Growth, reproduction, and feeding oF Fundulus heteroclitus (L.) on a North Carolina salt marsh

Kneib, R. T.; Stiven, Alan E.

doi:10.1016/0022-0981(78)90125-9

Cited by 174 publications

(125 citation statements)

References 16 publications

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“…Silversides are selective diurnal planktivores occurring primarily in open waters, ranging from 0-36~o (Bayliff 1950). The kiUifish feeds opportunistically on a variety of prey, including armored prey (Kneib and Stiven 1978), and occurs throughout the estuary (Weinstein 1979). Thus, both of these wide-ranging predators should encounter the six species of decapod larvae in the estuary during the breeding season of the crabs.…”

Section: Selection Of Experimental Organismsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Thus, both of these wide-ranging predators should encounter the six species of decapod larvae in the estuary during the breeding season of the crabs. Furthermore, fishes hatch and develop in the estuary during spring and summer when crabs do (Kneib and Stiven 1978;Middaugh 1981), so that zoeae would be subject to larval fish predation.…”

Section: Selection Of Experimental Organismsmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Morphological and behavioral antipredatory adaptations of decapod zoeae

Morgan

1987

Oecologia

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Summary. Zoeae of some species of estuarine decapods are retained in the estuary throughout development while others are exported into nearshore coastal waters. The horizontal migrations of decapod zoeae to coastal waters may have evolved to reduce the probability of encountering planktivorous fishes which are most abundant in the estuary. If so, then the morphological vulnerability of zoeae to fish predation should be inversely related to the number of predators occurring where they develop. Six species of estuarine decapod zoeae were offered to Menidia menidia and Fundulus heteroclitus. The behavioral interactions were observed to determine the prey's vulnerability to predation, and the mode of operation and relative effectiveness of their defenses. Feeding trials and behavioral observations both demonstrated that M. menidia 6-16 mm long preferred Uca minax and Callinectes sapidus zoeae, which are exported from the estuary, to Rhithropanopeus harrisii, Sesarma reticulatum and Palaemonetes pugio, which are retained within estuaries. Pinnotheres ostreum zoeae develop in the lower estuary and fish demonstrated an intermediate preference for the zoeae. Menidia menidia 20-40 mm long showed similar preferences for R. harrisii, S. reticulatum, P. ostreum and U. minax as did small silversides. Large-mouthed demersal fish, Fundulus heteroclitus 6-10 mm long, also preferred U. minax to R. harrisii, but more readily preyed on zoeae than did M. menidia. The exported species of zoeae have shorter spines and smaller bodies than do retained zoeae, except P. ostreum which is small, spineless and passively sinks when attacked by fish. Other retained species of zoeae also have postcontact behavioral defenses which enhance the effectiveness of their morphological defenses. Zoeae do not evade attacks by fishes, but fishes quickly learned to avoid zoeae, which increases the effectiveness of the zoeae's antipredatory adaptations.

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Section: Selection Of Experimental Organismsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Selection Of Experimental Organismsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Morphological and behavioral antipredatory adaptations of decapod zoeae

Morgan

1987

Oecologia

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“…Interestingly, fish in inflow field enclosures grew at rates approaching those held under laboratory conditions (ad libitum feeding, no predation, stable water temperature), suggesting that inflow marshes provided a highly favorable growth environment for Gambusia affinis. G. affinis in inflow marshes grew at a similar rate to that of other estuarine residents (G. affinis, Wurtsbaugh & Cech 1983; Fundulus heteroclitus, Kneib & Stiven 1978) and transient species (Sciaenops ocellatus, Stunz et al 2002;Leiostomus xanthurus, Weinstein & Walters 1981;Pseudopleuronectes americanus, Sogard 1992, Meng et al 2000Tautoga onitis, Sogard 1992 inflow throughout the pulse event, and G. affinis in inflow marshes contained similar amounts of energy to other species of forage fish (Perez 1994, Tierney et al 2002, Wanless et al 2005. Weekly field-collection results showed a significant increase in energy density in fish captured in the inflow area during Weeks 1 through 3 of the freshwater pulse, while all other indices showed greater fish size and condition in reference marshes.…”

Section: Growth and Habitat Qualitymentioning

confidence: 82%

Using Gambusia affinis growth and condition to assess estuarine habitat quality: a comparison of indices

Piazza¹,

Peyre²

2010

Mar. Ecol. Prog. Ser.

