Interannual variability in the trophic niche of young‐of‐year fish belonging to four piscivorous species coexisting in a natural lake

Abstract

Abstract Predatory fish species play a key role in aquatic ecosystems by exerting top‐down control on the food web. Also, their intra‐guild trophic interactions (i.e. competition) are crucial for the stability of the community. However, most studies focus on adult stages, while juveniles remain poorly studied, although their recruitment is the basis for the maintenance of predator populations. We analysed carbon and nitrogen stable isotopes ratios of the young‐of‐year of four coexisting widespread predatory fish species (northern pike Esox lucius, European perch Perca fluviatilis, pikeperch Sander lucioperca, and European catfish Silurus glanis), sampled over 3 years in a shallow natural lake. We found that the hierarchy in trophic position between species was consistent across years and similar to that known for adults, but with large variations around a general pattern: pike and pikeperch tended to occupy the highest trophic positions while perch occupied the lowest, and catfish had very varying positions. Species partitioned their niches to decrease interspecific competition, but with some occasional overlaps, contributing to preserving their body condition. Depending on density, which was particularly impacted by harsh environmental conditions, niche overlap fluctuated across years, leading to niche enlargement of densely populated species, except for catfish. These mechanisms enabled species coexistence, allowing the co‐occurrence of alien and native predators within the same ecosystem. This work advocates for time‐integrated studies of trophic webs because they capture the variability of their dynamics better than a static picture. This is particularly true for juveniles whose survival strongly depends on their capacity to cope with competition. Information from trophic mid‐term studies of juveniles provides valuable guidance for optimised management of species.