Population density and zooplankton biomass influence anadromous juvenile river herring growth in freshwater lakes

Anadromous river herring populations, collectively alewife ( Alosa pseudoharengus ) and blueback herring ( Alosa aestivalis ), have experienced a multi-century decline in abundance and distribution. These declines have been attributed in part to anthropogenic threats in freshwater ecosystems (e.g.,...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Environmental biology of fishes 2024-07, Vol.107 (7), p.755-770
Main Authors: Devine, Matthew T., Bittner, Steven, Roy, Allison H., Gahagan, Benjamin I., Armstrong, Michael P., Jordaan, Adrian
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Alosa aestivalis
Animal Systematics/Taxonomy/Biogeography
Anthropogenic factors
Aquatic ecosystems
Biomass
Biomedical and Life Sciences
Chlorophyll a
Environment
Environmental restoration
Fish populations
Freshwater
Freshwater & Marine Ecology
Freshwater ecosystems
Freshwater lakes
Growth rate
Habitat fragmentation
Habitats
Human influences
Inland water environment
Life cycle
Life cycle assessment
Life Sciences
Mixed layer depth
Nature Conservation
Nutrients
Otoliths
Plankton
Population density
Productivity
Restoration
Rivers
Stock assessment
Thermocline
Variability
Water depth
Water pollution
Water quality
Watershed management
Zoology
Zooplankton
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Summary:Anadromous river herring populations, collectively alewife ( Alosa pseudoharengus ) and blueback herring ( Alosa aestivalis ), have experienced a multi-century decline in abundance and distribution. These declines have been attributed in part to anthropogenic threats in freshwater ecosystems (e.g., habitat fragmentation, overharvest, water pollution, watershed development). An understanding of variability in juvenile productivity and growth is critical to developing restoration approaches. We characterized variability in juvenile river herring growth among 11 freshwater lakes in the northeastern USA. We used age estimates from otoliths and length measurements to calculate growth rates of juvenile river herring ( n  = 1452). We tested the effects of juvenile river herring densities, zooplankton (biomass and size), habitat area (based on thermocline depth), and water quality (temperature, nutrients, chlorophyll a ) on juvenile growth. Mean monthly growth rates ranged from 0.56 to 1.41 mm/d and typically increased throughout the summer. Increased juvenile growth was best predicted by lower juvenile density ( β  =  − 0.104, P  
ISSN:0378-1909
1573-5133
DOI:10.1007/s10641-024-01565-8