Evolutionary history of threespine sticklebacks (Gasterosteus spp.) in British Columbia: insights from a physiological clock

1995 ◽  
Vol 73 (11) ◽  
pp. 2154-2158 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rees Kassen ◽  
Dolph Schluter ◽  
John Donald McPhail
Keyword(s):  
British Columbia ◽  
Fresh Water ◽  
Evolutionary History ◽  
Egg Size ◽  
Gasterosteus Aculeatus ◽  
Salt Water ◽  
Freshwater Invasion ◽  
Freshwater Population ◽  
Threespine Sticklebacks ◽  
History Of

Geologic and allozyme evidence suggests that threespine sticklebacks (Gasterosteus aculeatus complex) in low-lying southwestern British Columbia lakes were founded during two incursions of marine sticklebacks after the retreat of the Pleistocene glaciers (the double-invasion hypothesis). We used the salinity tolerance of embryos, measured as hatchability in salt water, to establish the relative order of freshwater invasion by marine sticklebacks and to test the double-invasion hypothesis. Limnetics and an anadromous population hatched nearly equivalent numbers of young in salt water as in fresh water, whereas benthics and one solitary freshwater population had low hatchability in salt water. We also found that eggs from freshwater populations were larger than those from marine populations and limnetics had smaller eggs than benthics and the solitary population. These results support the double-invasion hypothesis and suggest a trend of increasing egg size with increasing time spent in fresh water.

Clutch size of anadromous and freshwater threespine sticklebacks: a reassessment

1990 ◽  
Vol 68 (9) ◽  
pp. 2027-2030 ◽  
Author(s):  
Randal J. Snyder
Keyword(s):  
Clutch Size ◽  
Egg Size ◽  
Gasterosteus Aculeatus ◽  
Size At Maturity ◽  
Conflicting Evidence ◽  
Mendocino County ◽  
Freshwater Population ◽  
Threespine Sticklebacks ◽  
Average Size ◽  
Two Populations

There is conflicting evidence in the literature regarding the size-specific fecundity of anadromous and freshwater threespine sticklebacks (Gasterosteus aculeatus L.). To examine this question, I reared offspring of threespine sticklebacks collected from an inland location along the Navarro River, Mendocino County, California, and compared their initial clutch size and egg size with data obtained earlier for two other stickleback populations (an anadromous and a coastal freshwater population) from the same drainage. Size-specific clutch size was lower and eggs were larger in the inland population compared with the two populations studied previously. When wild-caught threespine sticklebacks are compared, fecundity of anadromous forms should usually be higher due to their higher size-specific fecundity as well as their larger average size at maturity. The eggs of anadromous sticklebacks may also be smaller than those of typical freshwater sticklebacks, since there is evidence of negative phenotypic correlations between egg size and clutch size in these fish.

Effects of constant and fluctuating temperatures on egg production in the threespine stickleback (Gasterosteus aculeatus)

1989 ◽  
Vol 67 (6) ◽  
pp. 1599-1602 ◽  
Author(s):  
Vital Boulé ◽  
Gerard J. Fitzgerald
Keyword(s):  
Reproductive Performance ◽  
Egg Production ◽  
Egg Size ◽  
Laboratory Experiments ◽  
Gasterosteus Aculeatus ◽  
Reproduction Number ◽  
Temperature Fluctuations ◽  
Spawning Grounds ◽  
Threespine Sticklebacks ◽  
Fluctuating Temperatures

Female threespine sticklebacks (Gasterosteus aculeatus) spend only 9–15 days on the spawning grounds, an intertidal salt marsh at Isle Verte, Quebec, during a 2-month breeding season. Individuals average only one spawning. However, in the laboratory they lay clutches of several hundred eggs every 3–5 days for several months. We designed laboratory experiments to determine (i) whether daily temperature fluctuations similar to those encountered in the marsh affect reproduction (number of clutches, number of eggs per clutch, and size of eggs) and (ii) whether the amplitude of the fluctuations encountered by the fish affects reproduction. We compared the reproduction of females held in fluctuating temperatures with that of females kept at 20 °C. Fish kept under fluctuating conditions produced more eggs per clutch but had longer interspawning intervals than those at 20 °C. Total seasonal egg production and egg size did not differ between the two groups. Fish in fluctuating temperatures survived longer and were in better condition than those at 20 °C. We conclude that the amplitude of the fluctuations is less important than mean temperature in determining reproductive performance. Fluctuating temperatures on the spawning grounds are not responsible for the short residency there.

