Higher biomass especially of some aquatic macrophyte species offered a higher density of phytophilous zoobenthos, but did not increase the proportion of non-planktonic to planktonic prey in young-of-the-year perch Perca fluviatilis. Both abundance and biomass of non-planktonic prey dominated over planktonic prey in the pond with lower biomass of aquatic macrophytes and lower food. Survival of P. fluviatilis was lower (20%) in the pond with lower food than in the other pond (34%), however, specific growth rate (1.3% day(-1) ) and final Fulton's condition factor of P. fluviatilis were similar in both ponds.
Keywords: aquatic macrophytes; phytophilous zoobenthos; sediment zoobenthos; semi-intensive fish culture; zooplankton.
© 2014 The Fisheries Society of the British Isles.