Territorial behavior of juvenile Atlantic salmon reduces predation by brook trout

Abstract

Brook trout (Salvelinus fontinalis) ate 26% of 58 juvenile (7–11 cm) Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) introduced into an artificial stream 24 h before the trout, but they ate only 8% of 60 salmon which had been present long enough to establish territories. Man-made environmental alterations may decrease territorial behavior of young salmon thereby increasing their vulnerability to predation.