Spatial and temporal patterns of juvenile stone flounder Kareius bicoloratus growth rates during and after settlement
Year: 1996
Type: article
Abstract: Spatial and temporal differences In habitat characteristics of coastal nursery grounds can have a large ~m p a c t on growth rate survival, and subsequent recruitment of species w ~t h e s t u a r ~n edependent early life history stages Stone flounder Karelus bicoloratus IS a temperate North Pacific flatfish species characterized by large recruitment variability and an estuanne-dependent juvenile stage Post-larvae settle from m ~d -J a n u a r y to early Apnl In inshore and estuanne nursery grounds, and luveniles subsequently rnove farther inshore using selective t ~d a l stream transport Laboratory btud~es were conducted to determine the s e n s i t ~v ~t y of juven~le stone flounder growth rates to changes In temperature and feeding rates at conditions common durlng settlement (8°C) and post-settlement (12cC) The relat~onship between RNA DNA ratio and growth rate {+as developed in the laboratory, and was used to measure in sltu growth rates of juven~les from 5 dltferent habltats durinq settlement (March) and after (April) Juvenile stone tlounder in the laboratory giew reldt~vely quickly feeding ad l ~b ~t u m at 8°C(4 1 body xveiqht d l ) and 12°C (7 O", bw d 'I, but growth rate was very sensitive to changes in feeding rate at both temperatures Growth rdte of starved juven~les was not significantly different between 8 and 12°C and averaged -1 3 % bw d ' RN,\ DNA ratios were good pred~ctors of growth rate (R--0 881, with temperature as a covariate In situ growth rates at all 5 stat~ons ( 1 estuary 1 seagrass bed, and 3 deeper inshore settlement areas) were higher In Apnl than in March In sltu growth rates were hlghest during both months at the low-salinity estuanne s t a t ~o n w h e ~e fish had h ~g h e s t gut fullnesses Growth rates wele also h ~g h at a deeper inshore station near a sewage treatment outfall characterized by higher prey abundances than those typically found in open water aleas of Sendai Bay, Japan Growth rates were consistently lowest at the vegetated (Zostera spp bed) habitat, although retention In this h a b ~t a t between March and April was hlgh Spatial differences In s e d ~m e n t grain slze and prey abundances may be the primary factors responsible for the large vanability In habltat-specific growth rates Temperature-corrected compansons of growth l i m ~t a t ~o n suggest that d ~s c r e t e habitats maintaln their relative values as nursery grounds over tune although the magnitude of growth llm~tation was much g ~e a t e r durlng settlement (March) than post-settlement (Aprll) KEY WORDS Stone flounder Kareius bicoloratus Growth Habitat RNA:DNA .
Source: Marine Ecology Progress Series
DOI: 10.3354/meps131049
Authors: KD Malloy, Y Yamashita, H Yamada, TE Targett
Institution: Japan Fisheries Research and Education Agency
Language: English
Subfield: Aquatic Science
Domain: Life Sciences
SDG: Life below water
Open Access status: bronze
OpenAlex ID: W2081600550