Simulation of Mechanisms Causing Stunting in Northern Pike Populations

Abstract

Abstract Some mechanisms hypothesized to cause stunting of northern pike Esox lucius include overpopulation and competition, lack of appropriately sized prey, and lack of thermal refuges in midsummer. The objective of this work was to use an energetics model of northern pike growth over 3 years to test the effects of these mechanisms on stunting. Simulations for females indicated the following: (1) competition-based stunting could occur when food resources were reduced by only 5–10% per individual, such that size at age 3 would be reduced by up to 51%; (2) lack of appropriately sized prey could result in stunting (up to 35% of a northern pike's annual ration often comes from large and rare prey), such that size at age 3 could be reduced 80%; (3) inappropriate thermal regimes could reduce northern pike growth up to 58%, but only under extremely warm conditions.