Effects of temperature on the early development, growth, and survival of shortnose sturgeon, acipenser brevirostrum, and Atlantic sturgeon, acipenser oxyrhynchus, yolk-sac larvae

We reared shortnose and Atlantic sturgeons at different temperatures after hatch and measured yolk utilization rate and efficiency (YUE), maximum standard length, survival and development of escape response. Newly hatched Atlantic sturgeon, were smaller in size, more efficient at utilizing yolk (inc...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Environmental biology of fishes 2004-06, Vol.70 (2), p.145-154
Main Authors: HARDY, Ryan S, LITVAK, Matthew K
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Acipenser brevirostrum
Acipenser oxyrhynchus
Agnatha. Pisces
Animal and plant ecology
Animal, plant and microbial ecology
Animals
Autoecology
Biological and medical sciences
Brackish
Developmental stages
Freshwater
Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology
Larvae
Marine
Temperature
Vertebrata
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Summary:We reared shortnose and Atlantic sturgeons at different temperatures after hatch and measured yolk utilization rate and efficiency (YUE), maximum standard length, survival and development of escape response. Newly hatched Atlantic sturgeon, were smaller in size, more efficient at utilizing yolk (incorporating yolk to body tissue) and reached developmental stages sooner than shortnose sturgeon reared at the same temperatures (13-15°C). Within each species, decreasing temperature delayed yolk absorption, escape initiation, time to reach maximum size, and time to 100% mortality. However, YUEs and the size of the larvae at these 'stages' were independent of rearing temperature for both species. These results suggest that even as temperature drives metabolic processes to speed up development, these two species are still extremely efficient at transferring yolk energy to body tissues. The lower efficiencies experienced by larval shortnose may reflect difference in yolk quality between the two species and/or the Atlantic sturgeon's higher conversion efficiency. The ability of these two sturgeon species to develop successfully and efficiently under a wide range in temperatures may provide a competitive advantage over more stenothermic species and explain their persistence through evolutionary time.[PUBLICATION ABSTRACT]
ISSN:0378-1909
1573-5133
DOI:10.1023/B:EBFI.0000029345.97187.5b