DANIELS: FEEDING ECOLOGY OF ANTARCTIC FISHES 



eludes high fecundity and long mean generations 

 (Cushing 1975). These stabilization mechanisms 

 provide a constant source of food despite dis- 

 balanced primary production. With this con- 

 stant and relatively abundant food source, com- 

 petition, which requires a limiting resource 

 (Larkin 1963), does not appear to be common 

 among Antarctic fishes. The fact that high diet 

 similarity is observed argues against competi- 

 tion over a limited food resource as a major factor 

 structuring Antarctic fish associations (Zaret 

 and Rand 1971; Tyler 1972). Where competition 

 may be important, e.g., in the pelagic-bentho- 

 pelagic fish association, the major prey item is 

 krill, which is abundant. However, this abun- 

 dance may be temporary and of recent origin. 

 This would obscure the importance of competi- 

 tion in structuring Antarctic associations and 

 points to the need for further study. 



The position of fishes in the trophic structure 

 of Antarctic communities is also not well under- 

 stood. All are carnivorous and many are second 

 or third level carnivores. Whether or not these 

 fishes are themselves consumed in large num- 

 bers by the abundant birds and mammals of the 

 Antarctic is poorly known. Some birds consume 

 small species or juveniles of large species (Wat- 

 son 1975) and several species of seals are re- 

 ported to consume fish (Dearborn 1965; Stone- 

 house 1972). However, the species consumed and 

 the relative importance of fish in the diets of 

 these predators remain unknown. It does appear 

 that such predators do not have much of an 

 impact on the large benthic fish populations, 

 since the fishes are extremely slow growing and 

 long lived (Emerson 1970). Thus the impact of 

 heavy and unaccustomed predation (fishing) on 

 this system could be very disruptive. Before ex- 

 tensive exploitation begins, the life history of the 

 organisms to be harvested should be understood. 



ACKNOWLEDGMENTS 



I thank P. B. Moyle, J. H. Lipps, and T. E. 

 DeLaca for assistance given during the study 

 and the preparation of the manuscript. I also 

 thank D. Laine, W. Showers, R. Moe, N. 

 Temnikow, T. Brand, W. Lokey, W. Frasier, S. 

 Williams, G. Bennett, D. Neilson, P. Lenie, M. 

 Mosher, E. Bailey, C. Dennys, D. Schenborn, M. 

 A. McWhinnie, and especially W. N. Krebs, for 

 providing assistance or advice during this study. 

 Funding was provided by NSF grants GV-31 162 

 and OPP74-12139 to J. H. Lipps. 



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