GROWTH AND FOOD OF YOUNG-OF-THE-YEAR BROOK CHARR, SALVELINUS-FONTINALIS, IN LAKE AND CREEK ENVIRONMENTS

Growth and diet of brook charr, Salvelinus fontinalis, during their first weeks of exogenous feeding were compared between the nearshore zone of a central Ontario lake and its small, inlet creeks. Food selection was related to size and age of charr and possibly availability of food items. Mean growth was similar between habitats despite differences in consumed food types and caloric values. Differences in social behaviour may have been responsible for different patterns of growth between habitats. The importance of creek habitats to the dynamics and fitness of lake populations of brook charr are suggested.