Live Foods from the WildLive Foods from the WildPart II – Part II –

Where to Find Wild FoodsWhere to Find Wild Foods

A presentation forA presentation for The Angelfish SocietyThe Angelfish Society

October 17, 2010October 17, 2010by Tamar Stephensby Tamar Stephens

About this presentationAbout this presentation

This is the second in a series of presentations This is the second in a series of presentations on live foods from the wild. on live foods from the wild. Part I talked about the nutritional value of wild foods.Part I talked about the nutritional value of wild foods. Part II (this presentation) talks about where to find Part II (this presentation) talks about where to find

wild foods.wild foods.

The rest of this series will cover:The rest of this series will cover: Part III: How to collect wild foodsPart III: How to collect wild foods Part IV: Types of wild foodsPart IV: Types of wild foods Part V: How to culture wild foods Part V: How to culture wild foods

Seasonal VariationsSeasonal Variations

With angelfish, we are most With angelfish, we are most interested in collecting various interested in collecting various types of live foods from the types of live foods from the aquatic environment, such as aquatic environment, such as insect larvae or small insect larvae or small crustaceans. crustaceans.

In regions with distinct seasons, the In regions with distinct seasons, the availability of wild foods will vary availability of wild foods will vary throughout the year.throughout the year.

The greatest abundance will be The greatest abundance will be available during the spring and available during the spring and summer months when there is summer months when there is ample sunlight, temperatures are ample sunlight, temperatures are warm, and water bodies are not warm, and water bodies are not covered with ice. covered with ice.

Aquatic Sources of Wild FoodsAquatic Sources of Wild Foods

Most wild foods will be found in Most wild foods will be found in aquatic environmentsaquatic environments

To understand where to look for wild foods, think To understand where to look for wild foods, think about the basic types of organisms that exist in a about the basic types of organisms that exist in a food chain, and what they need to survive.food chain, and what they need to survive.

Angelfish are primarily predators, so in the wild the Angelfish are primarily predators, so in the wild the bulk of their diet will consist aquatic prey species, bulk of their diet will consist aquatic prey species, not aquatic plants.not aquatic plants.

Food Chain RolesFood Chain Roles

Producers (algae and other aquatic plants that convert sunlight to energy through photosynthesis)

Primary consumers (organisms that eat plants) aka “prey”

Secondary consumers: “predators”

Decomposers (bacteria, fungi, etc.)

In a food chain, the most abundant biomass consists of plants (producers).

The primary consumers that eat plants are the next most abundant.

The least abundant are the predators. A food chain usually had multiple tiers of predators, and the top predators are the least abundant organisms.

Energy from the sun

Angelfish are predatorsAngelfish are predators

Since angelfish are predators, it would make Since angelfish are predators, it would make sense to look for locations with abundant prey sense to look for locations with abundant prey species. species.

Prey species will be most abundant where there Prey species will be most abundant where there is plenty of aquatic plant life. is plenty of aquatic plant life.

So what kinds of water bodies will provide good So what kinds of water bodies will provide good habitat for abundant plant life and therefore habitat for abundant plant life and therefore abundant prey species?abundant prey species?

Calm water bodies support plant Calm water bodies support plant growthgrowth

In general, relatively calm or slow moving water In general, relatively calm or slow moving water will provide a place for plant growth.will provide a place for plant growth.

Detritus sinks to the bottom where it provides a Detritus sinks to the bottom where it provides a rich organic substrate for plant growth, as well rich organic substrate for plant growth, as well as a substrate for the decomposers that turn as a substrate for the decomposers that turn waste back into basic components. waste back into basic components.

The plants provide food for the primary The plants provide food for the primary consumers (plant eaters), as well as habitat with consumers (plant eaters), as well as habitat with hiding places for them to live, breed, lay eggs, hiding places for them to live, breed, lay eggs, raise young, etc. raise young, etc.

A pond in Ulster. Photo from Wikipedia Commons, contributed by user: Roland zhRoland zh

PondsPondsA pond is a standing body A pond is a standing body

of water. It can be of water. It can be natural or man-made. natural or man-made. In general, a pond is In general, a pond is shallow enough that shallow enough that light penetrates to the light penetrates to the bottom, providing bottom, providing energy for plants to energy for plants to grow.grow.

A pond provides habitat A pond provides habitat for a rich diversity of for a rich diversity of living things.living things.

Ponds may be self-Ponds may be self-contained or may be contained or may be fed by a spring or small fed by a spring or small stream.stream.

