Linking a seasonal freshwater prey subsidy to the body condition of an estuarine consumer in a subtropical coastal river.

ABSTRACT: Movements of fishes among habitats often correspond to shifting resource availability and can occur in response to fluctuating freshwater inflows in coastal systems. Seasonal availability of prey can provide resources that increase fitness, yet hydrologic variability can influence the movements of both consumers and prey. Shifts in the timing/magnitude of prey availability driven by climate and water management may lead to a resource mismatch, carrying consequences for growth, survival, and reproduction. Here, we examined how seasonal/interannual variation in prey biomass (sunfishes, Lepomis spp.) affects the body condition of Common Snook (Centropomus undecimalis) in Everglades National Park. Further, we investigated how condition relates to hydrologic variation (water level, temperature,

SUBMITTER: Massie JA 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12638890 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature