Abstract

Delta smelt, Hypomesus transpacificus, is a slender and small-bodied fish, (Limnoithona tetraspina, under a controlled lab setting. Delta smelt at 132 dph were placed in buckets with different concentrations of prey, L. tetraspina. Larval stage delta smelt were given 2 hours to feed. When the experiment was over, fish were then dissected and analyzed to see how many prey were ingested. So far the data suggests that delta smelt may be prey limited. In the controlled lab conditions fish were given much higher prey densities than what would normally be available in the wild. Not having enough prey to feed on has negative implications for the future population of delta smelt.

Disciplines

Life Sciences

Mentor

Lindsay Sullivan

Lab site

Romberg Tiburon Center for Environmental Studies (RTC)

Funding Acknowledgement

This material is based upon work supported by the S.D. Bechtel, Jr. Foundation and by the National Science Foundation under Grant No. 0952013. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the S.D. Bechtel, Jr. Foundation or the National Science Foundation. This project has also been made possible with support of the National Marine Sanctuary Foundation. The STAR program is administered by the Cal Poly Center for Excellence in Science and Mathematics Education (CESaME) on behalf of the California State University (CSU).

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URL: https://digitalcommons.calpoly.edu/star/236

 

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