Coregonus Albula Research Articles

Variations in Age and Length Growth Rates of Vendace, Coregonus Albula (L.), from Selected Lakes in Western Pomerania

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The Composition of Fatty Acids in Muscles of Six Freshwater Fish Species from the Mazurian Great Lakes (Northeastern Poland)

Lipid content and fatty acids composition of non-predatory fish: roach, Rutilus rutilus (L.), bream, Abramis brama (L.), vendace, Coregonus albula (L.), and of predatory fish: Eurasian perch, Perca fluviatilis L., pike, Esox lucius L. and burbot, Lota lota (L.) were examined. These fish were caught from three lakes of Mazurian Great Lakes (Kisajno, Dargin, Niegocin). The content of total lipid and some fatty acids varied widely within and among species. Generally, the lipid content was low (0.56-2.78%). Among the saturated and monounsaturated fatty acids, the predominant fatty acids were palmitic C16:0 (19.24-33.44%), stearic C18:0 (4.37-6.87%), palmitoleic C16:1 (4.51-12.93%), and oleic C18:1 n-9 (6.85-14.49%). Arachidonic C20:4 n-6 (3.17-6.55%), eicosapentaenoic C20:5 n-3 (4.14-8.91%), and docosahexaenoic C22:6 n-3 (5.91-24.67%) acids were the most abundant polyunsaturated fatty acids. In the case of all the freshwater fish, with the exception of bream, higher contents of saturated fatty acids than monounsaturated fatty acids were noted. Among the fish studied, the highest value of total n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (43.86%) was noted in vendace, whereas bream contained the highest content of total n-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids (11.21%). The ratio of n-3/n-6 ranged between 1.50 (burbot) and 4.40 (vendace). Differences in the content of fatty acids in fish with different feeding strategies (non-predatory and predatory) were measured. Non-predatory fish were found to have lower values of saturated fatty acids than predatory fish (P 0.05). Non-predatory fish contained significantly more eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) than predatory fish (P 0.01), whereas the amounts of monounsaturated and n-3 and n-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids in non-predatory and predatory fish were not statistically significant (P > 0.05). The total n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids was higher in non-predatory fish, but not statistically significant (P > 0.05). Similarly, the differences in DHA and n-3/n-6 ratio in muscles of predatory and non-predatory fish were not statistically significant (P > 0.05).

Long-term management of Pyhäjärvi (southwest Finland): eutrophication, restoration – recovery?

Pyhäjärvi, located in the centre of an intensive agricultural area in southwest Finland, is an example of a lake suffering from eutrophication. The lake has been intensively studied for decades and was the object of comprehensive restoration activities both in the catchment and in the lake since the 1990s. During the last 20 years the quality and general usability of water in Pyhäjärvi has deteriorated due to increased algal blooms but has shown some signs of recovery during recent years. These changes have been driven by both a variety of human activities and natural climate related factors such as dry years. Pyhäjärvi has been the object of intensive biomanipulation for decades, carried out by commercial fishermen, whose annual harvest rate approaches the total production of vendace (Coregonus albula), the main planktivore in Pyhäjärvi. The restoration project has also subsidized the harvest of commercially unwanted fish since 1995. In 2002–2006, the EU provided funds for this fishing, which was especially intensive in 2002–2004. The main goal of the future management is to maintain and ensure the current levels of moderately low algal biomass considered acceptable by the financiers and local users of the lake. Achieving the level of water quality during the 1980s is not currently realistic due to current intensive agricultural use of the catchment, lack of cost-effective tools for load reduction from the agriculture, and climate change threats.

Is coexistence mediated by microhabitat segregation? An in‐depth exploration of a fish invasion

Vendace Coregonus albula has invaded the subarctic Pasvik hydrosystem, northern Norway and Russia, after being translocated from its native Finnish range into Lake Inari (Finland), upstream of Pasvik. The development of the invader and the effects on two native lake communities in the upstream and downstream part of the hydrosystem, respectively, have been monitored since 1991. In the upstream lake location, the invader relegated the native whitefish Coregonus lavaretus from the pelagic habitat within a few years. An expected similar development in the downstream location was, however, not observed. Data are presented on the diet and microhabitat use (vertical pelagic zone) for three types of replicated situation: (1) the invader v. the native species, (2) upstream v. downstream lakes and (3) early and late invasion stages, to explore the outcome of the competitive interactions. The use of different microhabitats available within the deeper pelagic zone in the downstream location was observed to have delayed the negative effects on native whitefish, possibly enabling a persistent coexistence between the two species in the pelagic zone of this lake.

