Colossal aggregations of giant alien freshwater fish as a potential biogeochemical hotspot.
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ABSTRACT:
SUBMITTER: Bouletreau S
PROVIDER: S-EPMC3187786 | biostudies-literature | 2011
REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature
Publications
Colossal aggregations of giant alien freshwater fish as a potential biogeochemical hotspot.
Boulêtreau Stéphanie S Cucherousset Julien J Villéger Sébastien S Masson Rémi R Santoul Frédéric F
PloS one 20111005 10
The ubiquity and fascinating nature of animal aggregations are widely recognised. We report here consistent and previously undocumented occurences of aggregations of a giant alien freshwater fish, the Wels catfish (Silurus glanis). Aggregative groups were on average composed of 25 (± 10 SD, ranging from 15 to 44) adults with estimated average total biomass of 651 kg (386 - 1132) and biomass density of 23 kg m(-2) (14 - 40). Aggregations always occurred within the same location. No foraging, repr ...[more]
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