Ontogenetic induced shifts in the ecology of sunbleak Leucaspius delineatus during early development

Using the non‐native sunbleak Leucaspius delineatus as a model, the relationship between ontogeny and ecology was studied with a view to identifying specific morphological and physiological processes involved in influencing ecological niche shifts. Following a predefined saltatory model for the early ontogeny of sunbleak, field studies examined the temporal use of microhabitat, diet and morphological changes throughout early development. Following a dramatic shift in both morphology and ecology between the free embryo phase and the larval period, habitat use and diet showed little change during the larval period, with habitat use confined to marginal, vegetated areas and prey items associated with these habitats well represented in the diet. During the final larval step (L5), transition to the juvenile period resulted in the stabilization of relative growth, acquisition of the adult morphotype and was associated with a clear shift in diet and habitat use. During this period, sunbleak moved for the first time into open, deeper water, away from the banks, and utilized a similar range of food items to the adults. Specific relationships between form and function are further discussed.     

施氏鲟仔鱼发育圾异速生长模型

施氏鲟仔鱼的生长发育可分为两个时期:卵黄囊期(或称为自由胚期),即从刚出膜(0日龄,10.17±0.63 mm)到初次开口(9日龄,18.93±0.74 mm);晚期,从开口摄食至器官发育基本完全(38日龄,41.89±5.09 mm).卵黄囊期仔鱼的感觉、摄食、呼吸、游泳等器官快速分化;晚期仔鱼各骨板分化并发育,在形态上逐渐完成向成鱼的转变.对施氏鲟仔鱼异速生长进行的研究表明,仔鱼许多关键器官均存在异速生长现象,如眼径、口宽、尾鳍长、胸鳍长分别在2日龄、8~9日龄、10日龄、11日龄出现生长拐点,拐点之前器官快速生长,拐点之后生长速度减慢甚至近似等速生长.施氏鲟仔鱼各器官呈现出协调和快速发育的特征,随着重要的感觉、摄食、呼吸、游泳等器官的发育和完善,仔鱼快速地具备了躲避敌害和摄食的能力,其生存能力大大提高.     

Size‐dependent microhabitat use and intraspecific competition in Cottus gobio

An electrofishing survey of daytime shelter microhabitat use of bullhead Cottus gobio in a southern English chalk stream revealed positive selection for moderate water velocity, vegetation cover and coarse substrata. Water depth, other forms of cover, shade and substratum embeddedness had no significant influence on the distribution of fish. Microhabitat use was size‐dependent, with patches occupied by adult fish containing coarser substrata and less blanket weed ( Cladophora algae) than those occupied by smaller juvenile conspecifics. Differences in substratum use between size‐classes were less pronounced in parts of the stream shaded by the tree canopy. In laboratory tanks stocked at low fish density, both juveniles and adults favoured use of cobbles over pebbles. The response of fish to increased conspecific density was size‐dependent; juveniles reduced use of the coarse substratum whereas adults maintained their predominance in this habitat. An apparently greater shift by juveniles when in the presence of adults was significant at α = 0·10 only, as was an apparent reduction in interactions between size‐classes under low light intensity. The displacement of small juvenile fish from the preferred cobble substratum is consistent with the hypothesis that intraspecific competition contributes to the size‐related microhabitat shift observed in the field. Although there was a tendency for the strength of competition to be reduced at low light levels, the mechanism by which tree canopy cover affects microhabitat use remains uncertain.     

Do early life history characteristics determine species ranges and dispersal of coral reef fishes in the Indo‐Pacific?

The Indo‐Pacific consists of extensive continuous coastlines and many island groups of varying sizes and isolation. The species ranges of coral reef fishes vary enormously from Indo‐Pacific wide to highly endemic. There is also great variation in the early life history characteristics of coral reef fishes ( e.g . pelagic larval durations, spawning strategies and swimming abilities). We use individual‐based models (IBMs) to simulate the dispersal of coral reef fishes in the Indo‐Pacific. The development of dispersal strategies is explored based on ecological and geographical constraints. Simulations are presented for climatic and anthropogenically‐induced events.     

