Alternative Migratory Strategies Related to Life History Differences in the Walleye (Sander Vitreus)

Abstract BackgroundWhile Pace of Life Syndrome predicts behavioural differences between individuals with differential growth and survival, testing these predictions in nature is challenging due to difficulties with measuring individual behaviour in the field. However, recent advances in acoustic telemetry technology have facilitated measurements of individual behaviour at scales not previously possible in aquatic ecosystems. MethodsUsing a Walleye (Sander vitreus) population inhabiting Black Bay, Lake Superior, we examine whether life history characteristics differ between more and less mobile individuals as predicted by Pace of Life Syndrome. We tracked the movement of 192 individuals from 2016-2019 using an acoustic telemetry study, relating patterns in annual migratory behaviour to individual growth, and seasonal changes in optimal thermal-optical habitat. ResultsWe observed two consistent movement patterns in our study population — migratory individuals left Black Bay during late summer to early fall before returning to the bay, whereas residents remained within the bay year-round. The average maximum length of migrant Walleye was 5.5 cm longer than residents, and the sex ratios of Walleye caught during fall surveys was increasingly female-biased towards the mouth of Black Bay, suggesting that a majority of migrants were females. Further, Walleye occupancy outside of Black Bay was positively associated with increasing thermal-optical habitat. ConclusionsWalleye in Black Bay appear to conform to Pace of Life Syndrome, with more exploratory (migrant) individuals gaining increased fitness through increased maximum size, which, given size-dependent fecundity in this species, likely results in greater reproductive success (via greater egg deposition vs. non-migrants). Further, apparent environmental (thermal) controls on migration suggest that migratory Walleye (more so than residents) may be more sensitive to changing environmental conditions (e.g., warming climate) than residents.

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Individual Growth and Reproduction

Fish Ecology, Evolution, and Exploitation ◽

10.23943/princeton/9780691192956.003.0003 ◽

2019 ◽

pp. 38-56

Author(s):

Ken H. Andersen

Keyword(s):

Life History ◽

Growth Model ◽

Life Histories ◽

Maximum Size ◽

Individual Growth ◽

Energy Budgets ◽

Asymptotic Size ◽

The Individual ◽

Growth And Reproduction

This chapter develops descriptions of how individuals grow and reproduce. More specifically, the chapter seeks to determine the growth and reproduction rates from the consumption rate, by developing an energy budget of the individual as a function of size. To that end, the chapter addresses the question of how an individual makes use of the energy acquired from consumption. It sets up the energy budgets of individuals by formulating the growth model using so-called life-history invariants, which are parameters that do not vary systematically between species. While the formulation of the growth model in terms of life-history invariants is largely successful, there is in particular one parameter that is not invariant between life histories: the asymptotic size (maximum size) of individuals in the population. This parameter plays the role of a master trait that characterizes most of the variation between life histories.

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Applications

10.1093/oso/9780198839873.003.0009 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 153-172

Author(s):

Jeffrey A. Hutchings

Keyword(s):

Life History ◽

Maximum Size ◽

Individual Growth ◽

Natural Mortality ◽

Negative Consequences ◽

Age At Maturity ◽

Life History Variation ◽

Vulnerability Assessments ◽

Individual Growth Rate ◽

Declining Species

By affecting age-specific survival and fecundity, human-induced disturbances affect life history. This has potential to affect r max with negative consequences for species viability and persistence. Several types of assessments are used to classify vulnerability to extinction, exploitation, and climate change. When information on r max is unavailable, vulnerability assessments often rely on life-history correlates of r max. These have included generation time, age at maturity, maximum size, longevity, fecundity, natural mortality, and individual growth rate. Empirical research indicates that links with r max are strong for some traits, such as age at maturity and body size, but weak for others, such as fecundity. In addition to assessments of declining species, efforts have been made to identify life-history correlates of the rate and uncertainty in species recovery. Persistence and stability can be strengthened by the magnitude of life-history variation. The greater the variability in life history within and among, the greater the resistance and resilience of populations and species.

