Food chains to fish

Abstract ‘Food chains to fish’ considers the nature of pelagic and benthic food webs and the coupling between them. Life at the bottom of lakes in the benthic zone is mostly made up of worms, molluscs, and amphipods. In the open lake waters, three groups of zooplankton play a leading role in the transfer of carbon and energy from the base of the food web (phytoplankton and bacteria) to pelagic fish: rotifers, cladocerans, and copepods. Although certain fish species remain within specific zones of the lake, others swim between zones and access multiple habitats. The tracking of elements through the food chain can help understand the impacts of chemical pollution.