ABSTRACT
Email: brian.huser@slu.se 2 Department of Ecology and Environmental Science, Umeå University, SE-901 87 Umeå, Sweden. Email: pia.bartels.pb@gmail.com *Corresponding author
Brian Huser1,* and Pia Bartels2
The common carp is generally considered an omnivore, feeding on a wide variety of organic material and prey. With increasing size however, carp usually prefer macroinvertebrates. Adult carp possess several distinct morphological features that facilitate feeding on benthos, especially on organisms that live on and in the sediment. The characteristic feeding style of carp, i.e., probing the sediment at the bottom, can result in multiple important effects on lake and pond ecosystems. In this chapter, we fi rst briefl y describe the feeding apparatus of carp. Subsequently, we describe the diet of carp in detail, and present stable isotope analysis as a powerful tool to determine resource utilization. In the last part, we present multiple direct and indirect effects of carp feeding on aquatic communities and ecosystems. These impacts are particularly important for the management of aquatic ecosystems.
