Bottom-up and top-down effects of temperature on body growth, population size spectra and yield in a size-structured food web

Resolving the combined effect of climate warming and exploitation in a food web context is key for predicting future biomass production, size-structure, and potential yields of marine fishes. Previous studies based on mechanistic size-based food web models have found that bottom-up processes are important drivers of size-structure and fisheries yield in changing climates. However, we know less about the joint effects of ‘bottom-up’ and ‘top-down’ effects of temperature: how do temperature effects propagate from individual-level physiology through food webs and alter the size-structure of exploited species in a community? Here we assess how a species-resolved size-based food web is affected by warming through both these pathways, and by exploitation. We parameterize a dynamic size spectrum food web model inspired by the offshore Baltic Sea food web, and investigate how individual growth rates, size-structure, relative abundances of species and yields are affected by warming. The magnitude of warming is based on projections by the regional coupled model system RCA4-NEMO and the RCP 8.5 emission scenario, and we evaluate different scenarios of temperature dependence on fish physiology and resource productivity. When accounting for temperature-effects on physiology in addition to on basal productivity, projected size-at-age in 2050 increases on average for all fish species, mainly for young fish, compared to scenarios without warming. In contrast, size-at-age decreases when temperature affects resource dynamics only, and the decline is largest for young fish. Faster growth rates due to warming, however, do not always translate to larger yields, as lower resource carrying capacities with increasing temperature tend to result in declines in the abundance of larger fish and hence spawning stock biomass – the part of the population exposed to fishing. These results show that to understand how global warming impacts the size structure of fish communities, both direct metabolic effects and indirect effects of temperature via basal resources must be accounted for.

Epizootic aspects of young carp contamination with Dactylogyrosis in the ponds of the Orenburg region

Modern fish farming having intensive forms of farming provides for feeding fish with artificial feed, fertilizing ponds and compacting fish planting in nursery, finishing and wintering ponds. This leads to close contact of cultivated fish and, in this regard, favorable conditions for the pathogens accumulation in ponds, the distribution of infectious and invasive diseases. Invasive diseases are a significant danger among diseases including pond fish dactylogyrosis. Dactylogyrosis are monogenetic suckers, parasites with a direct development cycle, live on the fish gill filaments, belong to conditionally pathogenic parasites and pose a serious danger to young fish. Despite a fairly complete study of the biology of carp dactylogyrid, a number of questions regarding the formation of the parasitofauna of these young fish in the early stages of development - the most vulnerable period of their lives - remain little covered in the literature. The work presents data on the Dactylogyrus types found in young carp in the nursery ponds of the Orenburg region, the invasion extensiveness and intensity. 4 species of monogenetic suckers have been found: Dactylogyrus vastator, Dactylogyrus extensus, Dactylogyrus achmerowi, Dactylogyrus anchoratus. Among the four species of Dactylogyrosis, only two species, Dactylogyrus vastator and Dactylogyrus extensus, were found most often and from an early age, two other species were found in older fish, 20 and 25 days of age with little invasion extensiveness and intensity.

DEVELOPMENT OF A FICH PROTECTION DEVICE DESIGN

The water intake structure is a functional element of the water supply system, but it must also be a fish protection object. The following basic requirements are imposed on the devices of modern fish protection devices at water intakes: prevention of ingress and death of young fish and larvae, prevention of injury to young fish and larvae, removal of protected fish from water intake, reliability of operation under specific conditions and means. According to the principle of operation, the most effective is the active scheme, with the forced formation of the hydraulic flow structure. The design of a universal combined type device with the use of a jet generator as a flow-forming element that creates a reactive hydraulic movement designed to protect fish and juveniles with a body size of less than 15 mm is proposed.

Distribution of eggs and adults of alaska plaice Pleuronectes quadrituberculatus and flathead sole Hippoglossoides elassodon (Pleuronectidae) in the Pacific waters of Kamchatka

Distribution and biological parameters are considered for eggs and adults of two flatfish species on the data of annual surveys conducted on the shelf of southeastern Kamchatka in summer of 2011–2014 and 2016–2019. The eggs of Pleuronectes quadrituberculatus were sampled mostly at the stage of a germinal strip forming, whereas the eggs of Hippoglossoides elassodon were mostly at the stage of embryo cleavage. The main congestions of the eggs were found in the Kronotsky Bay and northern Avachinsky Bay. The adults of both species concentrated mainly in the northern Kronotsky Bay, at Cape Povorotny. Old age groups prevailed in aggregations of P. quadrituberculatus, but middle-age and young fish — in the aggregations of H. elassodon.

Juvenile fish assemblages in the Jinju Bay region, Korea

Assemblages of juvenile fish and associated abiotic parameters were investigated inside and outside Jinju Bay in southern Korea, on a monthly basis from December 2014 to November 2015. Fluctuations in water temperature and salinity were larger inside than outside the bay. In total, 534,657 individuals per square kilometre from 81 fish species and 47 families were collected during the study period. The most dominant species was Nuchequula nuchalis both inside (25.6%) and outside (26.9%) the bay. The next dominant species were Thryssa kammalensis (17.9%) and Zoarces gillii (16.0%) inside the bay and Liparis tanakae (16.9%) and T. kammalensis (9.0%) outside the bay. Forty species (33% of total number of individuals) of young fish were recorded inside the bay and 47 species (52%) outside the bay. Therefore, it appears that a diversity of fish use nursery grounds inside and outside Jinju Bay. In particular, the following six species appeared: Z. gillii, Pleuronichthys cornutus, L. tanakae, Hemitripterus villosus, Pennahia argentata, and Xenocephalus elongates. Due to assemblage differences for fishes within Jinju Bay and outside the bay, management of both areas is required to maintain current diversity of species in the region.

Effects of Aquatic Macrophytes on Spatial Distribution and Feeding Habits of Exotic Fish Species Lepomis macrochirus and Micropterus salmoides in Shallow Reservoirs in South Korea

Aquatic macrophytes determine the physical complexity of aquatic environments and may influence the distribution and feeding habits of fish species. We explored the influence of different microhabitats, including vegetated beds (VB), edges of vegetated beds (EVB), and open water zones (OW), on two exotic fish species (Lepomis macrochirus and Micropterus salmoides) in shallow reservoirs. Lepomis macrochirus was more abundant in VB than in other zones and M. salmoides was mainly distributed in EVB. In VB, L. macrochirus mainly consumed branchiopods and isopods, while M. salmoides in EVB relied on relatively larger food items, such as dipterans, odonatans, and young fish. The consumption of young fish by M. salmoides, including L. macrochirus, showed little difference between winter and summer. Based on these findings, we suggest that young L. macrochirus (~20 cm) utilize VB as a refuge to avoid predation by M. salmoides. Meanwhile, M. salmoides mainly occupied in areas surrounding VB, preying on animals at these edges. As such, the presence of aquatic macrophytes appears to plays a key role in the survival and population growth of L. macrochirus. Proper management of aquatic macrophytes can help reduce populations of exotic fish and support native fish species.