Genetic variability in freshwater and anadromous sticklebacks (Gasterosteus aculeatus) of southern British Columbia

1985 ◽  
Vol 63 (3) ◽  
pp. 528-533 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. E. Withler ◽  
J. D. McPhail
Keyword(s):  
British Columbia ◽  
Gasterosteus Aculeatus ◽  
Electrophoretic Variation ◽  
Average Heterozygosity ◽  
Polymorphic Loci ◽  
Allelic Frequencies ◽  
Marine Habitats ◽  
Freshwater Habitats ◽  
Threespine Sticklebacks ◽  
Freshwater Stickleback

Electrophoretic variation at eight loci was compared between anadromous and freshwater populations of threespine sticklebacks (Gasterosteus aculeatus) collected from 56 sites in southwestern British Columbia and northwestern Washington. Allelic frequencies at five polymorphic loci were heterogeneous among populations and the average allelic frequencies at four loci differed between anadromous and freshwater sticklebacks. The average number of polymorphic loci was greater in anadromous (4.6) than in freshwater (3.2) populations. The average heterozygosity was 0.113 ± 0.001 in anadromous and 0.117 ± 0.003 in freshwater stickleback populations. Anadromous populations were more polymorphic but less heterogeneous than freshwater populations. The standardized genetic variance indicated only moderate differentiation among anadromous populations from marine habitats, but considerable differentiation among populations from freshwater habitats. Our data are consistent with the hypothesis of postglacial polyphyletic origins for freshwater populations of Gasterosteus, but also indicate that selection favours different alleles in marine and freshwater environments, at least at the Mdh-1 locus.

Spatial variation of morphology in a freshwater population of the threespine stickleback, Gasterosteus aculeatus

1992 ◽  
Vol 70 (6) ◽  
pp. 1140-1148 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jeffrey V. Baumgartner
Keyword(s):  
Gasterosteus Aculeatus ◽  
Lateral Plate ◽  
Coastal System ◽  
Body Form ◽  
Evolutionary Forces ◽  
Freshwater Population ◽  
Threespine Sticklebacks ◽  
Functional Components ◽  
Significant Size ◽  
Lateral Plates

Differentiation with respect to two functional components of morphology, the defensive complex and overall body form, was studied in a population of threespine sticklebacks (Gasterosteus aculeatus) from the Brush Creek drainage, a small coastal system in northern California with high- and low-gradient habitats. The vast majority of body-shape differences among localities was accounted for by size-related allometric variation, the differences being closely related to overall growth trends. Relative to general body size, small individuals had long spines and fins whereas larger individuals tended to be deep bodied and have shorter fins and shorter spines. Significant size-independent differentiation with respect to the defensive complex and overall body form was also observed. The spatial pattern of differentiation in the components of the defensive complex changed dramatically over the period of study, possibly in response to natural selection. Stable stepped clines for overall body form and lateral-plate morph ratio were observed. Both clines were centered on the ecotone between high- and low-gradient habitats, and were apparently maintained by differential selection in alternative stream-gradient habitats despite gene flow across the ecotone. Sticklebacks from the high-gradient habitat had a continuous row of lateral plates, were elongate, and had long fins, whereas those from the low-gradient or standing-water habitat tended to have only abdominal plates, were more robust through the midbody, and had shorter fins. The results of this study and previous work suggest that various aspects of stickleback morphology may respond independently and rapidly to different evolutionary forces and be functionally related to hydrodynamics.

Fresh Water Transport Determination from the Heat Budget with Applications to British Columbia Inlets

1957 ◽  
Vol 14 (4) ◽  
pp. 605-616 ◽  
Author(s):  
G. L. Pickard ◽  
R. W. Trites
Keyword(s):  
British Columbia ◽  
Fresh Water ◽  
Water Transport ◽  
Heat Budget ◽  
Salt Water ◽  
Direct Methods ◽  
Mixing Process ◽  
Budget Analysis ◽  
The Mean ◽  
Good Agreement

Fresh water entering British Columbia inlets moves seaward, mixing with and entraining salt water from below. A new method, based on a heat budget analysis, is developed to determine the mean seaward movement of the brackish layer. The method is also applied to gain information on the mixing process and to determine the depth from which salt water is entrained into the surface layer.The values of mean transport calculated in this way are found to be in good agreement with those derived from other methods. The method offers some distinct advantages over direct methods for determining fresh water inflow and circulation, since results can be obtained quickly, with little effort, and without the necessity for anchoring a ship.

Influence of Temperature, Salinity, and Photoperiod on the Aggregations of Chum Salmon Fry (Oncorhynchus keta)

1966 ◽  
Vol 23 (2) ◽  
pp. 293-304 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. E. Shelbourn
Keyword(s):  
Fresh Water ◽  
Chum Salmon ◽  
Cold Water ◽  
Salt Water ◽  
Oncorhynchus Keta ◽  
Influence Of Temperature ◽  
Hatchery Stock ◽  
Salmon Fry ◽  
Different Temperatures ◽  
History Of

Underyearling chum fry from hatchery stock were held in fresh water and salt water at two different temperatures and under two different photoperiods and acclimated to these conditions for 40 days before testing started. Aggregations were greater in salt water than in fresh water (p <.01). Fish acclimated to cold water schooled more strongly than those acclimated to warm water but this effect was not considered statistically significant. There were no differences in intensity of aggregation due to photoperiod (p >.05). The significance of these findings is discussed in relation to life history of the fry.

Adaptive, genetically based differences in life history between estuary and freshwater threespine sticklebacks (Gasterosteus aculeatus L.)

