Winter predatory efficiency and periodicity of the non-native brown bullhead Ameiurus nebulosus.

ABSTRACT: Winter is a challenge for fish in temperate regions as it is likely to create a bottleneck for small-bodied fish due to starvation. Resource consumption could contribute substantially to the overwinter survival of fish. Nevertheless, fish feeding activity and related impacts at low temperatures are understudied. We assessed the hunting periodicity and functional response of a non-native European brown bullhead Ameiurus nebulosus population under winter conditions. Our results provide evidence of predation at temperatures as low as 3 °C, while the hunting periodicity was clearly identified as nocturnal. Furthermore, a visible decrease in handling time was observed at 3 °C compared to 4.5 °C, suggesting that this temperature could be a thermal threshold in A. nebulosus' ecophysiology. Moreov

SUBMITTER: Fritsch A 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12861833 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature