Niche segregation of a newly introduced invasive and co-occurring native fish species in a productive shallow lake (Manyas, NW Anatolia)

The impacts of aquatic invasive species vary from the population to ecosystem level most strikingly through modifications native communities, often leading a decline in species. A primary impact mechanism is competitive displacement by resource partitioning. However, trophic interactions between and occupying same habitat remain poorly understood, particularly at early stages invasion. This study used stable isotope analysis two co-occurring populations topmouth gudgeon, Pseudorasbora parva Caucasian dwarf goby, Knipowitschia caucasica highly productive shallow lake characterize overlap potential niches. niches both were divergent, with no overlap. Mixing models suggest some inter-specific dietary differences. niche goby was slightly non-significantly larger than that gudgeon. These results when introduced outside their natural range, gudgeon might integrate into new fish communities via exploitation resources are underexploited fishes, which could also explain high invasion success