眼斑双锯鱼仔稚鱼发育异速生长

运用生态学和传统理论生物学的研究方法, 对孵化后眼斑双锯(Amphiprion ocellaris)仔、稚鱼在早期生存和环境适应上的异速生长及器官优先发育生态学意义进行了研究, 以期为眼斑双锯鱼人工繁殖和育苗提供参考资料。以11日龄为眼斑双锯鱼仔、稚鱼的区分时期, 结果表明, 眼斑双锯鱼仔、稚鱼的感觉、摄食和游泳等器官快速分化, 均存在异速生长现象。在头部器官中, 吻长、眼间距、口宽和头高在仔鱼期均为正异速生长, 吻至鳃裂前缘长和眼径为负异速生长。在身体各部位中, 仔鱼期体高、躯干长、尾长、尾柄长、尾柄高和体厚均为正异速生长, 仅头长为负异速生长; 在游泳器官中, 仔鱼期眼斑双锯鱼尾鳍、背鳍、胸鳍、腹鳍和臀鳍均为正异速生长。稚鱼期眼斑双锯鱼头部、躯干及游泳等各器官均为负异速生长。眼斑双锯鱼这些关键器官的异速发育, 对适应环境因子变化具有重要的生态学意义。     

红鳍笛鲷仔、稚鱼异速生长

运用生态学和传统理论生物学的研究方法,对孵化后红鳍笛鲷（Lutjanus erythropterus）仔、稚鱼在早期生存和环境适应上的异速生长及器官优先发育生态学意义进行了研究,以期为红鳍笛鲷人工繁殖、育苗提供参考资料。以17日龄为红鳍笛鲷仔、稚鱼的区分时期,结果表明,红鳍笛鲷仔、稚鱼的感觉、呼吸摄食和游泳等器官快速分化,均存在异速生长现象。在头部器官中,吻长、口宽、眼径和头高在仔鱼期均为正异速生长,稚鱼期吻长为等速生长,口宽、眼径和头高为负异速生长。在身体各部位中,仔鱼期头长和体高为正异速生长,躯干部和尾长为负异速生长;稚鱼期体高和躯干长为正异速生长,头长和尾长为等速生长;在游泳器官中,仔鱼期红鳍笛鲷背鳍、腹鳍、尾鳍为正异速生长,胸鳍为等速生长,稚鱼期臀鳍为正异速生长,腹鳍、胸鳍和尾鳍为等速生长,背鳍为负异速生长。红鳍笛鲷这些关键器官的快速发育,使外源性营养开始后以最小的代谢损耗获得了生存能力的显著提升,对挑战和适应纷繁变换的外界压力具有重要的生态学意义。     

Early ontogeny of sunbleak

The early development of sunbleak Leucaspius delineatus , from activation of ovum to juvenile, was recorded using both living and preserved materials. Five embryonic steps, one free embryo and five larval steps were identified. Hatching occurred between 73 h 25 min and 85 h 25 min (post‐activation); the free embryo period was extremely short in duration (3–16 h). The transition from larva to juvenile occurred in c . 96 days when the fish were fully scaled and the lateral line organ clearly visible. During early development, developmental thresholds were identified between steps, which suggested possible switches in ecology, microhabitat, behaviour, performance or any combination of these. During both embryo and larva periods of development, steps increased in time duration, indicating different rates of complexity of physiological and morphological developments within each step. From the results, a 'step like' model is proposed for the early development of sunbleak.     

