In a natural system, shown below, there is always enough food for the organisms in the next step up in the pyramid. There is a balance in the system.
The approximate pyramid in a normal system is as follows
Top
Order
Predators
(Cod, Barra, Yellow-
belly, Bass. etc)
Middle/ Low Order Predators
(gudgeons, pygmy perch, rainbow fish, blackfish, etc.)
Zooplankton
Free floating organisms that eat other plankton. Important food source for high order animals
Phytoplankton (algae)
Primary producers (use the sun to make energy).
Base of the food web and source of food for all animals above.
If over stocking, or a mass introduction, occurs in a system, top order predators will put massive pressure on the population size of middle and lower order predators. This system becomes top-heavy. Algae and zooplankton dominate which is one reason why algae blooms can occur more frequently. On top of this, a healthy system won’t need stocking because fish populations are self sustaining.
An impoundment situation is different, in that it is stocked as a put and take fishery, however problems develop if large numbers of fish escape over the wall.
Just thinking out loud guys.What to do....What to do???
Matt Hansen