Abstract: | Lake ªtiucii is a natural waterbody situated at 274.5m a.s.l. in the Transylvanian Plateau (Pop 2001). Lake drainage area, measuring 17.5 km2, is part of the Bonþ Valley, a tributary to the Fizeº River, which connects it to the Someºul Mic River, upstream of Gherla. The lake is surrounded by hills with heights between 470 and 520 m, and unlike most of the lakes from the Plain of Transylvania, it has a natural origin. Lake ªtiucii is the deepest lake in the region (ªerban & Sorocovschi 2003), having a maximum depth of 6.8m, but can still be regarded as a shallow lake.
Previous studies concerning Lake ªtiucii biota included mostly algal communities, while ichthyofauna was ignored. This paper represents an attempt to reveal some aspects concerning the structure and characteristics of natural fish populations from Lake ªtiucii, together with their diet with emphasis on zooplanktonic microcrustaceans. |
