black bullheads, evidence suggests that bullheads can dominate the fish biomass and have profound influences on the fish community in some north temperate USA lakes. The goal of our study was to provide additional information on black bullhead population demographics, growth rates, life history characteristics, and seasonal diet preferences in a northern Wisconsin lake. Using common fish collection gears (fyke netting, electrofishing), fish aging protocols, fecundity assessments, and diet indices, our results suggested that black bullheads exhibited relatively fast growth rates, early ages at maturity, moderate fecundity, and a diverse omnivorous diet. Due to these demographic and life history characteristics, black bullheads have the potential to dominate fish community biomass in their native and introduced range. Results from our study may inform the management of black bullhead as native and invasive species.
Highlights
The black bullhead population (>100 mm) in Howell Lake was estimated to be 24,479 fish with an estimated density of 355/fish ha
Black bullhead can reach high densities in north-temperate lakes. It appears that black bullheads have the potential to interact extensively throughout the food web
Empirical evidence suggests that high densities of bullheads can lead to undesired effects on popular sportfish, including walleye and yellow perch [11]
Summary
Black bullhead Ameiurus melas are an ictalurid species that are common but often overlooked throughout their native range. Black bullhead populations have become prevalent and widespread outside of their native range, notably across the western United States and Europe [4]. In these non-native systems, black bullheads are frequently considered invasive and (or) a nuisance [5,6,7,8,9] primarily due to driving undesired ecological effects [10,11]. Colonization and invasive potential are often attributed to their environmental tolerance and omnivorous diet [4,5,10]
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