High salinity tolerance in eggs and fry of a brackish northern pike (Esox luscius L.) population

TY - JOUR

T1 - High salinity tolerance in eggs and fry of a brackish northern pike (Esox luscius L.) population

AU - Jørgensen, A.T.

AU - Hansen, B.W.

AU - Vismann, Bent

AU - Jacobsen, L.

AU - Skov, C.

AU - Berg, S.

AU - Bekkevold, D.

PY - 2010/12

Y1 - 2010/12

N2 - Knowledge on the biology and physiology of pike, Esox lucius L., populations inhabiting salineenvironments is scarce. An experimental setup was used to examine egg development and fry behaviour andgrowth under varying salinity levels in a brackish-water pike population from the western Baltic Sea. Eggs and frydeveloped at 8.5 psu, which is higher than hitherto reported for other populations. Fry exhibited stress behaviourand reduced growth when subjected to salinities above 13 psu. This indicates that early life stages of E. luciustolerate ambient salinity conditions equivalent to the natural environment in its nursery area in the Stege Norlagoon. The population should therefore not be dependent on access to freshwater environments during spawning.However, the results also suggest that the populations natural environment is on the margin of its physiologicalcapacity. The results have significance for management of brackish-water E. lucius populations, e.g. in relation tostocking strategies.

AB - Knowledge on the biology and physiology of pike, Esox lucius L., populations inhabiting salineenvironments is scarce. An experimental setup was used to examine egg development and fry behaviour andgrowth under varying salinity levels in a brackish-water pike population from the western Baltic Sea. Eggs and frydeveloped at 8.5 psu, which is higher than hitherto reported for other populations. Fry exhibited stress behaviourand reduced growth when subjected to salinities above 13 psu. This indicates that early life stages of E. luciustolerate ambient salinity conditions equivalent to the natural environment in its nursery area in the Stege Norlagoon. The population should therefore not be dependent on access to freshwater environments during spawning.However, the results also suggest that the populations natural environment is on the margin of its physiologicalcapacity. The results have significance for management of brackish-water E. lucius populations, e.g. in relation tostocking strategies.

U2 - 10.1111/j.1365-2400.2010.00755.x

DO - 10.1111/j.1365-2400.2010.00755.x

M3 - Journal article

SN - 0969-997X

VL - 17

SP - 554

EP - 560

JO - Fisheries Management and Ecology

JF - Fisheries Management and Ecology

ER -