Habitat and Food Segregation of Dwarf and Normal Arctic Charr (Salvelinus alpinus) from Vangsvatnet Lake, Western Norway

Abstract

The aim of the present study was to test possible habitat and food segregation between two charr morphs in Vangsvatnet Lake. The charr population of Vangsvatnet consists of one pale phenotype with parr marks along the flanks and poorly developed spawning coloration (dwarf charr), and another phenotype with silvery flanks in nonbreeding condition and bright red spawning colors (normal charr). The habitus of the two morphs indicated that they were adapted to different niches during the growth season. The analyses of distribution and food showed that there was marked habitat and food segregation between the two morphs during summer, when dwarf charr dwelled deep-benthic and normal charr roamed in the limnetic zone. The segregation broke down in periods of food abundance, indicating that the habitat segregation was due to intraspecific competition for food. A comparison of charr morphs of Vangsvatnet with the nearby Lønavatnet Lake suggested that the number of charr morphs is adapted to local environmental conditions, among which lake morphology, food availability, and other fish species are important. We hypothesize that the number of charr morphs within a locality depends on the number of available niches during the growth season.Key words: polymorphism, camouflage, distribution, ontogeny, intra- and inter-specific competition