Population biology of carp (Cyprinus carpio L.) in the mid-Murray River and Barmah Forest Wetlands, Australia

Abstract

The present study quantitatively describes a significant stock of carp (Cyprinus carpio L.), an exotic pest species, in a temperate riverine floodplain wetland. Intensity and duration of flooding influenced relative abundance, distribution and recruitment. Average growth (mm) in length was described with the von Bertalanffy growth model for males (L∞ = 489, k = 0.249, t0 = –0.519), and females (L∞ = 594, k = 0.177, t0 = –0.609) to age 28. Variation in growth was described with a lognormal distribution of k. Total mortality (Z year–1) was 0.268–0.407 for males, 0.311–0.422 for females, 3.24 for age-0 juveniles and 1.80 for age-1 juveniles. Natural mortality (M year–1) was 0.199 for males and 0.262 for females. Fishing mortality (F year–1) was <0.05 for males and 0.11–0.30 for females. Gonadal changes indicated extended spawning seasons peaking in September 1999 and October 2000. Median sizes and ages at initial maturation were 307 mm, 584 g and 1.1 years for males and 328 mm, 688 g and 2.7 years for females. Sex ratio varied significantly with age from equal as juveniles to a significant male-bias as adults. This description will enable better stock assessment and development of simulations that evaluate potential pest management strategies.

Recruitment and abundance of an invasive fish, the common carp, is driven by its propensity to invade and reproduce in basins that experience winter-time hypoxia in interconnected lakes

“…For example, this species is well known for its tolerance of a wide range of temperatures, salinities, and oxygen (Opuszynski et al 1989;Stecyk and Farrell 2007), mobility (Koblitskaya 1977;Brown et al 2005), omnivorous diet (Crivelli 1981), and extreme fecundity (Sivakumaran et al 2003). However, these life history characteristics are constant and cannot explain why carp should be extremely abundant in some locations and not in others.…”

Age determination in common carp Cyprinus carpio: history, relative utility of ageing structures, precision and accuracy

“…(1) refinement of validation of annulus counts on asterisci Winker et al 2010) and of microincrement counts on lapilli (Smith and Walker 2003); (2) implementation of related age-growth studies on both adult (Diggle et al 2004;Brown et al 2005;Coulter et al 2008;Bajer et al 2009;Winker et al 2011;Colvin et al 2012;Hutchison et al 2012;Amouei et al 2013) and 0 ? carp (Gilligan and Schiller 2003;Diggle et al 2004;Phelps 2006;Britton et al 2007;Phelps et al 2008;Hutchison et al 2012); (3) ageing structure comparisons (Yılmaz and Polat 2008;Yates et al 2016); and (4) biometrical studies of otolith to body length relationships (Bostanci 2009).…”

“…However, the majority of age-growth studies has relied on the sectioning method (Diggle et al 2004;Brown et al 2005;Coulter et al 2008;Bajer et al 2009;Winker et al 2011;Colvin et al 2012;Hutchison et al 2012;Amouei et al 2013), and only two of them have examined whole asterisci (Winker et al 2011). Whereas, the 'broken-and-burnt' method (www.afsc.noaa.gov/refm/age/procedures.…”

“…htm; accessed 30/12/2017) has so far been attempted for ageing structure comparisons only (Aydin et al 2009) (Table 2). Finally, in the majority of age-growth studies, otoliths have been used as the only ageing structure (Pinilla et al 1992;Brown et al 2003Brown et al , 2005Diggle et al 2004;Coulter et al 2008;Bajer et al 2009;Winker et al 2011), and less frequently in association with other hard parts (Colvin et al 2012;Lubinski et al 1984;Raina 1987;Vilizzi and Walker 1999) (Table S1 in Supporting Information).…”

“…of asterisci and, especially, lapilli) in carp, apart from being 'destructive', can be fairly involved relative to nonostariophysan fishes (Vilizzi and Walker 1999;Macdonald et al 2012), and if the sectioning method is being used, then further processing time is required (Vilizzi and Walker 1999;Brown et al 2005). In a comparative study of whole and sectioned asterisci (Vilizzi and Walker 1999), no substantial advantage was found in annulus identification using the sectioning method.…”