Stable isotope evidence for the food web consequences of species invasions in lakes

M. Jake Vander Zanden (), John M. Casselman and Joseph B. Rasmussen
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M. Jake Vander Zanden: McGill University
John M. Casselman: Science Development Transfer Branch, Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources, Glenora Fisheries Station, RR4
Joseph B. Rasmussen: McGill University

Nature, 1999, vol. 401, issue 6752, 464-467

Abstract: Abstract Species invasions pose a serious threat to biodiversity and native ecosystems1,2; however, predicting and quantifying the impacts of invasive species has proven problematic3,4,5,6. Here we use stable isotope ratios to document the food-web consequences of the invasion of two non-native predators, smallmouth bass and rock bass, into Canadian lakes. Invaded lakes had lower littoral prey-fish diversity and abundance than uninvaded reference lakes. Consistent with this difference, lake trout from invaded lakes had more negative δ13C values (-29.2‰ versus -27.4‰) and reduced trophic positions (3.3 versus 3.9) than those from reference lakes, indicating differences in food-web structure. Furthermore, a comparison of the pre- and post-invasion food webs of two recently invaded lakes showed that invasion was followed by substantial declines in littoral prey-fish abundance and the trophic position of lake trout, reflecting a shift in the diet of lake trout towards zooplankton and reduced dependence on littoral fish. This study demonstrates the use of stable isotope techniques to detect changes in food-web structure following perturbations; in this instance, bass-induced food-web shifts may have severe consequences for native species and ecosystems.

Date: 1999
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DOI: 10.1038/46762

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