Comparative study of bile acid composition of bile of the European vendace Coregonus albula L. and the European whitefish Coregonus lavaretus L. under conditions of technogenic water reservoir pollution

Changes of the bile acid composition were studied in bile of the vendace Coregonus albula L. and the sea whitefish Coregonus lavaretus L. under effect of sewers of an ore mining and processing plant, the main polluting agents of the sewers being heavy metals. The revealed variability of the bile acid composition indicates different species-related sensitivity to the studied pollutants as well as a lower resistance of males as compared with females to this type of pollution. Mechanisms of effects of industrial sewers on the bile formation processes and a possibility of using parameters of the steroid lipid metabolism at evaluation of the state of aquatic ecosystems are discussed.

Lake depth and geographical position modify lake fish assemblages of the European ‘Central Plains’ ecoregion

Summary1. Classification of European lake fish assemblages can be based on fish‐assemblage structure or morphological, geographical, physical and chemical lake attributes. However, substantial gaps in knowledge exist with respect to the correspondence between both classification approaches.2. Here, we compiled fish assemblage data from 165 lakes situated in the European ‘Central Plains’ ecoregion. Cluster analysis of fish abundances was performed to compare fish assemblage types of the entire ecoregion with those from previous country‐specific studies. Nonparametric group comparisons, classification trees and partial canonical ordinations were used to infer the correspondence between fish assemblage types and morphology, geographical position and nutrient concentration of the lakes.3. Three distinct fish assemblages were revealed: vendace (Coregonus albula), ruffe (Gymnocephalus cernuus) and roach (Rutilus rutilus) lake types. Both latitude and lake depth were the best determinants of lake type, but total phosphorus (TP) concentrations were also important. Vendace lakes were deep and had low TP concentrations, whereas the shallower ruffe and roach lakes had higher TP values. Roach lakes were more frequent in the north‐west area of the ecoregion, whereas ruffe lakes were more often found south of the Baltic Sea.4. Controlling for the influence of nutrient concentration showed that lake morphology and geographical position were important determinants of fish assemblages. However, the variance explained was low (&lt;20%), implying that biological interactions may also be important in forming the lake‐specific fish assemblages.5. The results suggest that fish assemblages differ between deep and shallow lakes, and between the north‐west and south‐east locations within the Central Plains ecoregion. Accordingly, establishment of depth‐related lake morphotypes is needed, and the European ecoregions recommended to be used in evaluation systems according to the Water Framework Directive seem to be too coarse to reflect the subtle differences of fish species richness along geographical gradients.

Competitive exclusion after invasion?

The ‘Competitive Exclusion Principle’ is a foundation stone in the understanding of interspecific competition and niche relationships between species. In spite of having the status of a biological law, the principle has limited empirical support. In this study, we document strong effects of competition from the invading fish species vendace Coregonus albula over a 14-year period in the sub-arctic Pasvik watercourse. The native d.r. whitefish, that shared food and habitat niche with the invader, was displaced from its original niche and showed a more than 90% decline in population density over the study period. The study thus provides a unique record of how an exotic fish species excludes a native species from its original niche. Our data support the competitive exclusion principle, but also indicate that the vulnerability of the inferior competitor depends on a lack of alternative resources and on indirect ecological interactions.

Effects of temperature, swimming speed and body mass on standard and active metabolic rate in vendace (Coregonus albula)

This study gives an integrated analysis of the effects of temperature, swimming speed and body mass on standard metabolism and aerobic swimming performance in vendace (Coregonus albula (L.)). The metabolic rate was investigated at 4, 8 and 15 degrees C using one flow-through respirometer and two intermittent-flow swim tunnels. We found that the standard metabolic rate (SMR), which increased significantly with temperature, accounted for up to 2/3 of the total swimming costs at optimum speed (U (opt)), although mean U (opt) was high, ranging from 2.0 to 2.8 body lengths per second. Net swimming costs increased with swimming speed, but showed no clear trend with temperature. The influence of body mass on the metabolic rate varied with temperature and activity level resulting in scaling exponents (b) of 0.71-0.94. A multivariate regression analysis was performed to integrate the effects of temperature, speed and mass (AMR = 0.82M (0.93) exp(0.07T) + 0.43M (0.93) U (2.03)). The regression analysis showed that temperature affects standard but not net active metabolic costs in this species. Further, we conclude that a low speed exponent, high optimum speeds and high ratios of standard to activity costs suggest a remarkably efficient swimming performance in vendace.

