Why are dwarf fish so small? An energetic analysis of polymorphism in lake whitefish (Coregonus clupeaformis)

2001 ◽  
Vol 58 (2) ◽  
pp. 394-405 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marc Trudel ◽  
Alain Tremblay ◽  
Roger Schetagne ◽  
Joseph B Rasmussen
Keyword(s):  
Life Span ◽  
Energy Budget ◽  
Coregonus Clupeaformis ◽  
Lake Whitefish ◽  
Sympatric Populations ◽  
Subarctic Lakes ◽  
Lower Growth ◽  
Chemical Tracers ◽  
Mass Balance Models ◽  
Consumption Rates

Sympatric populations of dwarf lake whitefish (Coregonus clupeaformis) (DLW) and normal lake whitefish (NLW) commonly occur in north temperate and subarctic lakes. DLW have a much lower growth, mature earlier, and have a shorter life span than NLW. Furthermore, they are usually not found when cisco (Coregonus artedi) are present, possibly due to competitive exclusion. In this study, we compared the energy budget of DLW, NLW, and cisco using food consumption rates estimated with mass balance models of chemical tracers (i.e., mercury and radiocesium). These chemicals are globally distributed and can be readily detected in fish and their prey. Our analysis showed that the energy budget of DLW and cisco was similar. DLW and cisco consumed on average 40–50% more food than NLW. The conversion efficiency of DLW and cisco was two to three times lower than that of NLW. These results suggest that DLW and cisco allocated a larger fraction of their energy budget to metabolism than NLW. Our analysis also suggests that the earlier maturation and shorter life span of DLW and cisco may be due to their higher metabolic rates.

Growth and Reproduction of the Lake Whitefish, Coregonus clupeaformis, in Lac la Ronge, Saskatchewan

1968 ◽  
Vol 25 (10) ◽  
pp. 2091-2100 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. U. Qadri
Keyword(s):  
North America ◽  
Sex Ratio ◽  
Life Span ◽  
Fork Length ◽  
Growing Season ◽  
Coregonus Clupeaformis ◽  
Lake Whitefish ◽  
Young Fish ◽  
Large Lakes ◽  
Growth And Reproduction

In Lac la Ronge the lake whitefish (Coregonus clupeaformis (Mitchill)) spawned from late October until the middle of November at ages of 8 years and over. The growing season lasted from late May to early October and young fish grew faster than older ones and tended to have a longer growing season. Ages for 1604 fish taken during 4 years showed that they grew to a fork length of about 16 inches in 10 years, the rate being slower than for lake whitefish in other large lakes in North America. The length-weight relationships were linear: for the open lake, log W = 3.48 log L – 3.93, and for Hunter Bay, log W = 3.26 log L – 3.66. The males matured a little earlier than females and their life span was somewhat shorter. The sex ratio was approximately 1:1.

Energy acquisition and allocation patterns of lake whitefish (Coregonus clupeaformis) are modified when dreissenids are present

2012 ◽  
Vol 69 (1) ◽  
pp. 41-59 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael D. Rennie ◽  
Timothy B. Johnson ◽  
W. Gary Sprules
Keyword(s):  
Sustainable Management ◽  
Individual Growth ◽  
Coregonus Clupeaformis ◽  
Lake Whitefish ◽  
Density Estimates ◽  
Mass Balance Models ◽  
Allocation Patterns ◽  
Energy Acquisition ◽  
Conversion Efficiencies ◽  
Increased Activity

We evaluated the effects of dreissenid-induced food web changes on rates of lake whitefish ( Coregonus clupeaformis ) energy acquisition and allocation in North American populations. We used mass-balance models of lake whitefish growth and methylmercury accumulation in 17 populations with and without dreissenids present to estimate and contrast rates of activity (ACT), consumption (C) and conversion efficiency (V). Historical estimates were also generated for a single lake whitefish population during dreissenid establishment. Bioenergetic estimates from both scenarios were compared with densities of Diporeia , a historically important diet component of lake whitefish. Mean lake whitefish ACT and C estimates in populations with dreissenids were significantly greater: 1.3–2 times those of populations without dreissenids. Conversion efficiencies scaled positively and significantly, while C and ACT varied negatively and significantly with Diporeia abundance. Our results suggest that changes in lake whitefish activity may affect density estimates — and ultimately sustainable management quotas — for this species. Our results also show that reported declines in lake whitefish individual growth rates in South Bay, Lake Huron, can be explained by increased activity rates due to increased foraging activity in an energetically depleted prey community.

