Effect of habitat selection and behavior on vulnerability to predation of introduced fish

Compared vulnerability between muskellunge Esox masquinongy and walleye Stizostedion vitreum to predation by largemouth bass Micropterus salmoides. In pool experiments with simulated vegetation, muskellunge were more susceptible to predation than walleye. Habitat selection explained some of these differences as walleye spent more time in the simulated vegetation and associated with the substrate than muskellunge. Expectations from pool experiments were confirmed in reservoirs stocked with two size groups of walleye and esocids. Walleye were less susceptible to largemouth bass predation for both small (mean 21%) esocids of three taxa. For muskellunge only, walleye were less vulnerable to predation for large size groups, but not for small ones. -from Author