First-year growth and recruitment of coastal largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides): spatial patterns unresolved by critical periods along a salinity gradient

Although critical periods often explain first-year growth and recruitment patterns of young fishes, isolated subpopulations in spatially heterogeneous environments can be influenced by distinct factors, preventing critical periods from explaining growth and recruitment for the overall population. When we explored first-year growth and recruitment variability of largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides) along an upstream–downstream gradient in the Mobile–Tensaw Delta, Alabama, USA, growth was consistently faster at sites closest to or within brackish habitats in 2002 and 2003, despite different abiotic conditions between years. Energetic content of food consumed by faster-growing fish, particularly those furthest downstream, was greater than that for slower-growing fish. Although the timing of the switch to piscivory did not explain growth differences, the degree of piscivory was important. Hatch date had no influence on growth differences and consequently did not affect fall condition, overwinter survival, or age-1 recruitment. Contrary to several studies in freshwater systems at this latitude, first-winter mortality was neither size-selective nor excessive, and largemouth bass continued to grow through the winter. These results demonstrate that early growth can vary substantially among subpopulations in spatially heterogeneous environments and that these differences are not necessarily explained by the same factors thought to be important for freshwater largemouth bass populations.

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Black Bass Diversity: Multidisciplinary Science for Conservation

Black Bass Diversity: Multidisciplinary Science for Conservation ◽

10.47886/9781934874400.ch25 ◽

2015 ◽

Keyword(s):

Spatial Variation ◽

Largemouth Bass ◽

Salinity Gradient ◽

Micropterus Salmoides ◽

Metabolic Cost ◽

Population Level ◽

Freshwater Species ◽

Population Demographics ◽

Bioenergetics Modeling ◽

Black Bass

<em>Abstract.</em>—Largemouth Bass <em>Micropterus salmoides</em> is typically thought of as a freshwater species, but populations occur in oligohaline portions of estuaries throughout the U.S. Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico coasts, often with popular fisheries. These coastal populations must deal with the physiological stresses associated with salinity variation and may be isolated from inland freshwater populations, increasing the potential for differentiation. To understand factors important to the ecology and management of these coastal populations, we quantified individual- and population-level parameters for Largemouth Bass across a natural salinity gradient in the Mobile-Tensaw River delta in southwestern Alabama during 2002–2009 (including population demographics, feeding ecology, movement, recruitment, and bioenergetics processes). Combining traditional mark–recapture and telemetry techniques with otolith microchemical analyses, we demonstrated that Largemouth Bass of all ages moved very little, even in response to increasing salinity (up to 15‰) in downstream areas. Large individuals were rare in our sampling across both fresh and brackish habitats (only 7 out of 9,530 individuals were >2.27 kg), and fish body condition increased downstream with increasing marine influence. Growth responses for fish across the estuary were more complex, varying with both fish age and salinity. Faster growth was observed in the brackish, downstream areas for fish ≤age 2, while growth of older fish was faster in freshwater upstream sites. Using bioenergetics modeling, we demonstrated that a complex combination of spatial variation in water temperature, prey energetic content, and metabolic cost of salinity was responsible for age-specific spatial variation in growth. Preliminary genetic analysis suggests that these coastal Largemouth Bass may differ genetically from inland fish. Coastal Largemouth Bass populations face a number of potential conservation concerns, and their management will require different approaches compared to their inland counterparts, including different goals and expectations, likely even requiring consideration as unique stocks.

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Genetic Implications of Introducing Florida Largemouth Bass, Micropterus salmoides floridanus

Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences ◽

10.1139/f91-304 ◽

1991 ◽

Vol 48 (S1) ◽

pp. 58-65 ◽

Cited By ~ 29

Author(s):

David P. Philipp

Keyword(s):

Largemouth Bass ◽

Micropterus Salmoides ◽

The Other ◽

First Year ◽

Native Range ◽

Genetic Composition ◽

Natural Spawning ◽

Experimental Populations ◽

Negative Impacts ◽

Breeding Pool

Stocks of northern largemouth bass (NLMB), Micropterus salmoides salmoides, Florida largemouth bass (FLMB), M. s. floridanus, and both reciprocal F1 hybrids were produced through natural spawning; the genetic composition of each stock was confirmed electrophoreticaliy, and experimental populations established. One set of experimental populations (P1 and P2) contained as broodstock equal numbers of adult NLMB and FLMB, whereas the other set (H1 and H2) initially contained equal numbers of adults of both reciprocal F1 hybrids and both pure subspecies. Each year-class produced experimentally were sampled and individuals analyzed genetically to determine their parentage. Initially, much of the YOY production in P1 and P2 was composed of small FLMB that did not survive winter well; once naturally produced F1 hybrids entered the breeding pool, most offspring were Fx hybrids, and the population became heavily introgressed. In H1 and H2 introgression began with the production of the first year-class. Within each year-class NLMB produced in all ponds were significantly larger than all other genotypes, but it appears likely that after only a few generations, production of pure NLMB ceases, all individuals being Fx hybrids. Results illustrate the potential negative impacts of introducing FLMB or hybrids between it and NLMB into waters within or contiguous to the native range of the northern subspecies.

