Plump Cutthroat Trout and Thin Rainbow Trout in a Lentic Ecosystem
Joshua Courtney, Jessica Abbott, Kerri Schmidt, and Michael Courtney

TL;DR
This study compares the physical condition of rainbow and cutthroat trout in a lentic ecosystem, finding that rainbow trout are thinner and less competitive for food than cutthroat trout, challenging previous assumptions about their competition.
Contribution
It provides new evidence that in lentic ecosystems, cutthroat trout outcompete rainbow trout for food, contrasting prior focus on lotic environments.
Findings
Rainbow trout are generally thinner than cutthroat trout.
Most rainbow trout fall below the 25th weight percentile.
Cutthroat trout are predominantly above the 75th weight percentile.
Abstract
Background: Much has been written about introduced rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) interbreeding and outcompeting cutthroat trout (Oncorhynchus clarkii). However, the specific mechanisms by which rainbow trout and their hybrids outcompete cutthroat trout have not been thoroughly explored, and the published data is limited to lotic ecosystems. Materials and Methods: Samples of rainbow trout and cutthroat trout were obtained from a lentic ecosystem by angling. The total length and weight of each fish was measured and the relative weight of each fish was computed (Anderson R.O., Neumann R.M. 1996. Length, Weight, and Associated Structural Indices, Pp. 447-481. In: Murphy B.E. and Willis D.W. (eds.) Fisheries Techniques, second edition. American Fisheries Society.), along with the mean and uncertainty in the mean for each species. Data from an independent source (K.D. Carlander, 1969.…
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Taxonomy
TopicsFish Ecology and Management Studies · Fish Biology and Ecology Studies · Aquatic Invertebrate Ecology and Behavior