Exploring ultimate hypotheses to predict diel vertical migrations in coregonid fish

Evolutionary hypotheses for diel vertical migrations (DVM) of aquatic animals include foraging opportunity, predator avoidance, and bioenergetics efficiency. Here we test which hypothesis predicts DVM in the small planktivorous coregonids vendace, Coregonus albula, and Fontane cisco, Coregonus fontanae, in a deep oligotrophic lake. Densities and population depths of young-of-the-year and larger coregonids were determined by hydroacoustics during day and night over 10 consecutive months. Depth distributions of predator-like fishes and zooplankton resources were recorded as well. Furthermore, Secchi depth, water temperature, oxygen concentrations, and pH values were determined at each sampling month. A DVM of the coregonids was observed in all months. Population depths during the night were significantly correlated to water temperatures, oxygen concentrations, and pH values. In contrast, the vertical distributions of predators or resources were not correlated with the coregonid depth distribution. These results do not correspond to the feeding opportunity or predator avoidance hypotheses of DVM, but support in part the bioenergetics efficiency hypothesis. However, the stable migration pattern of fishes over all months despite substantial changes in biotic and abiotic conditions suggests that diel migrations in the coregonids are a genetically fixed behavioral trait to minimize the anticipated potential predation risk in the illuminated water layers during daytime.

Predation of perch on vendace larvae: diet composition in an oligotrophic lake and digestion time of the larvae

The diet of perch Perca fluviatilis was studied to reveal possible predation on vendace Coregonus albula larvae in an oligotrophic lake. Perch diet changed with the size of the fish: small perch ate mainly zooplankton and the diet shifted more to benthic invertebrates and fishes in larger perch. There were also annual and spatial differences in the diet, probably reflecting differences in the availability of prey animals. Perch predation on vendace larvae was only observed in the area with high availability of the larvae. The result suggested strengthened predation when the density of the larvae increases. According to bioenergetics modelling, the perch population increased natural mortality of vendace larvae only marginally. Food intake of spawning female perch was slightly reduced, whereas spawning males fed similarly to non‐spawning males. Hence, the spawning period of perch was only a minor refuge for vendace larvae. Laboratory experiments of perch digestion rate demonstrated that, due to rapid digestion of the small fish larvae, diet sampling interval should not be &gt;2 h in the field.

Patterning long-term changes of fish community in large shallow Lake Peipsi

A self-organising map (SOM) was applied to extract long-term dynamic patterns of fish community in shallow eutrophic Lake Peipsi using the commercial fishery statistics recorded for 64 years from 1931 to 2002 (excluding 1940–1949 due to the World War II). In the dataset of fishery statistics, mainly 11 taxa were recognised according to their commercial importance. Therefore, we used the dataset consisting of 64 sample units (i.e., year) with 11 taxa for patterning the fish community by the SOM. Our results suggest that the fish community of Lake Peipsi was mostly gradually changed in long-term scale, but some abrupt changes were also noticeable. Despite the same species composition, the total annual catch has declined indicating changes of fish community. The fish community of Lake Peipsi has shifted in long-term scale from clean- and cold-water species like vendace Coregonus albula (L.), whitefish C. lavaretus L. and burbot Lota lota (L.) to more pikeperch Sander lucioperca (L.) preferring productive warm and turbid waters. Both, the deterioration of aquatic environment and predatory effect of pikeperch prevent recovery of vendace population. Gradual reduction of the stock of smelt Osmerus eperlanus L. is also a sign of ongoing eutrophication, while its disappearance from catches for 3 years (1973–1975) was the result of summer fish-kill. The effect of fishing is the most important human impact on the fish community in Lake Peipsi. Extensive use of fine-meshed towed fishing gear (e.g., trawls replaced later by bottom seines) affected mostly recruitment of pelagic predator, pikeperch, killing young specimens of this fish in large quantities. Even though the fishery methods have changed, the fish stocks of the lake have repeatedly suffered from the over-fishing.

