Feeding ecology of early life stages of striped bass (Morone saxatilis) along an estuarine salinity-turbidity gradient, St. Lawrence Estuary, Canada

2019 ◽  
Vol 41 (4) ◽  
pp. 507-520 ◽  
Author(s):  
L Vanalderweireldt ◽  
P Sirois ◽  
M Mingelbier ◽  
G Winkler
Keyword(s):  
Striped Bass ◽  
Feeding Ecology ◽  
Early Life ◽  
Morone Saxatilis ◽  
Early Summer ◽  
Gut Contents ◽  
Life Stages ◽  
Early Life Stages ◽  
Lawrence Estuary ◽  
Feeding Niche

Abstract After being extirpated from the St. Lawrence River in the 1960s, striped bass (Morone saxatilis) were reintroduced to the estuary in 2002 and by 2008, they were naturally reproducing. To document the habitat use and feeding ecology of this reintroduced population, we examined the gut contents of 333 larvae and juveniles. Samples were collected in four estuarine habitats in 2014: the upstream freshwater section (UP), the oligohaline (O-ETM) and the mesohaline (M-ETM) estuarine turbidity maximum zones, and the downstream polyhaline section (DOWN). In June, pelagic larvae developed in the UP and the O-ETM, feeding mainly on copepods such as Eurytemora affinis. The O-ETM exhibited better suitable feeding conditions compared to the UP, likely due to the presence of Bosmina sp. as a primary prey. After July, striped bass shifted to larger prey items, consuming mainly dipteran pupa in upstream littoral habitats and gammarids and mysids in downstream habitats. In the early summer, the UP provided a high-quality nursery habitat and as the season progressed, the smallest juveniles dispersed downstream and improved their feeding success by exploiting a new feeding niche. This observation suggests that being distributed throughout the estuary may increase the potential survival of striped bass early life stages.

Habitat use by early life stages of the re-established striped bass and conspecific fish species along the St. Lawrence estuary

2020 ◽  
Vol 237 ◽  
pp. 106696
Author(s):  
L. Vanalderweireldt ◽  
G. Winkler ◽  
E.L. Forget-Lacoursière ◽  
M. Mingelbier ◽  
P. Sirois
Keyword(s):  
Habitat Use ◽  
Striped Bass ◽  
Fish Species ◽  
Early Life ◽  
Life Stages ◽  
Early Life Stages ◽  
Lawrence Estuary ◽  
St Lawrence Estuary

Effects of dechlorination on early life stages of striped bass (Morone saxatilis)

1981 ◽  
Vol 15 (5) ◽  
pp. 573-578 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lenwood W. Hall ◽  
Dennis T. Burton ◽  
William C. Graves ◽  
Stuart L. Margrey
Keyword(s):  
Striped Bass ◽  
Early Life ◽  
Morone Saxatilis ◽  
Life Stages ◽  
Early Life Stages

Acute Toxicity of Salt Cavern Brine on Early Life Stages of Striped Bass (Morone saxatilis)

2019 ◽  
Vol 78 (1) ◽  
pp. 124-136
Author(s):  
Juan Manríquez-Hernández ◽  
Hayden M. Breau ◽  
James Duston
Keyword(s):  
Acute Toxicity ◽  
Striped Bass ◽  
Early Life ◽  
Morone Saxatilis ◽  
Life Stages ◽  
Early Life Stages ◽  
Salt Cavern

Relationships among Early Life Stages of Morone americana and Morone saxatilis from Long-Term Monitoring of the Hudson River Estuary

1993 ◽  
Vol 50 (9) ◽  
pp. 1976-1985 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael L. Pace ◽  
Stephen B. Baines ◽  
Hélène Cyr ◽  
John A. Downing
Keyword(s):  
Early Life ◽  
River Estuary ◽  
Morone Saxatilis ◽  
Hudson River ◽  
Yolk Sac ◽  
Hudson River Estuary ◽  
Life Stages ◽  
Morone Americana ◽  
Early Life Stages ◽  
Abundance Estimates

Annual abundances of eggs, yolk-sac larvae (YSL), post-yolk-sac larvae (PYSL), and young-of-the-year (YOY) stages of Morone americana and Morone saxatilis are summarized from a 17-yr monitoring program in the Hudson River Estuary. Variability in temperature and freshwater flow in the Hudson River explained little of the interannual variation of early life stages of either species. Year class strength as indicated by the abundance of early life stages does not appear to be strongly influenced by environmental conditions. YSL were positively related to the abundance of eggs, but these relationships were weak, reflecting the high uncertainty in egg abundance estimates. There were positive relationships between the abundances of YSL and PYSL for both species. Our analysis implies that interannual variability in mortality is less important in determining recruitment to PYSL than the abundance of the prior life stages. There was no relationship, however, between the abundance estimates of PYSL and YOY. Differential mortality among years during the larval stage may result in juvenile recruitment being independent of larval abundance. A second possibility is that YOY are poorly sampled so that the monitoring programs currently provide inadequate estimates of the abundance of YOY.

Changes in spatial and temporal variability of prey affect functional connectivity of larval and juvenile cod

2017 ◽  
Vol 74 (6) ◽  
pp. 1826-1837 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. Gregory Lough ◽  
Elisabeth A. Broughton ◽  
Trond Kristiansen
Keyword(s):  
Spatial Distribution ◽  
Functional Connectivity ◽  
Early Life ◽  
Gut Contents ◽  
Life Stages ◽  
Early Life Stages ◽  
Potential Growth ◽  
Growth And Survival ◽  
Important Prey ◽  
Pelagic Juveniles

Abstract Changes in structural connectivity as it can affect functional connectivity, the biological and behavioural responses of an organism, has been examined here over 2 contrasting years when the spatial distribution of larval and juvenile cod and their prey shifted from the flank to the crest on Georges Bank. New data on the gut contents of pelagic juvenile cod are compared with known prey distributions, potential growth and how climate warming can change connectivity in this region. Centropages spp. was the most important prey for pelagic juveniles, especially in June 1987 when they had high abundance on the crest and were dominant in the cod stomachs. In June 1986, copepod abundance was low where the juveniles were distributed along the flank. The potential growth of juvenile cod was greater in June 1987, consistent with the higher abundance of Centropages spp., and with higher recruitment survival, compared with June 1986. Annual changes in the spatial distribution of cod early life stages within the environment of cold or warm years can have different impacts on their growth and survival. Whereas the small copepods, Pseudocalanus spp., are primary prey for cod larvae and very abundant in cold years, larger copepods, Calanus finmarchicus and Centropages spp., are important prey for the pelagic juveniles and the latter species can have a high impact in warm years on the crest. The different spatial structure during cold or warm years provides an explanation why different year classes respond differently to environmental change. Depending on the presence or absence of specific prey, the functional connectivity response changes pathways that determine the growth and survival of early life stages and ultimately a role in recruitment.

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