Energy partitioning in largemouth bass under conditions of seasonally fluctuating prey availability

Journal Article · Wed Sep 01 04:00:00 EDT 1982 · Trans. Am. Fish. Soc.; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1577/1548-8659(1982)111<549:EPILBU>2.0.CO;2· OSTI ID:6514124

Adams, S M; McLean, R B; Parrotta, J A

Allocation of consumed energy by largemouth bass Micropterus salmoides into their major physiological processes was determined to investigate mechanisms by which these predators maintain condition (overall health) in a system with a seasonally fluctuating prey base. Consumed energy is partitioned into growth, energy storage, and gonads according to temporal prey availability, metabolic demands, and reproductive needs. Throughout minimum-feeding periods in the winter and early spring, largemouth bass utilize energy from visceral fat and body protein for standard metabolic demands and gonad development. Catabolism of energy from body tissue during the winter was less than 33% of standard metabolic demands, indicating that some consumption had to occur during the winter. The calculated activity metabolism of largemouth bass ranged from 18 to 144% of standard metabolism depending on time of year and sex. Parallel trends of activity metabolism and consumption over the year suggest that foraging costs may constitute a large fraction of activity metabolism. To maintain condition in a system where their primary prey undergoes large fluctuations in seasonal abundance, largemouth bass maximize caloric growth in the fall, store visceral fat, minimize standard and active metabolic demands, and undertake some winter feeding in warm thermal areas.

• Research Organization: Oak Ridge National Lab., TN
• DOE Contract Number: W-7405-ENG-26
• OSTI ID: 6514124
• Journal Information: Trans. Am. Fish. Soc.; (United States), Journal Name: Trans. Am. Fish. Soc.; (United States) Vol. 111:5; ISSN TAFSA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

560205* -- Thermal Effects-- Vertebrates-- (-1987)
63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
ANIMAL FEEDS
ANIMALS
AQUATIC ORGANISMS
BIOLOGICAL EFFECTS
FEEDING
FISHES
FOOD
FORAGE
FOSSIL-FUEL POWER PLANTS
GROWTH
LAKES
METABOLISM
PLANTS
POWER PLANTS
SEASONAL VARIATIONS
SURFACE WATERS
THERMAL EFFLUENTS
THERMAL POWER PLANTS
VARIATIONS
VERTEBRATES