Late Summer Food Habits of Three Heron Species in Northeastern Louisiana

Niethammer, Kenneth R.; Kaiser, Mark J.

doi:10.2307/1520982

Cited by 14 publications

(4 citation statements)

References 12 publications

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“…Spiders do occur in the diet of fish specialising in the consumption of terrestrial invertebrates that inadvertently enter and subsidise food webs of the aquatic environment [58], [144]–[147] and semi-aquatic spiders serve as food for numerous aquatic and semi-aquatic vertebrate predators such as juvenile crocodilians [148]–[152], marshsnakes [153], anurans [145], wading birds such as herons [29], [154], and passerine birds [155]. Furthermore, semi-aquatic spiders may compete with aquatic predators for insect prey floating on the water surface (e.g., Dolomedes spp.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Riparian zones are widely recognised as ecotones of high productivity, diversity and ecological importance and cross boundary transfer of material from terrestrial and aquatic environments is frequently fundamental to the nature of the food webs of both [140] – [143] . Spiders do occur in the diet of fish specialising in the consumption of terrestrial invertebrates that inadvertently enter and subsidise food webs of the aquatic environment [58] , [144] – [147] and semi-aquatic spiders serve as food for numerous aquatic and semi-aquatic vertebrate predators such as juvenile crocodilians [148] – [152] , marshsnakes [153] , anurans [145] , wading birds such as herons [29] , [154] , and passerine birds [155] . Furthermore, semi-aquatic spiders may compete with aquatic predators for insect prey floating on the water surface (e.g., Dolomedes spp.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Fish Predation by Semi-Aquatic Spiders: A Global Pattern

Nyffeler

Pusey

2014

PLoS ONE

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More than 80 incidences of fish predation by semi-aquatic spiders – observed at the fringes of shallow freshwater streams, rivers, lakes, ponds, swamps, and fens – are reviewed. We provide evidence that fish predation by semi-aquatic spiders is geographically widespread, occurring on all continents except Antarctica. Fish predation by spiders appears to be more common in warmer areas between 40° S and 40° N. The fish captured by spiders, usually ranging from 2–6 cm in length, are among the most common fish taxa occurring in their respective geographic area (e.g., mosquitofish [Gambusia spp.] in the southeastern USA, fish of the order Characiformes in the Neotropics, killifish [Aphyosemion spp.] in Central and West Africa, as well as Australian native fish of the genera Galaxias, Melanotaenia, and Pseudomugil). Naturally occurring fish predation has been witnessed in more than a dozen spider species from the superfamily Lycosoidea (families Pisauridae, Trechaleidae, and Lycosidae), in two species of the superfamily Ctenoidea (family Ctenidae), and in one species of the superfamily Corinnoidea (family Liocranidae). The majority of reports on fish predation by spiders referred to pisaurid spiders of the genera Dolomedes and Nilus (>75% of observed incidences). There is laboratory evidence that spiders from several more families (e.g., the water spider Argyroneta aquatica [Cybaeidae], the intertidal spider Desis marina [Desidae], and the ‘swimming’ huntsman spider Heteropoda natans [Sparassidae]) predate fish as well. Our finding of such a large diversity of spider families being engaged in fish predation is novel. Semi-aquatic spiders captured fish whose body length exceeded the spiders’ body length (the captured fish being, on average, 2.2 times as long as the spiders). Evidence suggests that fish prey might be an occasional prey item of substantial nutritional importance.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Fish Predation by Semi-Aquatic Spiders: A Global Pattern

Nyffeler

Pusey

2014

PLoS ONE

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“…Sunfish ( Lepomis spp.) are a component of the diets of wading birds (Niethammer and Kaiser ; Stickley et al ; Smith ; Glahn et al ). Bluegill are commonly found in both lentic and lotic systems of the south central United States (Lee et al ) and have concentrations of Hg that are intermediate among fish in the region (Chumchal et al ; Fry and Chumchal ).…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Spatial patterns of mercury contamination and associated risk to piscivorous wading birds of the south central United States

Gerstle

Drenner

Chumchal

2018

Enviro Toxic and Chemistry

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Piscivorous birds are top predators in aquatic ecosystems and are vulnerable to mercury (Hg) exposure and associated adverse health effects. In some areas of North America, the health risk posed to piscivorous birds by Hg contamination has not been characterized because concentrations of Hg in bird tissues have not been extensively monitored. When data on Hg in tissues of piscivorous birds are not available, the concentration of Hg in the blood of piscivorous birds can be estimated from the concentration of Hg in prey fish. We used concentrations of Hg in different lengths of a proxy prey fish, bluegill (Lepomis macrochirus), to estimate the concentration of Hg in the blood of 4 species of adult piscivorous wading birds (little blue herons [Egretta caerulea], green herons [Butorides virescens], great egrets [Ardea albus], and great blue herons [Ardea herodias]) in 14 ecoregions of the south central United States. The 4 species of birds consume different sizes of fish with different concentrations of Hg and were predicted to have different concentrations of Hg in their blood, with little blue herons < green herons < great egrets < great blue herons. For each species of bird, there were significant differences in average estimated concentrations of Hg in blood between ecoregions, with estimated concentrations of Hg in blood increasing with Hg deposition. The level of predicted risk varied with ecoregion and bird species and was highest for great blue herons. We recommend that future studies of Hg contamination of piscivorous wading birds of the southern United States focus on great blue herons in water bodies within ecoregions that have high Hg deposition. Environ Toxicol Chem 2019;38:160–166. © 2018 SETAC

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“…Gambusia affinis can serve as prey for largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides), little blue herons (Egretta caerulea), and green-backed herons (Rutorides striatus) (Swingle 1949;Niethammer and Kaiser 1983).…”

Section: Effects Assessmentmentioning

confidence: 99%

Regional ecological risk assessment for the introduction of Gambusia affinis (western mosquitofish) into Montana watersheds

2007

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Qualitative risk assessment methodologies were used to assess the risk of establishment and consequent impacts on native minnows and species of concern (SOC) associated with the intentional or unintentional introduction of the mosquito biological control agent, Gambusia affinis, to various Montana watersheds. Gambusia affinis introductions for mosquito control have been made throughout the world; some introductions have resulted in deleterious effects on native species. We used average January water temperatures, the presence of dams, and the presence of native minnows and SOC to define endpoints for our assessment. Our results suggest that a section of the Missouri River running between Wolf Creek and Landusky had the highest overall risk score, which corresponds to the highest likelihood of establishment and effects on native minnows and SOC. We also demonstrate how rivers with the highest temperatures are not necessarily at the highest risk of having deleterious effects on minnows and SOC; conversely, these rivers were found to be at highest risk of a population of G. affinis establishing.

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Late Summer Food Habits of Three Heron Species in Northeastern Louisiana

Cited by 14 publications

References 12 publications

Fish Predation by Semi-Aquatic Spiders: A Global Pattern

Fish Predation by Semi-Aquatic Spiders: A Global Pattern

Spatial patterns of mercury contamination and associated risk to piscivorous wading birds of the south central United States

Regional ecological risk assessment for the introduction of Gambusia affinis (western mosquitofish) into Montana watersheds

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