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Differentiated Social Relationships and the Pace-of-Life-History

Trends in Ecology & Evolution ◽

10.1016/j.tree.2021.02.007 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Matthew J. Silk ◽

David J. Hodgson

Keyword(s):

Life History ◽

Social Relationships ◽

Pace Of Life

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The relative effects of pace of life‐history and habitat characteristics on the evolution of sexual ornaments: A comparative assessment

Evolution ◽

10.1111/evo.14358 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Will Sowersby ◽

Simon Eckerström‐Liedholm ◽

Piotr K. Rowiński ◽

Julia Balogh ◽

Stefan Eiler ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Life History ◽

Comparative Assessment ◽

Habitat Characteristics ◽

Sexual Ornaments ◽

Pace Of Life

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Diversity, abundance, and life histories of littoral chydorids (Cladocera: Chydoridae) in a subarctic European lake

Journal of Crustacean Biology ◽

10.1093/jcbiol/ruaa048 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 40 (5) ◽

pp. 534-543

Author(s):

Anders Klemetsen ◽

Berit M Aase ◽

Per-Arne Amundsen

Keyword(s):

Life History ◽

Life Histories ◽

Late Summer ◽

Fish Predation ◽

Oligotrophic Lake ◽

Size Distributions ◽

Oligotrophic Lakes ◽

Chydorus Sphaericus ◽

Challenging Environment ◽

Subarctic Lake

Abstract Littoral chydorids were sampled with a bottom sledge in Takvatn, a 15 km2 north Norwegian oligotrophic lake with poor vegetation. Three out of eight recorded species of chydorids were common, with abundance minima in late summer and maxima in autumn. Eurycercus lamellatus (O.F. Müller, 1776) and Acroperus harpae (Baird, 1835) were monocyclic, whereas Chydorus sphaericus (O.F. Müller, 1776) was seemingly acyclic. Females of E. lamellatus appeared in early June and grew to maximum sizes of 2–2.5 mm in early August. Parthenogenesis started in late July and two summer generations could be distinguished by size distributions. Gamogenesis took place in September. Acroperus harpae females appeared in early June and grew to maximum sizes of around 0.7 mm in early August. Parthenogenesis started in early July and gamogenesis took place in September and October. Parthenogenetic females of C. sphaericus appeared already at ice-break and had constant sizes of around 0.4 mm through the entire season. Males or ephippial females were not observed. The acyclic life history may be an adaptation to the challenging environment of this subarctic lake. Summer generations could not be distinguished in the two small-sized species, but both populations reached high abundances in autumn. The abundance of E. lamellatus increased from August, but then decreased, possibly as a result of fish predation. We argue that the present results are typical for large oligotrophic lakes in subarctic Europe.

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The influence of larval growth rate on juvenile recruitment in Lake Erie walleye (Sander vitreus)

Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences ◽

10.1139/cjfas-2019-0059 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 77 (3) ◽

pp. 548-555

Author(s):

Cassandra J. May ◽

Stuart A. Ludsin ◽

David C. Glover ◽

Elizabeth A. Marschall

Keyword(s):

Lake Erie ◽

Larval Growth ◽

Late Summer ◽

Freshwater Fishes ◽

Fast Growth ◽

Sander Vitreus ◽

Selective Mortality ◽

Growth Selection ◽

Poor Recruitment ◽

The Relationship

Growth-selective mortality as larvae can influence recruitment in marine fishes. Its importance in freshwater fishes, however, remains speculative. We quantified growth trajectories within annual cohorts (2011–2013) of Lake Erie walleye (Sander vitreus) and their relationship with recruitment. We hypothesized that selection against slow or fast growth would be associated with high mortality and poor recruitment, whereas weak or nonexistent growth-selective mortality co-occurring with fast growth would be associated with good recruitment. We used otoliths to reconstruct growth rates during the first 15 days of life from larvae collected during spring and juvenile recruits (survivors) collected during late summer. We documented growth-selective mortality during 2011 and 2013, which exhibited poor recruitment as expected. During 2012, growth selection was absent, but growth was slow when compared to historical averages, resulting in poor recruitment. Growth was also considered slow in 2011 and 2013, due to multiple interacting conditions. Our study indicates that the relationship among larval growth, mortality, and future recruitment is complex, highlighting the need for continued research into how larval processes affect recruitment dynamics in freshwater fishes.