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Numerous indices have been used to estimate fish growth and condition; however, differences in sensitivity and reliability of the methods have hampered efforts to identify appropriate indicators for routine evaluation of habitat quality in the field. We compared common morphometric (length, weight, somatic growth, length-weight condition) and biochemical (RNA:DNA ratio, relative DNA content, energy density) growth indices on the same wild-caught mosquitofish Gambusia affinis to examine their usefulness as indicators of habitat quality. A laboratory experiment was used to quantify growth rates of wild-caught G. affinis under different feeding treatments. Field studies consisted of both a short-term enclosure experiment (10 d) and weekly (7 wk) fish collections to compare growth indices in managed inflow and reference marshes during a winter/spring freshwater pulse event in upper Breton Sound, Louisiana, USA. Marshes flooded by restored freshwater pulses were capable of producing optimum growth (0.001 g DW d -1; DW = dry weight) and energetically valuable habitat (> 6000 cal g -1 DW) for trophic transport. Because of differences in timing of response, morphometric and biochemical indices were generally not directly correlated, but there was clear agreement in direction and magnitude of response. The most striking difference in timing was that biochemical indices (RNA:DNA) responded more slowly to treatments than did morphometric growth indices. While gross patterns are comparable between indicators, differences in sensitivity and response time between indicators suggest that choice of indicator needs to be accounted for in interpretation and analysis of effects.KEY WORDS: Growth · Energy density · RNA:DNA ratio · Resident species · Poeciliidae · Estuary · Fish · Louisiana Resale or republication not permitted without written consent of the publisherMar Ecol Prog Ser 412: [231][232][233][234][235][236][237][238][239][240][241][242][243][244][245] 2010 some methods have hampered efforts to identify appropriate indicators for routine evaluation of habitat quality in the field.Increasing threats to fish populations arising from both natural events and anthropogenic activities have led to extensive estuarine restoration activities around the world and a critical need for appropriate indicators to assess the relationship between restored and altered habitat and their associated fish populations (Madon 2008). In particular, restoration in large-river delta environments (e.g. Williamson River Delta, Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta, Mississippi River Delta) often focuses on the reconnection of the riverine flood events that provide extended access to highquality, ephemerally flooded estuarine habitats for transient and resident fishes (Kneib 2000). These flooded habitats have been shown to be functionally valuable for fish growth due to an abundance of high quality food sources (Madon 2008). In coastal Louisiana, the Caernarvon Freshwater Diversion (Caernarvon) is one such project that restores the annual s...

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“…Fundulus is an omnivore, ingesting mostly benthic animals and some plant fragments and diatoms (Bigelow and Schroeder, 1953;Kneib and Stiven, 1978). During some seasons of the year its preferred foods are scarce, and benthic diatoms can constitute an important part of its diet.…”

Section: Coullmentioning

confidence: 99%

Snail grazing effects on the composition and metabolism of benthic diatom communities and subsequent effects on fish growth

Connor¹

1980

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Growth, reproduction, and feeding oF Fundulus heteroclitus (L.) on a North Carolina salt marsh

Cited by 174 publications

References 16 publications

Morphological and behavioral antipredatory adaptations of decapod zoeae

Morphological and behavioral antipredatory adaptations of decapod zoeae

Using Gambusia affinis growth and condition to assess estuarine habitat quality: a comparison of indices

Snail grazing effects on the composition and metabolism of benthic diatom communities and subsequent effects on fish growth

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