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Seasonality of a Floodplain Subsidy to the Fish Community of a Large Temperate River

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Abstract

This study examines the temporal and spatial variability of the floodplain trophic contribution to the fish community of Lake Saint-Pierre, a large (≈ 300 km2), shallow (≈ 3 m) widening of the St. Lawrence River (Québec, Canada). We hypothesized that floodplain contribution to fish diet would be maximal during the early growing period following the seasonal flood and at sites located closest to the floodplain. Carbon stable isotope ratios (δ13C) of invertebrates and 35 fish species were analyzed at the beginning and at the end of two growing seasons, at increasing distances from the floodplain. Floodplain contribution, in the form of exported aquatic invertebrates, was estimated at the fish community (littoral versus main river), species and individual fish level, using a stable isotopic mixing model and a linear mixed model selection. As hypothesized, fish captured in the early part of the growing season near the floodplain benefitted from the largest floodplain contribution, which decreased during the late growing season. In addition, floodplain contribution differed among fish species, being higher in small or immature littoral species (northern pike, yellow perch, blackchin and golden shiners) than for larger taxa inhabiting the main river channel (shorthead redhorse, white sucker and channel catfish). Our study revealed that floodplain production during the early growing season represents a key food resource to a large portion of the riverine food web, thus highlighting the essential role of the floodplain in human-altered temperate rivers.

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Acknowledgements

The help of Conrad Beauvais, Yasmina Remmal and Maude Lachapelle (ECCC), Irene T. Roca and Simon Boisvert (UQTR) with field sampling, Dave Gadbois-Côté (UQTR) for identification of invertebrates and Dany Bouchard for the isotope analysis is acknowledged with thanks. We also thank Marc Mingelbier (Ministère des Forêts, de la Faune et des Parcs du Québec) and the crew of the research vessel Lampsilis for their help during the 2009 sampling season. The map of sampling sites was prepared by François Boudreault (ECCC). This research was funded through the program Strategic Initiatives for Innovation (ISI) from Fonds de recherche du Québec—Nature et technologies (FRQNT) (Grant Number: OCTROI 186430). This study is a contribution to the Canada-Québec St. Lawrence Action Plan.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Département des Sciences de l’Environnement, Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières, C.P. 500, Trois-Rivières, Québec, G9A 5H7, Canada

    Luc Farly & Gilbert Cabana

  2. Environment and Climate Change Canada, St. Lawrence Centre, 105 McGill, Montreal, Québec, H2E 2Y7, Canada

    Christiane Hudon

  3. Département des Sciences Biologiques, Université de Montréal, Succursale Centre-Ville, C.P. 6128, Montreal, Québec, H3C 3J7, Canada

    Antonia Cattaneo

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  1. Luc Farly
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Correspondence to Luc Farly.

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Luc Farly designed study, performed research, analyzed data, contributed new models, and wrote the paper; Christiane Hudon designed study, performed research, and wrote the paper; Antonia Cattaneo designed study and performed research; Gilbert Cabana designed study, performed research, analyzed data, contributed new models, and wrote the paper.

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Farly, L., Hudon, C., Cattaneo, A. et al. Seasonality of a Floodplain Subsidy to the Fish Community of a Large Temperate River. Ecosystems 22, 1823–1837 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10021-019-00374-w

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