Brown trout Salmo trutta redd superimposition by spawning Lampetra species in a lowland stream

Abstract

Reproductive interaction between sympatric lampreys and salmonids was studied. The superimposition of brown trout Salmo trutta redds by spring-spawning river lamprey Lampetra fluviatilis and brook lamprey Lampetra planeri was examined in a small lowland stream of western Lithuania. A high superimposition rate of S. trutta redds by both L. fluviatilis (up to 83%) and L. planeri (up to 48%) was found, when the spawning intensity of Lampetra spp. was high. The occurrence of this phenomenon is the result of the overlap in the spawning habitat preferences at the reach-scale and at the microhabitat scale for the three species. One of the main requirements for Lampetra spp. spawning site selection was the negative streambed slope, an essential trait of the pool-riffle transitional zone. The structure of the salmonid redd created a considerable negative microhabitat slope suitable for Lampetra spp. spawning, which put the redds under a higher susceptibility to be superimposed. The timing of Lampetra spp. spawning overlapped closely with the emergence of S. trutta fry, suggesting a probable ecological effect of superimposition on S. trutta in the pre-emergent and emerging stages.

Simulation and empirical analysis of novel sibship-based genetic determination of fish passage

“…Examples of point distributions of reproduction include salmonid (Einum et al 2008) and lamprey (Nika and Virbickas 2010) redds or sculpin (Fiumera et al 2002) and stream salamander (Bruce 2005) nests. Dispersal of siblings from these point sources can be quantified from a genetic survey and subsequent assignment of individuals (parents and offspring) to family groups (Hudy et al 2010;Kanno et al 2011).…”

Egg drift and hatching success in European river lamprey Lampetra fluviatilis: is egg deposition in gravel vital to spawning success?

“…The optimum spawning habitat for river lamprey, as for salmonids, corresponds to areas with swift flow and gravel habitat (Malmqvist, ; Hardisty, ; Crisp and Carling, ; Jang and Lucas, ; Nika and Virbickas, ). However, contrary to salmonids, this study suggests that requirements for embryonic development and hatching of river lamprey eggs are less stringent and less dependent on the quality of spawning habitat.…”

“…Laboratory experiments were conducted in an aquarium facility at Durham University from 8–29 May 2008. The substrate, flow and dissolved oxygen conditions in the experimental treatments were similar to the conditions reported for relevant habitat types in lamprey field sites (Hardisty, ; Maitland, ; Jang and Lucas, ; Nika and Virbickas, ) and to those measured in situ in the field. Ambient temperature was maintained (mean ± SE) at 14.0 ± 0.07°C (range: 13.5–14.7°C) for the duration of the experiment to correspond with the water temperature expected at the spawning site during development.…”

“…As with other lamprey species, river lamprey spawn in areas with swift flow and gravel habitat (Jang and Lucas, 2005;Nika and Virbickas, 2010), typical of the conditions and topography in which lotic salmonids spawn (Nika and Virbickas, 2010) although the preferred particle size varies between lamprey species (Malmqvist, 1983;Hardisty, 1986a). Access to abundant, clean gravel substrate with a well-oxygenated flow of cool water has, therefore, been regarded as important to spawning success, population persistence and conservation of lamprey species, including river lamprey (Kelly and King, 2001;Maitland, 2003;Oliveira et al, 2004;Lucas et al, 2009).…”

Rehabilitation of two northern river lamprey (Lampetra fluviatilis) populations impacted by various anthropogenic pressures : lessons learnt in the past three decades

“…Knowledge regarding adult wintering is scarce, but it is probable that human-induced changes in hydromorphology and ice conditions are harmful for lampreys, as for various other fish species (Weber et al 2013). In the spring, lampreys spawn in swift-running water on a substratum consisting of gravel that is sometimes mixed with sand and cobbles Lucas 2005, Nika andVirbickas 2010). The decreased amount of suitable spawning habitat, as a result of anthropogenic impacts, has been regarded as a limiting factor for lamprey populations (Ojutkangas et al 1995, Lucas et al 2009, but Silva et al (2015) have suggested that river lamprey egg development does not require as stringent conditions as for salmonid fish.…”