Comparison of Growth Plasticity in the Laboratory and Field, and Implications for for the Onset of Juvenile Development in Sofie, Chondrostoma toxostoma

The aim of the present study was to determine the effect of environmental conditions (controlled and natural) on the duration and sequence of developmental steps in sofie, Chondrostoma toxostoma, early ontogeny. Few previous studies on the early development of fishes have included relative growth and none have compared relative growth in the laboratory and the field. Such comparison is important to quantify the morphological development of different parts of fish during their early ontogeny, to determine potential variations in growth that may occur under laboratory conditions and to understand better the plastic nature of relative growth. Early development and relative growth of 23 characters were examined in specimens of sofie reared under both laboratory and natural conditions in tributaries of the River Garonne basin (France). The sofie is still present in this basin despite progressive localised extinction in the rivers of south western Europe over the last 30 years. Growth of field and laboratory embryos (in degree days, °days) was the same up to larva step 1 (9 mm SL), but thereafter was markedly slower in the laboratory than in the field. Ontogenetic rate in the field was twice that in the laboratory, suggesting a precocial (specialist) form under natural conditions and an altricial (generalist) form under laboratory conditions. Stabilisation of relative growth, i.e. end of the remodelling process (metamorphosis), occurred well after all larval characteristics (remnants of finfold, rapid allometric growth) had disappeared and all the juvenile structures had appeared (nasal septa, complete scale cover). In the field, this stabilisation occurred in specimens of approximately 50 mm SL, suggesting that metamorphosis ends and the juvenile period begins at the end of the sofie's first (0+) year of life.     

Interaction Mortality: Senescence May Have Evolved because It Increases Lifespan

Given an extrinsic challenge, an organism may die or not depending on how the threat interacts with the organism''s physiological state. To date, such interaction mortality has been only a minor factor in theoretical modeling of senescence. We describe a model of interaction mortality that does not involve specific functions, making only modest assumptions. Our model distinguishes explicitly between the physiological state of an organism and potential extrinsic, age-independent threats. The resulting mortality may change with age, depending on whether the organism''s state changes with age. We find that depending on the physiological constraints, any outcome, be it ‘no senescence’ or ‘high rate of senescence’, can be found in any environment; that the highest optimal rate of senescence emerges for an intermediate physiological constraint, i.e. intermediate strength of trade-off; and that the optimal rate of senescence as a function of the environment is driven by the way the environment changes the effect of the organism''s state on mortality. We conclude that knowledge about the environment, physiology and their interaction is necessary before reasonable predictions about the evolution of senescence can be made.     

The foraging ecology of larval and juvenile fishes

Knowledge of the foraging ecology of fishes is fundamental both to understanding the processes that function at the individual, population and community levels, and for the management and conservation of their populations and habitats. Furthermore, the factors that influence the acquisition and assimilation of food can have significant consequences for the condition, growth, survival and recruitment of fishes. The majority of marine and freshwater fish species are planktivorous at the onset of exogenous nutrition and have a limited ability to detect, capture, ingest and digest prey. Improvements in vision, development of fins and associated improvements in swimming performance, increases in gape size and development of the alimentary tract during ontogeny often lead to shifts in diet composition. Prey size, morphology, behaviour and abundance can all influence the prey selection of larval and juvenile fishes. Differences in feeding behaviour between fish species, individuals or during ontogeny can also be important, as can inter- and intraspecific interactions (competition, predation risk). Temporal (diel, seasonal, annual) and spatial (microhabitat, mesohabitat, macrohabitat, regional) variations in prey availability can have important implications for the prey selection, diet composition, growth, survival, condition and, ultimately, recruitment success of fishes. For fish populations to persist, habitat must be available in sufficient quality and quantity for the range of activities undertaken during all periods of development. Habitats that enhance the diversity, size ranges and abundance of zooplankton should ensure that sufficient food resources are available to larval and juvenile fishes.     

