ENERGY ALLOCATION IN LARVAL AND JUVENILE COREGONUS-LAVARETUS - VALIDATION OF A BIOENERGETICS MODEL

Food consumption and energy allocation of larval and juvenile whitefis h Coregonus lavaretus L. were studied by conducting respirometry exper iments at 10, 12 and 15 degrees C. Results from these experiments were compared with those predicted by a bioenergetics model that used obse rved growth as the major input. The data were used to assess the perfo rmance of the model, and evaluate its suitability for estimation of fo od consumption by whitefish. The mean absolute % error (epsilon) betwe en observed and predicted food consumption was 16.3%, and the modellin g efficiency (M-E) was 0.90, indicating that the model was reasonably robust. Linear regression analysis of predicted v. observed food consu mption values gave a slope slightly above unity, indicating a tendency for the model to overestimate consumption at higher values. epsilon a nd M-E were also calculated for total metabolic rate (R-T), and they e qualled 13.0% and 0.85, respectively. Despite some deficiencies, it is concluded that the model can be used for prediction of food consumpti on by highly active, planktivorous fish such as whitefish. (C) 1998 Th e Fisheries Society of the British Isles.