Relationship of Planktivory by Shad and Diet Shifts by Young-of-year Largemouth Bass in a Southern Reservoir
The ability of shad populations to impact the density and composition of zooplankton populations has led to the suggestion that planktivorous shad may compete with young-of-year bass for plankton food resources and influence bass recruitment. We studied the feeding dynamics of concurrent year classes of threadfin shad (Dorosoma petenense) , gizzard shad (D. cepedianum) , and largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides) in a North Carolina reservoir to determine the nature of feeding interactions among the species. Shad planktivory was found to be confined to a brief period early in the growing...