Trophic resource partitioning between two coexisting flatfish species off the North coast of Anglesey, North Wales

Abstract

Interspecific and intraspecific trophic resource partitioning between coexisting plaice, Pleuronectes platessa L. and dab, Limanda limanda (L.) populations were investigated at three subtidal locations in the Irish Sea: Two inshore locations off the coast of Anglesey, North Wales and one off-shore location. In shallow inshore waters, the two species had similar diets dominated by the polychaete Pectinaria koreni. Offshore dab appeared to concentrate on Ensis ensis whilst the plaice took a wider variety of prey including bivalves, polychaetes, crustaceans and sand eels. Trawls made over a 24-hour period indicated some crepuscular and nocturnal feeding by individuals of both species. The observed patterns of resource partitioning were due to the abundance of prey species which vary spatially and seasonally and are discussed in relation to current work on resource partitioning between fishes.