PuddlesPuddlesDon’t overlook puddles as a Don’t overlook puddles as a

potential source for finding wild potential source for finding wild foods. foods.

A puddle is usually small and A puddle is usually small and ephemeral, often appearing ephemeral, often appearing after rainfall, or from irrigation. after rainfall, or from irrigation. You may have seen puddles in You may have seen puddles in low spots in your yard when low spots in your yard when you water the lawn.you water the lawn.

If a puddle retains water for If a puddle retains water for several days or more, an several days or more, an abundance of life will start to abundance of life will start to appear in it, including appear in it, including organisms such as algae and organisms such as algae and insect larvae.insect larvae.

Photo from Wikipedia Commons

LakesLakes

The difference between a lake The difference between a lake and a pond can be debated, and a pond can be debated, but in general a lake will be but in general a lake will be deeper and larger than a deeper and larger than a pond. Light may not reach to pond. Light may not reach to the bottom of the lake. the bottom of the lake.

The richest habitat for wild foods The richest habitat for wild foods will be in the shallower areas will be in the shallower areas closer to the shoreline where closer to the shoreline where sunlight penetrates so sunlight penetrates so support plant growth. support plant growth. Shoreline vegetation provides Shoreline vegetation provides shade, as well as fallen shade, as well as fallen leaves and other organic litter leaves and other organic litter to help support an organic to help support an organic substrate on the lake bed.substrate on the lake bed. Lake Tahoe on the border between

California and Nevada. From Wikipedia Commons..

SloughsSloughs

A slough branches off a river and A slough branches off a river and may be a former channel. The may be a former channel. The bottom of the channel may be bottom of the channel may be silted up, so that water moves silted up, so that water moves slowly, and may be stagnant at slowly, and may be stagnant at time. time.

The Noyes slough in Fairbanks, The Noyes slough in Fairbanks, Alaska is frozen about 6 Alaska is frozen about 6 months of the year, but teems months of the year, but teems with live during spring and with live during spring and summer, providing habitat for summer, providing habitat for everything from insect larvae everything from insect larvae to ducks and beavers. to ducks and beavers.

Because of the slow movement of Because of the slow movement of water and shallow depths, a water and shallow depths, a slough is similar to pond.slough is similar to pond.

Noyes Slough, Fairbanks, Alaska. (Photo courtesy of the

U.S. Geological Survey)

Rivers and StreamsRivers and StreamsRivers and streams are often Rivers and streams are often

fast-moving. The river bed fast-moving. The river bed can be scoured by fast can be scoured by fast moving water, so that plants moving water, so that plants have difficulty taking root. Silt have difficulty taking root. Silt and sand carried by the water and sand carried by the water can scour rocks clean so that can scour rocks clean so that even algae has difficulty even algae has difficulty growing. The water may be growing. The water may be too turbulent for many small too turbulent for many small organisms.organisms.

Good habitat can sometimes be Good habitat can sometimes be found along a river bank or in found along a river bank or in other localized calm areas. other localized calm areas. Swift rivers and streams are Swift rivers and streams are not as good as ponds and not as good as ponds and other calm water bodies as other calm water bodies as sources of wild foods. sources of wild foods.

Photo from Wikipedia commons.

Backyard PondsBackyard Ponds

Constructing a backyard pond Constructing a backyard pond can be a good way to create can be a good way to create your own source of wild your own source of wild foods. foods.

If you live in a warm climate, If you live in a warm climate, placing some of your placing some of your angelfish in the pond during angelfish in the pond during summer months can provide summer months can provide them with free access to them with free access to graze throughout the day on graze throughout the day on insects that land on the insects that land on the water, and on insect larvae water, and on insect larvae and other creatures that will and other creatures that will appear in the pond. appear in the pond.

Picture from www.relaxingdecor.com/pond-installations.htm

Where can you find wild foods near Where can you find wild foods near you?you?

Think about what kinds of water bodies exist near Think about what kinds of water bodies exist near your home. Is there a stream or pond near your home. Is there a stream or pond near you? Do you have areas that collect rain water you? Do you have areas that collect rain water into puddles that last for weeks? Do you have into puddles that last for weeks? Do you have a backyard pond? Maybe you would like to a backyard pond? Maybe you would like to build a backyard pond?build a backyard pond?

In the next installment of this series, we will talk In the next installment of this series, we will talk about how you go about collecting wild foods. about how you go about collecting wild foods.

The EndThe End

Please return to the chat room for Please return to the chat room for discussion.discussion.