Consumption and Growth Patterns of Flathead Catfish Derived From a Bioenergetics Model

Abstract

Bioenergetics models offer a useful framework for assessing the consumptive demand on ecosystems from nonnative fish. Consumption estimates from bioenergetics models can be combined with estimates of population abundance to quantify population-level consumption. This study applies a new bioenergetics modeling framework, developed by Walters and Essington (this volume), to estimate bioenergetics parameters using field data commonly collected from population monitoring programs. We used growth increment and size-at-age data to estimate the parameters of the bioenergetics model described by Walters and Essington (this volume) for an introduced population of Pylodictis olivaris from the Neuse River, North Carolina. The model fit the observed growth data well and predictions of consumption patterns were consistent with observed feeding patterns. The estimated consumption pattern from the general bioenergetics model represents the first characterization of adult flathead catfish consumption. Through use of capture-recapture data, the Walters and Essington bioenergetics model is able to integrate consumption estimates with growth and demographic data. Although further validation of the model is necessary, the modeling framework provides a straightforward approach to assessing the consumptive demand of fish populations.

Two Decades of Advancement in Flathead Catfish Research

“…Introduced Flathead Catfish produce predation pressure that can negatively impact native fish communities (Bonvechio et al 2009;Baumann and Kwak 2011;Dobbins et al 2012;Steffenson et al 2015;Lucchesi et al 2017). Researchers can use bioenergetics modeling to assess the impacts of Flathead Catfish predation on native fish species and to estimate their consumptive demand (Tetzlaff et al 2010;Evans et al 2014;). Interestingly, Flathead Catfish have the highest energetic efficiency (i.e., lowest grams of prey required to grow a specific amount of predator biomass) among common piscivores in southern reservoirs (Evans et al 2014), suggesting that they would not have as large of an effect on the prey community as other predators.…”

“…Researchers can use bioenergetics modeling to assess the impacts of Flathead Catfish predation on native fish species and to estimate their consumptive demand (Tetzlaff et al. 2010; Evans et al. 2014; Hedden et al.…”