Articles
Salmonids in high altitude French lakes
Received : 19 February 2026;
Published : 16 April 2026
References
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Abstract
The ability of salmonids to persist in mountain lakes remains poorly understood and has important implications for their management. Based on data from nine mountain lakes, we found that the body condition of Arctic char (Salvelinus alpinus) does not vary significantly with altitude (maximum altitude: 2471 m), whereas that of lake trout (Salvelinus namaycush) decreases with increasing elevation (maximum altitude: 2850 m). The negative effect of lake depth on lake trout condition is counterbalanced by positive effects of winter temperatures and littoral invertebrate densities. Isotopic composition analyses suggest that both species rely predominantly on aquatic littoral resources (mean = 67%). The proportion of assimilated terrestrial resources (ranging from 6.5% to 28.9%) increases with altitude and decreases with lake surface area and depth, reflecting a dilution effect of terrestrial prey in larger ecosystems. Summer water temperature negatively influences the consumption of terrestrial resources, likely through indirect thermal effects on lake productivity. These findings help at refining our understanding of the conditions supporting salmonid survival in these ecosystems and the environmental drivers shaping their trophic ecology.
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