Body size mediated effects of multiple abiotic stressors on the growth and social behaviour of an estuarine fish, Australian Bass (Macquaria novemaculeata)

Anthropogenic climate change is expected to result in dramatic shifts in the abiotic conditions within estuaries, including an elevation of temperature and salinity levels. Even so, few studies have addressed the impacts of multiple abiotic stressors on the behaviour and life history of key estuarin...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Environmental biology of fishes 2016-01, Vol.99 (1), p.95-104
Main Authors: O’Mara, Kaitlyn M, Wong, Marian Y. L
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Abiotic stress
aggression
Animal behavior
animal growth
Animal populations
Animal Systematics/Taxonomy/Biogeography
Anthropogenic factors
Bass
Biomedical and Life Sciences
Body size
Brackish
Climate change
Environment
Environmental impact
Estuaries
estuarine fish
Experimental design
Freshwater & Marine Ecology
High temperature
Indigenous species
juveniles
Life history
Life Sciences
Macquaria novemaculeata
Nature Conservation
Physical growth
Salinity
Social behavior
temperature
Zoology
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Summary:Anthropogenic climate change is expected to result in dramatic shifts in the abiotic conditions within estuaries, including an elevation of temperature and salinity levels. Even so, few studies have addressed the impacts of multiple abiotic stressors on the behaviour and life history of key estuarine species, such as those of biological and commercial importance. Here we used a cross-factored experimental design to tease apart the effects of temperature and salinity on intraspecific aggression and growth rates of a native estuarine fish species, the Australian bass (Macquaria novemaculeata). Juvenile bass were exposed to one of four treatment conditions: 1) baseline temperature and salinity, 2) elevated temperature, 3) elevated salinity, and 4) elevated temperature and salinity. Elevated salinity increased rates of aggression, and elevated temperature decreased rates of growth, although the effects of both factors were mediated by the body size of individual bass. These results therefore highlight complex and variable effects of abiotic stressors and body size, emphasising the importance of considering individual-level attributes when evaluating the impacts of climate change on estuarine fishes.
ISSN:0378-1909
1573-5133
DOI:10.1007/s10641-015-0458-5