Aquatic Sciences Meeting, Albuquerque 2001

CS14 Fish and Fisheries: Environmental Quality and Ecology

Date: Thursday, February 15, 2001, Time: 3:00:00 PM

Location: Sandia/Santa Ana

Grønkjær, P, , Aarhus University , Aarhus, Denmark, peter.groenkjaer@biology.au.dk

Bochdansky, A, B, Queen's University, Kingston, Canada, bochdans@biology.queensu.ca

Leggett, W, C, Queen's University, Kingston, Canada,

ON THE LINK BETWEEN METABOLISM AND SURVIVAL IN A FOOD LIMITED ENVIRONMENT AS REVEALED BY EXAMINATION OF THE OTOLITH MICROSTRUCTURE IN LARVAL FISH

The observed dependence between high growth rate and survival may be due to a bias caused by sampling survivors only, because information on non-survivors is difficult to obtain in situ. We addressed this problem through a laboratory study in which we focussed our analysis on non-survivors in a gradient of food concentrations. Hatch check size and longevity in the food-constrained trials were negatively correlated reflecting the fact that larvae with a high metabolic rate (i.e. large hatch check size) run out of metabolic fuel earlier than larvae with a lower rate of metabolism. When fed at saturated levels, survival time was not negatively correlated with hatch check size. We conclude that the aragonite deposition rate in otoliths is indirectly related to growth rates via the close linkage between metabolism and growth. Larvae with high metabolic rates and high potential growth rates maintain a survival advantage only if food is abundant. If food becomes limiting, the survival probability of larvae with a high metabolism and a high growth potential is reduced relative to those metabolizing and growing at more moderate levels.

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Aquatic Sciences Meeting, Albuquerque 2001

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