Growth and condition indices in juvenile sole Solea solea measured to assess the quality of essential fish habitat

Amara, Rachid; Méziane, Tarik; Gilliers, C.; Hermel, G.; Laffargue, Pascal

doi:10.3354/meps07154

Cited by 143 publications

(100 citation statements)

References 31 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Unclassified

Order By: Relevance

“…Comparisons of perturbed and unperturbed habitats help identify useful biological indicators. In a recent study carried out in the Eastern English Channel, Amara et al (2007) showed that shallow coastal nurseries with the highest amount of sediment chemical contaminants had the lowest habitat quality. Sole juveniles (Solea solea) had the slowest growth rate and the lowest condition indices in the Bay of Seine and near industrialized harbour areas (Dunkerque, Calais and Boulogne) and the highest condition indices at the Authie, Canche and Somme coastal areas.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 98%

“…These two estuaries are not impacted by any important human activity and are considered as clean estuaries (Durou et al, 2007;Amara et al, 2007). The Seine estuary is the largest megatidal estuary in the English Channel, covering approximately 150 km 2 at high tide.…”

Section: Study Area and Samplingmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…High quality nursery habitats are assumed to be those where growth, condition and survival of juvenile fish are enhanced (Gibson, 1994). Hence, estimations of growth and condition of young fish have been used as a means to assess the effects of environmental stressors on individuals in order to appreciate their habitat quality (Phelan et al, 2000;Amara et al, 2007;Vinagre et al, 2008b). Differences in fish growth rates have been observed along an anthropogenic gradient (Burke et al, 1993;Meng et al, 2001) and between coastal areas with differing levels of nutrients and human development (Able et al, 1999;Meng et al, 2000).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 2 more Smart Citations

Growth and condition of 0-group European flounder, Platichthys flesus as indicator of estuarine habitat quality

Amara

Selleslagh

Billon³

et al. 2009

Hydrobiologia

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

The purpose of this present study was to use the growth rates, RNA-DNA ratio and morphometric (Fulton's K) condition indices measured on 0-group juveniles European flounder, as a means of comparing the quality of estuarine nursery habitats. The Seine estuary, heavily impacted by manmade modifications and one of the most contaminated in Europe, was compared to two smaller estuaries considered as clean (low domestic, agricultural and industrial effluents). Indicators of human disturbance (sediment chemical contaminants) as well as biotic data (macrobenthos abundances) were used to establish between-site differences in environmental quality. The abundance of macrobenthos (potential preys for juvenile) was high and not significantly different among the three estuaries confirming the important role played by estuaries as feeding grounds. Sediment metal concentrations (Cd, Cr, Cu, Pb, Zn) were significantly higher in the Seine than in the Canche and Authie estuaries. Otolith growth was closely related to somatic fish growth, and we used daily otolith increments from the previous 10 days before capture as an indicator of 0-group flounder recent growth (RG). RG did not vary significantly among flounders from the Canche and Authie estuaries and individuals from the Seine had slower RG. RNA-DNA ratio and K values were also significantly lower in individuals from the Seine compared to those of the Authie or the Canche. Pollution (e.g. metal contaminants) is the most likely cause of growth and condition differences among estuaries. The results of this study suggest that habitat-specific fish growth and condition are useful proxies for habitat quality since they integrate the effect of multiple environmental factors.

show abstract

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 98%

Section: Study Area and Samplingmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 1 more Smart Citation

Growth and condition of 0-group European flounder, Platichthys flesus as indicator of estuarine habitat quality

Amara

Selleslagh

Billon³

et al. 2009

Hydrobiologia

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…Growth is inextricably linked to mortality in the early life stage, which is supported by the general inverse relationship be tween size of an individual fish and its risk of mortality (Zijlstra et al 1982, Beverton & Iles 1992, Sogard 1997. This has motivated the use of fish growth as a suitable index to assess habitat quality (Brandt 1993, Able et al 1999, Le Pape et al 2003, Amara et al 2007). …”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Latitudinal trends in habitat quality of shallow‑water flatfish nurseries

Freitas¹,

Kooijman²,

Veer³

2012

Mar. Ecol. Prog. Ser.

