Effect of seasonality and trophic group on energy acquisition in Amazonian fish

Abstract

The influence of hydrologic cycle and trophic groups on the energy content of food was investigated for five fish species from a Central Amazonian floodplain area. Sampling was carried out monthly using gillnets of different mesh sizes immersed in water for 24 h. We examined the presence and absence of food in fish stomachs and those with food were analysed and their energy content determined. Amongst the trophic groups studied, the piscivores Acestrorhynchus falcirostris and Pygocentrus nattereri showed high numbers of empty stomachs throughout the sampling period and very high levels of energy density in their food, which may explain why they take food less frequently. On the other hand the invertivorous species Hemiodus sp. and Hoplosternum littorale and the herbivore Rhytiodus microlepis, need to take food very frequently. The energy of the piscivorous species' stomach contents was not significantly different during the hydrologic cycle, whereas the invertivore and herbivore varied significantly, showing a general tendency of high levels of energy during high waters. © 2007 Blackwell Munksgaard.