Implications of low food availability on resource partitioning among three species of Cichlidae (Pisces: Perciformes) in a Brazilian semi-arid reservoir

AimResource partitioning has been recognized as a major driver affecting fish communities, with the potential to reduce interespecific competition. This is the result of differences in feeding apparatuses and feeding mode, location of the fish species in the water column and swimming ability, as well as type and size of prey and its availability. The present study surveys a highly limited aquatic system in semi-arid Brazil with regard to habitat and food availability, with very low diversity of fish, and poor in underwater habitat structures and prey, with the objective of understanding resource partitioning among fish species under such conditions.MethodsThree species of Cichlidae (Pisces: Perciformes) were sampled during the dry and wet seasons and had their stomach contents analyzed to evaluate food consumption. The resource partition among fish species was evaluated based on Pianka’s niche overlap index and tested for significance against null models.ResultsIt was observed a low overlap among the study species in food resource use, with individuals tending to specialize to select some food items. This is likely the result of low natural variation in abundance of specific food items associated with fish preferences (both morphological and behavioral).ConclusionsThese results support evidence that, in Brazilian semi-arid aquatic systems, coexistence of fish species seems to be enhanced by the partition of food items at specific trophic levels. Within this context, flow variability would have a key hole in fish coexistence by promoting a high diversity of aquatic habitat elements available for colonization of fish and their prey. Furthermore, food resources available to fish play an important role in this dynamics since prey foods are expected to vary in abundance as the habitat changes. ObjetivosA partição de recursos tem sido reconhecida como um importante fator que influencia comunidades de peixes, com o potencial de reduzir a competição interespecífica. Isto resulta de diferenças no trato digestivo e habito alimentar, localização das espécies de peixes na coluna de água e habilidade natatória, bem como tipo e tamanho da presa e da disponibilidade desta no ambiente. O presente estudo avalia a partição de itens alimentares presentes na dieta de peixes, em um sistema aquático do semiárido brasileiro que apresenta baixa diversidade de espécies de peixes e de estruturas subaquáticas que compõem o habitat. Objetivou-se compreender como três espécies de peix