Indirect effects of the algivorous fishPlecoglossus altivelis altivelison the growth of two insectivorous benthic fish

Abstract

Summary1. Animals exploiting different resources may nevertheless interact if one species indirectly alters the abundance and distribution of the food of the other. To analyse this indirect effect, we conducted experiments in artificial pools and in the field to investigate the influence of the algivorous fishPlecoglossus altivelis altivelis(known as the ayu) on two species of insectivorous benthic fish,Pseudogobio esocinus esocinusand the gobyGymnogobius petschiliensis.2. In the pool experiments, algal biomass was not correlated with the number of ayu, but the percentage of blue‐green bacteria rose as the number increased. The number of aquatic macroinvertebrates on the upper surface of ceramic tiles placed in the pool bed decreased as the number of ayu increased.3. Although ayu and the benthic species did not interact directly, the reduction in invertebrate abundance on the upper surface of tiles in the pool reduced the growth rate of the benthic insectivores.4. In field experiments, the introduction of ayu into habitats withP. esocinus esocinusorG. petschiliensisreduced the growth rate of these benthic fish. In the field experiment that was carried out over 5 years in theG. petschiliensishabitat, the population density of the goby decreased when ayu were stocked.5. The ayu is a strong interactor or bioengineer in streams, affecting not only benthic algae but also aquatic invertebrates and fishes. We conclude that to predict the outcome of interspecific interactions amongst fishes in streams with high algal production, possible indirect effects must be considered alongside better known direct effects.