Feeding Ecology of Native and Nonnative Salmonids during the Expansion of a Nonnative Apex Predator in Yellowstone Lake, Yellowstone National Park

A nonnative apex predator, the Lake Trout (Salvelinus namaycush), significantly altered competitive interactions and trophic dynamics in Yellowstone Lake by driving the collapse of the native Yellowstone Cutthroat Trout (Oncorhynchus clarkii bouvieri) population. This study reveals that as Lake Trout abundance increased, both species shifted their diets to rely more on benthic amphipods, leading to greater trophic similarity between them. Initially, Lake Trout preyed heavily on Yellowstone Cutthroat Trout, but with the decline of this native species, they turned to amphipods—a resource that became increasingly contested. The research used diet analysis and stable isotope signatures from 2011–2013 to document these shifts, highlighting how invasive predators can restructure ecosystems and compete with native species for limited resources.

Syslo, J. M., Guy, C. S., & Koel, T. M. (2016). Feeding Ecology of Native and Nonnative Salmonids during the Expansion of a Nonnative Apex Predator in Yellowstone Lake, Yellowstone National Park. Transactions of the American Fisheries Society, 145(3), 476–492. Portico. https://doi.org/10.1080/00028487.2016.1143398