Smålommens Gavia stellata häckningsframgång i relation till vattenkemi och fiskbeståndens sammansättning i olika fiskevatten

Breeding performance by Red-throated Diver Gavia stellata was compared to water chemistry, light penetration and density of fish in 34 freshwater lakes used for foraging in South and Central Sweden. The study covered around 25% of the breeding population in these parts of the country. Fishing lakes were overall nutrient-poor, and some of them were also acidic and had a poor buffering capacity. There were no relationships between breeding success and water chemistry (pH, alkalinity, total phosphorus), light penetration or impact of acidification. Species composition of the fish communities was characteristic for nutrient-poor lakes: on average 6.6 fish species per lake and dominance of Perca fluviatilis, Rutilus rutilus, Esox lucius and Coregonus albula. The survival of chicks was correlated to high abundance of cyprinid and salmonid fish, i.e. the dominant prey delivered to non-fledged chicks. Around 300 freshwater lakes are judged to be of importance as foraging sites for breeding Red-throated Divers in Sweden. Continuous and long-term liming is a prerequisite in order to maintain viable fish stocks in those lakes that are acid or have a poor buffering capacity.

Location of spawning grounds of vendace (Coregonus albula (L.)): implication for dispersion of newly hatched larvae

Location of spawning grounds of vendace (<i>Coregonus albula</i> (L.)): implication for dispersion of newly hatched larvae

Influence of scuba divers on the avoidance reaction of a dense vendace ( Coregonus albula L.) population monitored by hydroacoustics

The avoidance reactions of a dense population of vendace ( Coregonus albula (Linnaeus)) to scuba divers were studied in November 2005, at two different sites in the mesotrophic Bigge reservoir, Germany, using hydroacoustics to observe the fish behaviour. Two mobile scientific echosounders (Simrad EY 500 and EK 60, both operating at 120 kHz frequency) were used concurrently. Hydroacoustic data acquisition was conducted by vertical echosounding from two boats moving along four transects perpendicular to the diver transect (60 m long); the estimated fish abundances obtained from the two echosounders were similar in magnitude. The fish distribution, as shown by the echograms, was strongly influenced by the scuba divers, and due to the avoidance reactions the divers did not observe any fish. During the dive, the overall mean fish densities over both dive spots were substantially lower (4911 fish ha −1, S.D. = 3164, n = 16) than during the two reference surveys carried out before the dives (15,306 fish ha −1, S.D. = 5361, n = 32). The observed influence of the scuba divers on the fish distribution was temporary, and 1.5 h after the end of diving, the fish aggregated again on the dive spot, showing a similar spatial distribution to that recorded prior to the dives.

Interlocked use of inland fish resources: a new management strategy under private property rights

Abstract Interlocked use of multiple inland vendace, Coregonus albula (L.), stocks is a relatively new strategy to exploit asynchronous fluctuations in abundance of natural fish stocks between waterbodies. It combines vendace stocks from different lakes or parts of lakes into one interlocked stock to be managed across waterbody ownership boundaries. Management of interlocked stocks can be regarded as one form of portfolio management. Exploitation of interlocked stocks should reduce the interannual variation in yield, and thus ensuring fishers more constant income and the market more constant material flow. The strategy requires fishers to increase their mobility, to benefit from asynchronous fluctuations in abundance of vendace stocks between exploitable waters. A postal inquire addressed to Finnish commercial inland fishers examined whether existing property rights institutions’ and fishers’ harvesting policies were appropriate to establish interlocked use of multiple vendace stocks. Almost half of fishers had, to some extent, reaped benefit from a fishing strategy that included small‐scale mobility, which is consistent with the proposed strategy. By harvesting three or four lakes and stocks, fishers increased their yield compared with exploiting one fishing ground and one vendace stock. Public ownership provided fishers access to stocks nearer their place of residence than other ownership types.

Age, growth rate, and condition of vendace, Coregonus albula (L.), from some Pomeranian Lakes (NW Poland)

Age, growth rate, and condition of vendace, Coregonus albula (L.), from some Pomeranian Lakes (NW Poland)

Using a 1‐D mixing model to assess the potential impact of year‐to‐year changes in weather on the habitat of vendace (Coregonus albula) in Bassenthwaite Lake, Cumbria

Summary1. Bassenthwaite Lake in Cumbria is one of only two English lakes containing a population of vendace (Coregonus albula). The spatial distribution and survival of this fish is strongly influenced by the temperature and oxygen content of the water. In summer, this fish moves into deeper, colder water but avoids areas where the oxygen content is low.2. In recent years, there has been a dramatic decline in the number of vendace found in the lake, a trend that may have been exacerbated by a succession of warm summers. Bassenthwaite only becomes stably stratified during calm, warm periods when a significant proportion of the deep water becomes anoxic.3. Here, a one dimensional (1‐D) process‐based temperature‐oxygen model is used to simulate the year‐to‐year variations in the severity of these ‘extreme events’. The model is validated using field measurements acquired in the 1990s and used to predict the range of depths accessible to the vendace.4. An empirical, weather‐driven model is then used to ‘hindcast’ the mixing characteristics of the lake in the 1980s and estimate the proportion of the habitat lost during warm, calm summers. These simulations show that periods of stable thermal stratification have become increasingly common in recent years. In the 1980s, only one ‘extreme event’ was identified but four such events were recorded in the 1990s.5. The results are discussed in relation to the conservation status of the species and the potential effect of climate change on its survival in the English Lake District.

