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Trophic ecology of Japanese eels in small rivers of urban and agricultural areas

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A Correction to this article was published on 22 May 2024

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Abstract

Yellow-phase Japanese eel Anguilla japonica (Temminck & Schlegel, 1846) utilize a variety of anthropogenically impacted habitats. An extensive understanding of the trophic ecology and habitat use is necessary for the conservation of this endangered species. In this study, we analysed the trophic ecology and feeding habitat of Japanese eels in two small rivers, the Akugawa River and Takase River in Wakayama Prefecture, Japan, dominated by an urban landscape and agricultural land use, respectively. The main goals were to assess the dietary diversity and trophic niche width for eels of two size classes (small eels: ≤ 240 mm total length, large eels: > 240 mm total length) in both habitats. The suitability of both rivers as a feeding habitat for eels was also evaluated. The trophic ecology of eels was inferred based on analysis of carbon and nitrogen stable isotopes, as well as stomach contents. Our results indicated that both rivers are suitable habitats to accommodate this eel, but to varying degrees. The dietary diversity of small eels and trophic niche width differed between rivers, indicating limiting factors, such as insufficient food sources and unfavourable abiotic habitat requirements for small eels in urban rivers. Also, the body condition of eels was found to be lower in the urban Akugawa River than in the Takase River.

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Acknowledgements

We thank Dr. Hisashi Yokoyama for his detailed suggestions on the stable isotope analysis; Tomoya Hori, Ayano Medo and Shotaro Seko for supporting the field work; and Masahiro Mukai for water sample analyses. The stable isotope analysis was conducted using the Cooperative Research Facilities (Isotope Ratio Mass Spectrometer) of the Center for Ecological Research, Kyoto University. This work was supported by JSPS KAKENHI (16H02563) and by the Link Again Program of the Nippon Foundation to Yoh Yamashita.

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  1. Field Science Education and Research Center, Kyoto University, Kitashirakawa-Oiwakecho, Sakyo, Kyoto, 606-8502, Japan

    Alisa Kutzer, Manabu Kume, Yuki Terashima, Edouard Lavergne, Omweri Justus Ooga, Hiromichi Mitamura & Yoh Yamashita

  2. Graduate School of Agriculture, Kyoto University, Kyoto, 606-8502, Japan

    Fumika Kawai

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  1. Alisa Kutzer
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  2. Manabu Kume
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The original online version of this article was revised to correct the listing of QuAAtro2-HR AutoAnalyzer; the range of body weights for Takase River, Size class All in Table 3 and the italicization of the prey category “Others” listed under the higher phylogenetic category in Table 4.

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Kutzer, A., Kume, M., Kawai, F. et al. Trophic ecology of Japanese eels in small rivers of urban and agricultural areas. Fish Sci (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12562-024-01784-z

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