Effect of temperature and salinity on otolith element incorporation in juvenile gray snapperLutjanus griseus

Otolith chemistry provides one approach for identifying the relative contribution of juveniles from different nursery habitats to adult populations. The goal of this study was to validate otolith element incorporation by quantifying the relation between otolith and water element concentrations (Sr/C...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Marine ecology. Progress series (Halstenbek) 2006-10, Vol.324, p.229-239
Main Authors: Martin, Gretchen Bath, Wuenschel, Mark J.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Aquatic habitats
Environmental chemistry
Fish
Otolith organs
Salinity
Signatures
Snapper
Water tanks
Water temperature
Young animals
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Summary:Otolith chemistry provides one approach for identifying the relative contribution of juveniles from different nursery habitats to adult populations. The goal of this study was to validate otolith element incorporation by quantifying the relation between otolith and water element concentrations (Sr/Ca, Mg/Ca, Mn/Ca, and Ba/Ca) as a function of differences in water temperature and salinity using juvenile gray snapperLutjanus griseus, a reef fish that inhabits estuarine and near-shore habitats as juveniles. We investigated the effects of 20 different temperature (18, 23, 28, 33°C) and salinity (5, 15, 25, 35, 45) combinations on otolith element incorporation (partition coefficientD) inL. griseus. Temperature and salinity had significant effects onD Srbut no significant effect onD MgorD Mn; however, salinity had a significant effect onD Ba. The broad range of temperatures and salinities used in the present study encompasses those occupied by juveniles in the wild and therefore provides a realistic test for using otolith chemistry to infer environmental history of individual gray snapper. Element incorporation and the effects of temperature and salinity on element incorporation differ among fish species, limiting development of generalized models aimed at predicting water chemistry from otolith chemistry. Thus, the data presented here underscore the necessity of validation experiments to translate species-specific elemental signatures in otoliths.
ISSN:0171-8630
1616-1599