SPATIAL AND TEMPORAL PATTERNS OF FOOD USE BY WHITE PERCH AND YELLOW PERCH IN LAKE ERIE

We determined spatial and temporal feeding patterns of white perch (Mo rone americana) and yellow perch (Perca flavescens) in Lake Erie by an alysis of stomach contents. Diets were compared across years (1983-198 5), seasons, basins of the lake (western and central), and depth in th e western basin. Diets of these two fish species were generally simila r, although white perch tended to use more zooplankton, while yellow p erch consumed more Chironomidae. Sphaeriidae, and fishes. In other ins tances, competition apparently led to resource partitioning that resul ted from differences in ontogenetic feeding requirements and mouth pos ition between white perch and yellow perch.