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Sex-specific pace-of-life syndromes

Behavioral Ecology ◽

10.1093/beheco/arz055 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 30 (4) ◽

pp. 1096-1105 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Joe A Moschilla ◽

Joseph L Tomkins ◽

Leigh W Simmons

Keyword(s):

Life History ◽

Metabolic Rate ◽

Risk Taking ◽

Life History Traits ◽

Significant Negative Correlation ◽

Covariance Structures ◽

Field Crickets ◽

Pace Of Life ◽

Specific Trait ◽

Trait Covariance

Abstract The pace-of-life syndrome (POLS) hypothesis considers an animal’s behavior, physiology, and life history as nonindependent components of a single integrated phenotype. However, frequent deviations from the expected correlations between POLS traits suggest that these relationships may be context, and potentially, sex dependent. To determine whether the sexes express distinct POLS trait covariance structures, we observed the behavior (mobility, latency to emerge from a shelter), physiology (mass-specific metabolic rate), and life history (life span, development time) of male and female Australian field crickets (Teleogryllus oceanicus). Path analysis modeling suggested that POLS trait covariation differed between the sexes. Although neither sex displayed the complete integration of traits predicted by the POLS hypothesis, females did display greater overall integration with a significant negative correlation between metabolic rate and risk-taking behavior but with life-history traits varying independently. In males, however, there was no clear association between traits. These results suggest that T. oceanicus do indeed display sex-specific trait covariance structures, emphasizing the importance of acknowledging sex in assessments of POLS.

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The life histories of north-temperate populations of the crayfish Cambarus robustus and Cambarus bartoni

Canadian Journal of Zoology ◽

10.1139/z85-343 ◽

1985 ◽

Vol 63 (10) ◽

pp. 2313-2322 ◽

Cited By ~ 27

Author(s):

Premysl Hamr ◽

Michael Berrill

Keyword(s):

Life History ◽

Life Histories ◽

Carapace Length ◽

Late Summer ◽

Temperate Climate ◽

Free Living ◽

Southern Ontario ◽

The Third ◽

Early Fall ◽

First Time

The life histories of the crayfish Cambarus robustus and Cambarus bartoni were studied in the Kawartha Lakes region of southern Ontario. There were marked differences in their breeding and molting cycles compared with the familiar pattern of the Orconectes species of this region. Egg extrusion occurred later (July in C. robustus, June in C. bartoni), and juveniles therefore did not become free living until late summer or early fall. With little growing time in their first summer, they measured only 5–10 mm in carapace length (CPL) before growth ceased for the winter. At the end of their second summer the still immature crayfish measured 17–26 mm CPL in C. robustus and 13–20 mm CPL in C. bartoni. Maturity was therefore not attained until the end of the third summer, when most C. robustus matured at 34–45 mm CPL and C. bartoni at 25–30 mm CPL. The majority of individuals apparently reproduced for the first time during their fourth summer; a few apparently survived into another summer, reaching carapace lengths greater than 50 mm in C. robustus and 30 mm in C. bartoni. In males of both species, form 1 and form 2 occur throughout the summer. Although lacking the synchrony of Orconectes species, breeding and molting activities are still confined to the period between April and October. The timing of the life-history events observed in these two Cambarus species may be adaptations to seasonal stresses of the swift water environments that these species inhabit as well as to the relative harshness of the northern temperate climate.

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Ecological Studies of Arctic Cod (Boreogadus saida) in Beaufort Sea Coastal Waters, Alaska

Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences ◽

10.1139/f82-057 ◽

1982 ◽

Vol 39 (3) ◽

pp. 395-406 ◽

Cited By ~ 106

Author(s):

P. C. Craig ◽

W. B. Griffiths ◽

L. Haldorson ◽

H. McElderry

Keyword(s):

Life History ◽

Coastal Waters ◽

Life History Strategy ◽

Late Summer ◽

Beaufort Sea ◽

Shallow Waters ◽

Boreogadus Saida ◽

Arctic Cod ◽

Arctic Fish ◽

Slow Growing

Fish use of Beaufort Sea coastal waters was examined during summer and winter periods 1977–80. Arctic cod (Boreogadus saida) were abundant but their occurrence was highly variable. They accounted for 8–78% of all fish caught in Simpson Lagoon during two summers, and 0.4–100% of catches at various coastal sites in winter. Arctic cod increased in abundance in the lagoon during late summer and some association was noted between their numbers and higher salinities but not temperature or turbidity. Some cod remained in shallow waters in early winter but deeper areas were used through the winter, and the highest catch rate was recorded 175 km offshore. Principal foods of the cod in nearshore waters were mysids (Mysis litoralis, M. relicta), amphipods (Onisimus glacialis), and copepods. The cod caught were generally small (60–170 mm) and young (ages 1–3). Most males matured at ages 2–3 and females at age 3. These size, age, and maturity characteristics indicate a life history strategy (r-selection) unlike that typified by many other arctic fish populations, particularly the freshwater and anadromous species which tend to be slow growing, late maturing and long-lived (K-selection).Key words: Arctic cod, Boreogadus saida; Beaufort Sea, distribution, life history strategy

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