Habitat selection and foraging success by an endangered Mediterranean cyprinid: implications for habitat restoration

Habitat loss and degradation are causing collapses in freshwater fish the Mediterranean region, where habitat restoration actions still hampered by poor understanding of selection fitness. Here, we combined field surveys laboratorial experiments to investigate how water velocity, body size intra-specific interactions influence foraging success highly endangered Mira chub Squalius torgalensis. Velocity negatively affected fitness via its negative effects on prey capture rate. Small occupied lower velocity ranges than large chub, both captured most at range velocities selected stream. Size-based also success, with small capturing proportionally less presence chub. Our results suggest that, during base-flow conditions, restoring low moderate up 26 cm/s will help ensure suitable improve occurring interacting groups. Integrated approaches uncovering factors directly related individual should guide for streams may identify critical features other species.