Seasonal variation in activity and nearshore habitat use of Lake Trout in a subarctic lake

BACKGROUND: In lake ecosystems, predatory fish can move and forage across both nearshore and offshore habitats. This coupling of sub-habitats, which is important in stabilizing lake food webs, has largely been assessed from a dietary perspective and has not included movement data. As such, empirical estimates of the seasonal dynamics of these coupling movements by fish are rarely quantified, especially for northern lakes. Here we collect fine-scale fish movement data on Lake Trout (Salvelinus namaycush), a predatory cold-water fish known to link nearshore and offshore habitats, to test for seasonal drivers of activity, habitat use and diet in a subarctic lake. METHODS: We used an acoustic telemetry positioning array to track the depth and spatial movements of 43 Lake Trout in a subarctic lake over two years. From these data we estimated seasonal 50% home ranges, movements rates, tail beat activity, depth use, and nearshore habitat use. Additionally, we examined stomach contents to quantify seasonal diet. Data from water temperature and light loggers were used to monitor abiotic lake conditions and compare to telemetry data. RESULTS: Lake Trout showed repeatable seasonal patterns of nearshore habitat use that peaked each spring and fall, were lower throughout the long winter, and least in summer when this habitat was above preferred temperatures. Stomach content data showed that Lake Trout acquired the most nearshore prey during the brief spring season, followed by fall, and winter, supporting telemetry results. Activity rates were highest in spring when feeding on invertebrates and least in summer when foraging offshore, presumably on large-bodied prey fish. High rates of nearshore activity in fall were associated with spawning. Nearshore habitat use was widespread and not localized to specific regions of the lake, although there was high overlap of winter nearshore core areas between years. CONCLUSIONS: We provide empirical demonstrations of the seasonal extent to which a mobile top predator links nearshore and offshore habitats in a subarctic lake. Our findings suggest that the nearshore is an important foraging area for Lake Trout for much of the year, and the role of this zone for feeding should be considered in addition to its traditional importance as spawning habitat. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s40462-023-00417-x.