Morphology, Density, and Spatial Patterning of Reproductive Bowers In an Established Alien Population of Nile Tilapia, Oreochromis niloticus

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

9-1-2007

Department

Coastal Sciences, Gulf Coast Research Laboratory

Abstract

In coastal Mississippi aquatic systems, Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) has been introduced via aquaculture practices and appears to have established breeding populations. However, little is known about characteristics of bowers in non-native environments or if reproductive activities vary with water temperature. Therefore, we examined bower morphology, sediment composition, density, spatial pattern, and the distribution of bowers and reproductive leks in relation to thermal gradients within a power plant cooling pond. We found that the Nile tilapia has the appropriate materials for building bowers, can establish active breeding leks, and distributes along thermal gradients. All of these attributes allow for successful invasion and establishment into non-native environments.

Publication Title

Journal of Freshwater Ecology

Volume

22

Issue

3

First Page

461

Last Page

468

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