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

The habitat quality of European shallow-water nurseries was studied for 3 common flatfish species based on juvenile growth conditions. Field growth of 0-group plaice Pleuronectes platessa, flounder Platichthys flesus and sole Solea solea, from both published and unpublished studies, was compared with maximum growth predicted by a bioenergetics model based on the dynamic energy budget theory. In plaice and flounder, realized growth ratio decreased consistently during the growing season in most of the nurseries analyzed, indicating a widespread pattern of declining conditions. In sole, growth performance was not maximal, but as opposed to the other species, no clear temporal trend in realized growth ratio was observed. A latitudinal comparison of realized growth ratio over the various nurseries indicated clear positive trends for plaice and flounder, with better growth conditions at northern latitudes. In sole, despite some variability, the same trend was found during part of the summer. In the absence of clear gradients in benthic prey biomass, we hypothesize that increased food limitation in southern locations is most likely caused by interspecific competition reducing maximum individual intake rates. These results suggest that, in the context of global warming, habitat quality of southern European nurseries for juvenile growth may be particularly affected by the combined interaction of food and thermal constraints.

show abstract

“…Juveniles benefit from the favourable conditions (water temperature, food availability and refuge from predators) in estuarine nursery areas which allow for enhanced growth and survival (Gibson, 1994;Beck et al, 2001). However, they also face demanding environmental conditions, both of natural origin, such as salinity variations and the consequent physiological demands, and human origin, such as pollution loads, which degrade habitat quality and may negatively affect individual fitness, maximum growth rates and ultimately survival (Meng et al, 2001;Amara et al, 2007;Le Pape et al, 2007). Variations in habitat quality, growth and survival during early life history stages influence connectivity with adult subpopulations (Gibson, 1994;van der Veer et al, 1994).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Trace metals (Cu, Zn, Cd and Pb) in juvenile fish from estuarine nurseries along the Portuguese coast

Vasconcelos¹,

Patrick²,

Maia³

et al. 2011

Sci. Mar.

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

SUMMARY: Organic and inorganic pollution can impact organisms directly and affect condition, growth and survival of juvenile fish which use estuaries as nurseries, and thereby affect marine adult populations quantitatively and qualitatively. Trace element contamination (Cu, Zn, Cd, Pb) in juveniles of commercial fish Solea solea, Solea senegalensis, Platichthys flesus, Diplodus vulgaris and Dicentrarchus labrax collected in putative nurseries of the main Portuguese estuaries (with diverse intensities and sources of anthropogenic pressures) was determined via atomic absorption spectrometry. Contamination was significantly different among species. Similar levels of contamination were found among estuaries, except for D. vulgaris. Cu and Zn concentrations ranged from 1.0 to 2.1 and 14 to 59 µg g -1 muscle dry weight respectively; while Cd and Pb concentrations were very low. The results indicate that juvenile migration to off-shore habitats is associated with low export of contamination, and no particular estuary increases the potential contamination of adult stocks. This knowledge is of the utmost importance in view of the ecological and economical value of these species and their use of estuarine areas as nurseries.Keywords: juveniles, nursery grounds, populations, anthropogenic effects, heavy metals. RESUMEN: Metales traza (Cu, Zn, Cd y Pb) en peces juveniles de las guarderías estuáricas a lo largo de la costa portuguesa. -La contaminación orgánica e inorgánica puede afectar a los organismos, a saber al estado fisiológico, crecimiento y supervivencia de los peces juveniles los cuales utilizan los estuarios como guarderías; afectando de forma cuantitativa y cualitativa a la poblaciones marinas adultas. La contaminación de elementos traza (Cu, Zn, Cd, Pb) en las formas juveniles de los peces comerciales Solea solea, Solea senegalensis, Platichthys flesus, Diplodus vulgaris y Dicentrarchus labrax recolectados en guarderías putativas de los principales estuarios portugueses (con diversos tipos e intensidades de presiones antropogénicas) fueron determinados por espectrometría de absorción atómica. La contaminación era significativamente diferente entre especies. Sobre todo se encontraron niveles similares de contaminación entre estuarios, excepto para D. vulgaris. Las concentraciones de Cu y Zn oscilaban desde 1.0 a 2.1 y desde 14 a 59 µg g -1 peso seco muscular, respectivamente, mientras que las concentraciones de Cd y Pb eran muy bajas. Los resultados indican que la migración de los juveniles a mar abierto está asociada a la baja exportación de la contaminación y que los estuarios no amplifican particularmente el potencial de contaminación de los adultos. En vista del valor ecológico y económico de estas especies y del uso de las zonas estuáricas como guarderías, este conocimiento es de vital importancia.

show abstract

Growth and condition indices in juvenile sole Solea solea measured to assess the quality of essential fish habitat

Cited by 143 publications

References 31 publications

Growth and condition of 0-group European flounder, Platichthys flesus as indicator of estuarine habitat quality

Growth and condition of 0-group European flounder, Platichthys flesus as indicator of estuarine habitat quality

Latitudinal trends in habitat quality of shallow‑water flatfish nurseries

Trace metals (Cu, Zn, Cd and Pb) in juvenile fish from estuarine nurseries along the Portuguese coast

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About