Prey size of salmonid fishes in streams, lakes, and oceans

The growth rate of salmonid fishes is typically fastest in oceans, intermed iate in lakes, and slowest in streams. We compiled literature data to test whether differences in the size of prey eaten by salmonids in the three hab itats could account for these differences in growth rate (i.e., the prey-si ze hypothesis). In all three habitats, salmonid fishes exhibited ontogeneti c niche shifts from feeding primarily on invertebrates when small to feedin g on fishes when large. Contrary to the prey-size hypothesis, invertebrates eaten in streams were larger than those eaten in lakes or oceans, whereas fish eaten in oceans were smaller than those eaten in streams or lakes. Con sistent with the prey-size hypothesis, salmonids began eating fish at a sma ller size in oceans (8 cm) than in lakes (15 cm) or streams (27 cm). Howeve r, the size at which salmonids became predominantly piscivorous (31 cm) did not differ significantly between habitats. We suggest that the difference in growth potential between the three habitats is partly related to the siz e at which fish first enter the diet.