Interactions between hatch dates, growth rates, and mortality of Age-0 native Rainbow Smelt and nonnative Alewife in Lake Champlain
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Abstract
Timing of hatch in fish populations can be critical for first-year survival and, therefore, year-class strength and subsequent species interactions. We compared hatch timing, growth rates, and subsequent mortality of age-0 Rainbow Smelt Osmerus mordax and Alewife Alosa pseudoharengus, two common open-water fish species of northern North America. In our study site, Lake Champlain, Rainbow Smelt hatched (beginning May 26) almost a month earlier than Alewives (June 20). Abundance in the sampling area was highest in July for age-0 Rainbow Smelt and August for age-0 Alewives. Late-hatching individuals of both species grew faster than those hatching earlier (0.6 mm/d versus 0.4 for Rainbow Smelt; 0.7 mm/d versus 0.6 for Alewives). Mean mortality rate during the first 45 d of life was 3.4%/d for age-0 Rainbow Smelt and was 5.5%/d for age-0 Alewives. Alewife mortality rates did not differ with hatch timing but daily mortality rates of Rainbow Smelt were highest for early-hatching fish. Cannibalism is probably the primary mortality source for age-0 Rainbow Smelt in this lake. Therefore, hatching earlier may not be advantageous because the overlap of adult and age-0 Rainbow Smelt is highest earlier in the season. However, Alewives, first documented in Lake Champlain in 2003, may increase the mortality of age-0 Rainbow Smelt in the summer, which should favor selection for earlier hatching.
Suggested Citation
Parrish, D.L., Simonin, P.W., Rudstam, L.G., Pientka, B., Sullivan, P., 2016, Interactions between hatch dates, growth rates, and mortality of Age-0 native Rainbow Smelt and nonnative Alewife in Lake Champlain: Transactions of the American Fisheries Society, v. 145, no. 3, p. 649-656, https://doi.org/10.1080/00028487.2016.1143401.
Study Area
| Publication type | Article |
|---|---|
| Publication Subtype | Journal Article |
| Title | Interactions between hatch dates, growth rates, and mortality of Age-0 native Rainbow Smelt and nonnative Alewife in Lake Champlain |
| Series title | Transactions of the American Fisheries Society |
| DOI | 10.1080/00028487.2016.1143401 |
| Volume | 145 |
| Issue | 3 |
| Publication Date | April 27, 2016 |
| Year Published | 2016 |
| Language | English |
| Publisher | Taylor & Francis |
| Contributing office(s) | Coop Res Unit Leetown |
| Description | 8 p. |
| First page | 649 |
| Last page | 656 |
| Country | United States |
| State | Vermont |
| Other Geospatial | Lake Champlain |
| Online Only (Y/N) | N |
| Additional Online Files (Y/N) | N |