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First-Year Growth of the Largemouth Bass, Micropterus salmoides (Lacépède), and Some Related Ecological Factors

Transactions of the American Fisheries Society ◽

10.1577/1548-8659(1960)89[222:fgotlb]2.0.co;2 ◽

1960 ◽

Vol 89 (2) ◽

pp. 222-233 ◽

Cited By ~ 21

Author(s):

Robert H. Kramer ◽

Lloyd L. Smith

Keyword(s):

Largemouth Bass ◽

Micropterus Salmoides ◽

Ecological Factors ◽

First Year

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Interactions among adult demography, spawning date, growth rate, predation, overwinter mortality, and the recruitment of largemouth bass in a northern lake

Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences ◽

10.1139/f98-139 ◽

1998 ◽

Vol 55 (12) ◽

pp. 2588-2600 ◽

Cited By ~ 61

Author(s):

David M Post ◽

James F Kitchell ◽

James R Hodgson

Keyword(s):

Growth Rate ◽

Largemouth Bass ◽

Micropterus Salmoides ◽

First Year ◽

Strongly Correlated ◽

Selective Predation ◽

Complex Interactions ◽

Highly Correlated ◽

Overwinter Mortality ◽

First Year Of Life

Using 12 years of data, we evaluated the mechanisms controlling largemouth bass, Micropterus salmoides, recruitment in a lake near the northern extent of the largemouth bass range. We found that complex interactions among adult demographics, size-selective predation, and overwinter mortality regulate the number of largemouth bass surviving the first year of life. The largest recruitment events required at least a moderate number of adults, but a large number of adults was not sufficient to produce a large cohort of largemouth bass. Predation was controlled by the number of both adult and juvenile bass and was not strongly correlated with reproductive output. Overwinter mortality was size dependent, strongly affecting bass entering the winter at <50-60 mm in length, and likely the result of starvation. Predation and overwinter mortality interacted with spawning date and growth rate to produce variable but predictable patterns of first year survival. At high adult and juvenile densities, predation regulates first year survival. At low adult and juvenile densities, first year survival was regulated by adult demographics and interactions among spawning date, growth rates, and overwinter mortality. Although we can forecast coarse patterns of cohort survival, the survival of individual fish was more difficult to predict because length and age were not highly correlated.

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Coastal largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides) movement in response to changing salinity

Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences ◽

10.1139/f09-152 ◽

2009 ◽

Vol 66 (12) ◽

pp. 2174-2188 ◽

Cited By ~ 30

Author(s):

Michael R. Lowe ◽

Dennis R. DeVries ◽

Russell A. Wright ◽

Stuart A. Ludsin ◽

Brian J. Fryer

Keyword(s):

Dynamic Systems ◽

Largemouth Bass ◽

Salinity Gradient ◽

Micropterus Salmoides ◽

Lag Time ◽

Field Investigation ◽

Freshwater Species ◽

Low Salinity ◽

Salinity Changes ◽

Do So

Estuaries are productive, heterogeneous, and dynamic systems that support a diverse array of fishes. However, our understanding of how presumably stenohaline fishes persist in such transitional systems is limited, particularly for most fishes in tidal freshwater areas. We conducted a laboratory experiment and field investigation along an upstream–downstream salinity gradient in the Mobile–Tensaw River Delta, Alabama, USA, to test the hypothesis that age-0 largemouth bass ( Micropterus salmoides ), an economically and ecologically important freshwater species that uses low-salinity habitats in many North American estuaries, move to avoid seasonal salinity increases. To do so, we quantified changes in otolith microchemistry (e.g., Sr to Ca ratios) along the major growth axis of otoliths in both field-collected and laboratory-reared individuals. Our experiment revealed a 21-day lag time between initial salinity changes and Sr:Caotolith saturation but that Sr:Caotolith in field-collected fish reflect changes in ambient salinity. Further, contrary to our expectation, otolith microchemical analyses from spring- and fall-collected age-0 largemouth bass indicate no avoidance of increased salinity, which has potential implications for their growth and recruitment in these systems.

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Osmoregulatory Failure and Death of First-Year Largemouth Bass (Micropterus salmoides) Exposed to Low pH and Elevated Aluminum, at Low Temperature in Soft Water

Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences ◽

10.1139/f92-134 ◽

1992 ◽

Vol 49 (6) ◽

pp. 1189-1197 ◽

Cited By ~ 10

Author(s):

J. Howard McCormick ◽

Kathleen M. Jensen

Keyword(s):

Largemouth Bass ◽

Condition Factor ◽

Micropterus Salmoides ◽

First Year ◽

Survival Times ◽

Treatment Groups ◽

Blood Osmolality ◽

Probability Of Survival ◽

Osmotic Homeostasis ◽

Increasing Temperature

Young-of-the-year largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides) were exposed to pH levels from 8.0 to 4.5 in two water types, 1.5 and 13.4 mgCa/L. Exposures were conducted at 3.8 °C for 113 d, followed by 14 d of increasing temperature to 18 °C. Two treatments in the softer water, one each at pH 5.0 and 4.5, had Al added to attain 30 μg Al/L; all other treatments were at approximately 5 μg Al/L. The condition factor of fish in all treatment groups declined with exposure time at 3.8 °C. Fish in the 13.4 mg Ca/L water maintained osmotic homeostasis through pH 5.0. In the 1.5 mg Ca/L water, osmotic homeostasis was lost at pH 4.5 and at pH 5.0 when Al was added. Mortalities were most prevalent when exposed in the 1.5 mg Ca/L water with added Al. The probability of survival was directly correlated with blood osmolality; no correlation was found between survival probability and condition factor. A rise in blood osmolality occurred among fish from most exposure groups when the temperature was increased to 18 °C. When fish from these chronic treatments were challenged at pH 3.8, they had shorter survival times in the softer water and after longer preexposures.

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