1989 ◽  
Vol 67 (10) ◽  
pp. 2448-2454 ◽  
Author(s):  
Randal J. Snyder ◽  
Hugh Dingle
Keyword(s):  
Life History ◽  
Life Histories ◽  
Life History Theory ◽  
Gasterosteus Aculeatus ◽  
Genetic Variance ◽  
The Body ◽  
Life Styles ◽  
First Reproduction ◽  
Freshwater Population ◽  
Threespine Sticklebacks

Life history theory predicts that migratory fishes should delay reproduction, be larger at maturity, and have higher fecundities than nonmigrants. We tested this hypothesis by comparing life histories of laboratory-reared estuary and freshwater threespine sticklebacks (Gasterosteus aculeatus L.) from the Navarro River, California. We also estimated phenotypic correlations and genetic variance (broad-sense heritabilities) for reproductive characteristics of these fish. The more migratory estuary sticklebacks delayed reproduction, were larger at first reproduction, and had higher fecundities than the freshwater fish. We found no significant differences in interclutch interval or average size of eggs. The body size – fecundity relationship did not differ among these populations, unlike the findings in previous reports comparing anadromous and freshwater threespine sticklebacks. We found significant levels of genetic variance for age and size at first reproduction in both populations, and for fecundity in the freshwater population. The estuary and freshwater sticklebacks did not differ in average number of fin rays, gill rakers, or lateral plates, indicating that differentiation in life history has not been accompanied by significant changes in these characteristics. These results provide evidence of genetic divergence between these populations with respect to life histories, and the nature of these differences suggests that adaptation to different migratory life-styles has occurred.

Phenotypic Variation in Threespine Sticklebacks (Gasterosteus aculeatus) of the Chignik River System, Alaska

1969 ◽  
Vol 26 (2) ◽  
pp. 405-412 ◽  
Author(s):  
David W. Narver
Keyword(s):  
Life History ◽  
Phenotypic Variation ◽  
Gasterosteus Aculeatus ◽  
River System ◽  
Threespine Stickleback ◽  
Caudal Peduncle ◽  
Threespine Sticklebacks ◽  
History Of ◽  
Lateral Plates

Four phenotypes of the threespine stickleback, Gasterosteus aculeatus Linnaeus, were identified from the two Chignik lakes, Alaska: unplated (2–6 anterior plates); half-plated (7–15 anterior plates); fully plated (18–22 plates) lacustrine; and fully plated (18–22) estuarine. Distinctions lie in number and size of lateral plates and extent of lateral keel development on the caudal peduncle. Composition of the three lacustrine phenotypes in either lake population was similar among the years 1962–64 for both age I and age II in Black Lake but dissimilar in Chignik Lake. The Black Lake population contained a higher proportion of the unplated and half-plated phenotypes but fewer of the fully plated phenotypes than the Chignik Lake population. The life history of the estuarine phenotype is outlined. The mechanisms responsible for the maintenance of the four phenotypes in the Chignik River system have not been determined.

Current Measurements in Knight Inlet, British Columbia

1959 ◽  
Vol 16 (5) ◽  
pp. 635-678 ◽  
Author(s):  
G. L. Pickard ◽  
Keith Rodgers
Keyword(s):  
British Columbia ◽  
Fresh Water ◽  
Salt Water ◽  
Current Profile ◽  
Tidal Period ◽  
Shallow Estuary ◽  
Layer Flow ◽  
Bottom Depth ◽  
Future Work ◽  
Made In

One of the features of the circulation in an estuary is the net outflow in the surface layer of the fresh water discharged into the estuary together with an appreciable volume of salt water entrained. Continuity considerations require that there be an inflow of salt water to compensate for that taken out in the surface. In a shallow estuary, such as Chesapeake Bay, this results in a two-layer flow, out at the surface and in below it.In a deep estuary, the questions arise whether or not it also possesses this simple two-layer flow and what is the depth and extent of the inflow. Measurements have been made in several inlets in the British Columbia coast to obtain information about the circulation in a deep estuary. Preliminary experiments were made in Toba, Bute and Knight Inlets, the series made in Knight Inlet in July 1956 being the most complete. The techniques employed and the results obtained are described and discussed.In a shallow section (75 m), in-and-out (flood-and-ebb) flow occurred in phase from surface to bottom, with a net outflow in the upper half and inflow below this. In the presence of an up-inlet wind, the flow in the surface few metres reversed and became up-inlet, with an increased outflow below it.In a deep section, both oscillatory (tidal period) as well as net currents occurred at all depths from the surface to 300 m (relevant bottom depth was 350 m). In this deeper section, the oscillatory components were not in phase from surface to bottom, and the net flow showed a three- or four-layer pattern, rather than the simple two-layer pattern which has previously been assumed to exist. The wind had a marked direct effect on the upper layers to a depth of about 10 m and possibly deeper.The movement of the ship while at anchor was monitored and found to be considerable. Most of the current observations were corrected for ship motion before analysis.Calculations of the net fresh water transport (in the upper layer) give reasonable values but similar calculations for the deep water show a net transport which is not to be expected. This apparent net transport may be a consequence of assuming that the current profile across the entire inlet is the same as that in the centre where measurements were made. Other possible sources of error are suggested. In addition, several recommendations are made for future work.

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