PRIMARY RESEARCH PAPER Influence of local-scale abiotic and biotic factors on stress and nutrition in invasive silver carp Stephanie A. Liss • Greg G. Sass • Cory D. Suski Received: 26 January 2014 / Revised: 30 March 2014 / Accepted: 4 April 2014 Ó Springer International Publishing Switzerland 2014 Abstract Community structure and dynamics in aquatic ecosystems are influenced by a variety of abiotic and biotic factors including productivity, species composition, and temperature. These factors may also affect local-scale community resilience to nonnative species invasions. We used habitat charac- teristics, zooplankton concentrations, fish abundances, and species composition and richness data collected by two fish population monitoring programs to define relationships that influence stress and nutrition in invasive silver carp (Hypophthalmichthys molitrix). We collected blood samples and quantified nutritional (alkaline phosphatase, cholesterol, protein, and tri- glycerides) and stress metrics (cortisol and glucose) from individuals across three distinct time periods. Nutritional patterns in silver carp were explained by temperature and food resources, indicating elevated feeding in warmer months. Patterns in blood-based stress parameters were most strongly driven by environmental characteristics, elevating with high water temperatures and increased turbidity. Nutrient levels and community richness parameters did not influence the stress or condition of silver carp, likely due to the absence of limiting resources or competition for this species. Together, our results provide insights into the factors that may influence the spread and distribution of silver carp, as well as the characteristics of habitats that could be vulnerable to future silver carp invasion. Keywords Competition Á Conservation Á Environmental characteristics Á Invasion Á Nonnative species Introduction Several theories contribute to our understanding of community structure and dynamics, with numerous hypotheses describing the range of complex interac- tions and interrelationships among species and their habitats (Tonn, 1990; Tilman, 2004). Community interactions may be driven by local-scale factors including biotic processes (e.g., competition for limiting resources, species richness/composition) and/or abiotic processes (e.g., habitat complexity) (Tonn & Magnuson, 1982; Tonn, 1990). Greater species richness may improve ecosystem resiliency Handling editor: M. Power S. A. Liss Illinois Natural History Survey, 1816 S. Oak Street, Champaign, IL 61820, USA S. A. Liss (&) Á C. D. Suski University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 1102 South Goodwin Avenue, Urbana, IL 61801, USA e-mail: s.liss4@gmail.com G. G. Sass Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, 3110 Trout Lake Station Drive Boulder Junction, Madison, WI 54512, USA 123 Hydrobiologia DOI 10.1007/s10750-014-1880-y