INTERACTIONS BETWEEN WHITE PERCH (MORONE-AMERICANA) AND YELLOW PERCH (PERCA-FLAVESCENS) IN LAKE ERIE AS DETERMINED FROM FEEDING AND GROWTH

Food consumption rates were up to 27% greater in white perch than in yellow perch, and were higher for both species in the central than in the western basin. Seasonal diet composition was most alike in summer and less so in spring and fall, when yellow perch ate more benthos or fish than did white perch. Of 48 Schoener index comparisons of diet overlap, 52% were significant. Although yellow perch grew faster in the central basin, reflecting greater consumption rates, white perch did not show similar large interbasin growth differences. -from Authors