Individual variability of diel vertical migrations in European vendace (Coregonus albula) explored by stationary vertical hydroacoustics

Abstract – Diel vertical migration (DVM) is a widespread behavioural pattern in populations of aquatic animals. Its adaptive value is explained by a trade‐off between the protection against visually feeding predators in the dark hypolimnion during daytime, and a higher food uptake in the upper food‐rich layers during the night. Whereas vertical migration patterns of entire populations have been frequently described, less is known with respect to individual variability of DVM within fish populations. Here, individual migration patterns of European vendace (Coregonus albula) are described, obtained by stationary vertical hydroacoustics in Lake Stechlin (Germany) during the dusk and dawn phases of 2 months in 2004. The variability of speeds of depth change was high, with only a few fish rising or falling faster than 1 cm s−1. Swimming activity was not dependent on fish size. There was some evidence that variability of echo strengths was highest in those fish which showed the greatest three‐dimensional swimming distances which might indicate a limited swimbladder compensation during vertical migrations. However, migration seems to be performed mainly in a saltatory mode with vertical swimming always interrupted by phases of constant depth. It is suggested that these phases are used for pressure compensation by fish with the consequence that overall the frequency distribution of target strengths deviates only slightly between the start and the end of the recordings. Stationary hydroacoustics proved to be a useful tool for studying individual fish swimming behaviour.

Survival of reared Atlantic salmon and sea trout in relation to marine conditions of smolt year in the Baltic Sea

The marine survival of hatchery-reared Atlantic salmon ( Salmo salar) and sea trout ( Salmo trutta) was examined in relation to marine conditions during post-smolt migration and in relation to stock traits. In 1970–2001, Carlin-tagged smolts were released in the Iijoki and Oulujoki rivers, the northern Baltic Sea. When both species were analysed together, the abundance of the three prey fish, herring ( Clupea harengus), smelt ( Osmerus eperlanus) and vendace ( Coregonus albula) correlated positively with the survival of salmonids. In addition, the increase in smolt size appeared to improve the survival rate. Sea surface temperature (SST) may have affected indirectly through the abundance of prey fish during the post-smolt migration of salmon and sea trout. The smelt and vendace showed a statistical effect on survival only when the temperature effects were not included in the models. In sea trout, an increasing smolt length was not significantly correlated with the survival in good herring recruitment years, but in poor years survival increased very rapidly with increasing smolt size. The recapture rates of the salmonids tended to decrease between the years 1970 and 2001. During the same time period, the June SST slightly decreased. The positive correlation between the annual summer SST and recapture rate of salmon may partly explain the decreasing trend in recapture rates. An increase in smolt size did not compensate for the decline in the recapture rate of either species.

Correlations between type‐indicator fish species and lake productivity in German lowland lakes

Morphotypes for 67 lakes in the German lowlands were derived, based on maximum depth and mixis type. A threshold of 11 m maximum depth was identified to be the best level to discriminate shallow from deep lake morphotypes. The fish communities in these two morphotypes were significantly different. Indicator species analyses based on fish biomasses found vendace Coregonus albula in deep lakes and ruffe Gymnocephalus cernuus, bream Abramis brama, white bream Abramis bjoerkna, roach Rutilus rutilus, pikeperch Sander lucioperca and small perch Perca fluviatilis in shallow lakes to be the most representative species of their communities. Lake productivity was closely related to biomass and in part abundance of the type‐indicator species, with vendace declining with increasing chlorophyll a concentration in the deep lakes, whereas biomass of pikeperch, bream, white bream and ruffe increased and biomass of small perch decreased with increasing chlorophyll a. These results indicate that assessment of ecological integrity of lakes by their fish fauna is generally possible, if lakes are initially separated according to a depth‐related morphotype before the assessment, and if eutrophication is considered to be the main anthropogenic degradation.