Universität zu Köln

Josifek, Tillmann ORCID: 0009-0007-7886-0026, Borcherding, Jost ORCID: 0000-0003-3411-5861, Hübner, Sarah, Kühnel, Thomas, Heermann, Lisa ORCID: 0000-0003-4620-4087 and Ruban, Georgii (2025). The Caucasian Dwarf Goby (Knipowitschia caucasica) — Population Dynamics and Feeding Ecology in the Lower Rhine With a Special Focus on Winter. Journal of Applied Ichthyology, 2025 (1). pp. 1-8. Wiley. ISSN 0175-8659

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Abstract

Artificial expansion of shipping routes in the course of international trade opens up fish migration routes for numerous species. Since 2006 migration of four different goby species took place from the Ponto–Caspian region to the Lower Rhine. Neogobius fluviatilis , Neogobius melanostomus, Proterorhinus semilunaris and Ponticola kessleri were able to establish in the local fish community of the Lower Rhine. Besides the four other goby species, Knipowitschia caucasica migrated from the Ponto–Caspian region to the Lower Rhine as well in 2019. Due to increasing abundance in the last years and lack of information regarding population dynamics, feeding activity and prey preferences of the dwarf goby, the length of 1218 Caucasian dwarf gobies was analysed as well as the diet of 519 individuals in the course of May 2021 to February 2022. The populations of three different locations along the Lower Rhine were examined in winter on differences in population dynamics and feeding ecology. Analysis of the population over time suggests that K. caucasica in the Lower Rhine is an annual species with spawning during summer. The juvenile individuals of the Caucasian dwarf goby increased in total length until winter, while the adults vanished after spawning. Both juveniles and adults mainly fed on zooplankton and insect larvae. The feeding activity of the dwarf goby was higher in summer than in winter and started to increase as early as February. No difference in winter prey was recorded between populations at different sites, as all populations fed mostly on copepods and chironomids.

Item Type:	Article
Creators:	Creators Email ORCID ORCID Put Code Josifek, Tillmann UNSPECIFIED https://orcid.org/0009-0007-7886-0026 UNSPECIFIED Borcherding, Jost UNSPECIFIED https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3411-5861 UNSPECIFIED Hübner, Sarah UNSPECIFIED UNSPECIFIED UNSPECIFIED Kühnel, Thomas UNSPECIFIED UNSPECIFIED UNSPECIFIED Heermann, Lisa UNSPECIFIED https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4620-4087 UNSPECIFIED Ruban, Georgii UNSPECIFIED UNSPECIFIED UNSPECIFIED
URN:	urn:nbn:de:hbz:38-792111
Identification Number:	10.1155/JAI/4355354
Journal or Publication Title:	Journal of Applied Ichthyology
Volume:	2025
Number:	1
Page Range:	pp. 1-8
Date:	18 February 2025
Publisher:	Wiley
ISSN:	0175-8659
Language:	English
Faculty:	Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences
Divisions:	Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences > Department of Biology > Zoologisches Institut
Subjects:	Life sciences
['eprint_fieldname_oa_funders' not defined]:	Publikationsfonds UzK
Refereed:	Yes
URI:	http://kups.ub.uni-koeln.de/id/eprint/79211