Evolution of Lake Whitefish (Coregonus clupeaformis) in North America during the Pleistocene: Genetic Differentiation between Sympatric Populations

1992 ◽  
Vol 49 (4) ◽  
pp. 769-779 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. A. Bodaly ◽  
J. W. Clayton ◽  
C. C. Lindsey ◽  
J. Vuorinen
Keyword(s):  
North America ◽  
New England ◽  
Glacial Refugia ◽  
Yukon Territory ◽  
Coregonus Clupeaformis ◽  
Lake Whitefish ◽  
Sympatric Populations ◽  
Sympatric Forms ◽  
Electrophoretic Data ◽  
Glacial Refuge

We use electrophoretic data on dehydrogenase enzymes to examine the relatedness of sympatric populations of lake whitefish (Coregonus clupeaformis) and provide evidence for the existence of a glacial refuge race of lake whitefish in eastern North America. This Acadian race is presently found in New England, the Gaspé peninsula of Québec, and New Brunswick. It probably survived glaciation in a refugium on the exposed coastal plain of northeastern North America. In areas of contact, most glacial races appear to introgress and do not coexist in sympatry. However, sympatric pairs of populations occur (or occurred) within the ranges of all races of lake whitefish. Allele frequencies for at least one enzyme system examined for most sympatric pairs were significantly different, indicating that these sympatric populations are wholly or substantially, isolated reproductively from each other. Both members of the population pairs examined in the Yukon Territory, Ontario, and Labrador were genetically characteristic of the glacial races of their region. This suggests that they are not the result of speciation due to geographic isolation in different glacial refugia. Thus, their origin appears to be postglacial, but may be older if present genetic similarities are due to recent gene flow between sympatric forms.

Morphological and Ecological Divergence Within the Lake Whitefish (Coregonus clupeaformis) Species Complex in Yukon Territory

1979 ◽  
Vol 36 (10) ◽  
pp. 1214-1222 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. A. Bodaly
Keyword(s):  
Lake Water ◽  
Species Complex ◽  
Yukon Territory ◽  
Coregonus Clupeaformis ◽  
Lake Whitefish ◽  
Sympatric Populations ◽  
Gill Rakers ◽  
Growth Divergence ◽  
Gill Raker ◽  
Plankton Feeders

Two forms of lake whitefish (Coregonus clupeaformis species complex sensu McPhail and Lindsey [1970]) were found in each of five lakes in Yukon Territory. They are characterized by differences in gill raker counts. Low gill raker fish are benthic feeders and are found almost exclusively near the bottom while high raker fish are largely plankton feeders, being found throughout the lake water column. High raker fish have longer and more closely spaced gill rakers than low raker fish. They also have shorter life spans and mature earlier than low raker fish. Lakes supporting these sympatric populations of lake whitefish have no cisco populations. The low gill raker member of these sympatric populations seems to be equivalent to most other Yukon lake whitefish whereas the high raker member appears to be the unusual member of each sympatric pair. Key words: whitefish, lake, feeding, morphology, growth, divergence, Yukon Territory, sympatric populations

Development of the embryonic heat shock response and the impact of repeated thermal stress in early stage lake whitefish ( Coregonus clupeaformis ) embryos

2017 ◽  
Vol 69 ◽  
pp. 294-301 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lindy M. Whitehouse ◽  
Chance S. McDougall ◽  
Daniel I. Stefanovic ◽  
Douglas R. Boreham ◽  
Christopher M. Somers ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Thermal Stress ◽  
Heat Shock ◽  
Heat Shock Response ◽  
Early Stage ◽  
Coregonus Clupeaformis ◽  
Lake Whitefish ◽  
Shock Response ◽  
The Impact
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