Seasonal variation in diet of Chironomus plumosus (L.) and C. anthracinus Zett. (Diptera: Chironomidae) in mesotrophic Lake Erken

Abstract

SUMMARY. 1. Microscopic gut content analysis of Chironomus plumosus (L.) and C. anthracinus Zett. collected from 18m depth in mesotrophic Lake Erken. revealed significant seasonal differences between the two species.2. C. plumosus dietary constituents showed greater seasonal variation than those of C. anthracinus, with diatom contribution to the gut contents reflecting temporal changes in the phytoplankton.3. Overall the percentage of gut content constituted by detritus, algae, animal remains, and inorganic matter averaged 96%, 4%, 0.4% and 0.03% for C. plurnosus and 97%, 3%, 0.6% and 0.03% for C. anthracinus.4. Coefficients ot dietary overlap for non‐detrital foods decreased markedly from August to September. During this period the proportion of centric diatoms in the guts of C. plumosus increased by 94% while no marked changes were noted in C. anthracinus.5. C. ptttmosus ingested more diatoms than C. anthracinus, especially during diatom blooms in spring and autumn. These results are consistent with the known differences in feeding behaviour between these two speeies.