The effect of temperature and somatic growth on otolith growth: the discrepancy between two clupeid species from a similar environment

Abstract

Otolith growth rates of the early life stages of herring Clupea harengus (n ¼ 472) and smelt Osmerus eperlanus (n ¼ 348) collected in the Vistula Lagoon (Baltic Sea) during 1997-1999 were analysed. The larvae and early juveniles were not only collected in the same geographical area they were also of the same size (range 15-43 mm standard length, L S ), similar ages and were collected during the same seasons (May to July). Although the two clupeid species experienced very similar environmental conditions, there were significant discrepancies in the analysed relationships. The otolith growth of larval and juvenile smelt was very strongly related to somatic growth while temperature had a minor effect. In herring, the effect of somatic growth, although clearly visible and statistically highly significant, was of less importance than temperature. Furthermore, variation in the otolith size and L S relationship was affected by temperature and somatic growth in both species, but the variance of otolith size at L S was higher for herring than for smelt. Although growth backcalculation from otoliths can presently be recommended as an appropriate method for use with both smelt and herring (despite possibly lower precision and accuracy with the latter), other methods referring directly to short-term increment width changes (e.g. marginal increment analysis) are recommended for smelt but not for herring.

Temperature and Somatic Growth Effects on Otolith Growth of Larval Atlantic Menhaden, <I>Brevoortia Tyrannus</I> (Actinopterygii: Clupeiformes: Clupeidae)

“…It was suggested by Mosegard et al (1988) that the acceleration of otolith size is increased in higher temperature as a result of increased metabolic rate, especially if the temperature increases above optimum value for growth. For example, increase of temperature above optimum in shallow and warm waters of Vistula Lagoon was a reason of decoupling observed for Baltic herring otolith growth dependence on temperature (Fey 2005(Fey , 2006. However, this hypothesis about overoptimal temperature Otolith growth of larval menhaden 219 Fig.…”

“…Results of the above studies are in agreement with the main conclusion of the current research-otolith growth dependence on somatic growth-and support the value of using otoliths in somatic growth analysis Despite the evidence supporting the existence of a significant relation between fish growth and otolith growth, species-or environment-related differences can be expected. For example, Fey (2006) showed that the same environmental conditions (temperature and zooplankton) affect otolith growth differently in two co-occurring pelagic species, European smelt, Osmerus eperlanus (L.), and Atlantic herring, Clupea harengus L. For smelt, Fig. 2.…”

“…No validation for somatic growthotolith growth relation has been conducted for older captive menhaden and none for a free living Atlantic menhaden. As shown by Fey (2006) for two pelagic species co-occurring in the same environment (herring and smelt), there is a necessity to evaluate the somatic growth effect on otolith growth independently for each species. Therefore, there is still a need for such study for Atlantic menhaden.…”

“…Conclusion. Back-calculation of growth from otoliths of larval and early juvenile Atlantic menhaden is justified but less accurate estimates can be expected for the slowest growing individuals due to the independent temperature effect on otolith growth.Keywords: Brevoortia tyrannus, fish larvae, menhaden, otolith growth, somatic growth tion can be affected by other factors (e.g., the rate of somatic growth and temperature, Mosegard et al 1988, Secor et al 1989, Fey 2001, 2006, Takasuka et al 2008). In addition, Thorrold and Hare (2002) demonstrated in a simple simulation that otolith and somatic size could be positively correlated even if the relation between otolith and somatic growth is negative.…”

Factors influencing growth of Acanthopagrus butcheri (Sparidae) in a eutrophic estuary have changed over time

“…The results of several studies suggest, however, that, at least in some species, direct coupling does not occur, with, for example, otoliths continuing to grow after growth in body size has largely or entirely ceased and sometimes respond to environmental factors in different ways than body size (e.g. Fey, 2006;Wilson et al, 2009;Réveillac et al, 2015).…”