Shifts in the microhabitat of larval and juvenile roach, Rutilus rutilus (L.), in a floodplain channel

The microhabitat of roach larvae (stages L1–L6) and 0+ juveniles was examined in a braided channel (Ilon) of the Upper Rhone River, France, from weekly samples (spring-autumn 1985) using Point Abundance Sampling by electrofishing. During early development, microhabitat exploitation was characterized by two transitions: the first at larval step L3, when morphological and physiological attributes permit the active choice of microhabitat; the second at the end of the larval and start of the juvenile period. At larval step L3, and up to L5, roach were strongly associated with lentic waters of medium depth (0.5–1.0m) and with either macrophytes or ligneous debris. The L6 and 0+ juveniles were found more often than expected in shallower waters (< 0.2m, 0.2–0.5 m) and were no longer associated with dense vegetation or ligneous debris. However, both larval (L3–L6) and 0+ juvenile roach preferred silty sand and/or silted gravel, and a lack of current. This shift, from moderately deep waters with vegetation and/or branches as larvae to open shallow waters as juveniles, demonstrates the young roach's perception and response to environmental change, with shallows exploited as a refuge from predation when protective structures become scarce or unavailable.     

The impact of larval predators and competitors on the morphology and fitness of juvenile treefrogs

Studies of phenotypic plasticity typically focus on traits in single ontogenetic stages. However, plastic responses can be induced in multiple ontogenetic stages and traits induced early in ontogeny may have lasting effects. We examined how gray treefrog larvae altered their morphology in four different larval environments and whether different larval environments affected the survival, growth, development, and morphology of juvenile frogs at metamorphosis. We then reared these juveniles in terrestrial environments under high and low intraspecific competition to determine whether the initial differences in traits at metamorphosis affected subsequent survival and growth, whether the initial phenotypic differences converged over time, and whether competition in the terrestrial environment induced further phenotypic changes. Larval and juvenile environments both affected treefrog traits. Larval predators induced relatively deep tail fins and short bodies, but there was no impact on larval development. In contrast, larval competitors induced relatively short tails and long bodies, reduced larval growth, and slowed larval development. At metamorphosis, larval predators had no effect on juvenile growth or relative morphology while larval competitors produced juveniles that were smaller and possessed relatively shorter limbs and shorter bodies. After 1 month of terrestrial competition among the juvenile frogs, the initial differences in juvenile morphology did not converge. There were no differences in growth due to larval treatment but there were differences in survival. Individuals that experienced low competition as tadpoles experienced near perfect survival as juvenile frogs but individuals that experienced high competition as tadpoles suffered an 18% decrease in survival as juvenile frogs. There were also morphological responses to juvenile competition, but these changes appear to be due, at least in part, to allometric effects. Collectively, these results demonstrate that larval environments can have profound impacts on the traits and fitness of organisms later in ontogeny.     

Size‐related and diel variations in microhabitat use of three endangered small fishes in a Mediterranean coastal stream

This study analysed the microhabitat use of three endangered fish species, Andalusian toothcarp Aphanius baeticus , Iberian loach Cobitis paludica and sand smelt Atherina boyeri , in a coastal stream stretch. Plastic minnow traps were set both during daytime and at night on the bottom and at the surface. Depth and presence of effective refuge were recorded for each trap. To assess size‐related changes in microhabitat use individuals of each species were classified in three size classes. The three species preferentially used bottom positions in the water column, though this behaviour was more evident in the case of Iberian loach. While large Iberian loach remained active at night Andalusian toothcarp and sand smelt were strongly diurnal, especially larger individuals. The three species showed a clear ontogenetic change in microhabitat preferences towards deeper waters. Small Andalusian toothcarp and medium‐sized Iberian loach used deeper microhabitat in the presence of refuge. Large Andalusian toothcarp consistently preferred exposed microhabitat at any time. Andalusian toothcarp using refuge were smaller at any time, while Iberian loach followed this pattern only at night. The differential vulnerability of these species to different predators (aerial and aquatic; diurnal and nocturnal) could explain the observed patterns in microhabitat use. Fish tended to co‐occur in microhabitats either due to habitat characteristics independently of species or due to species independently of habitat. Andalusian toothcarp segregated spatio‐temporally from sand smelt and Iberian loach, but these species occurred independently of each other. According to these co‐occurrence patterns, Andalusian toothcarp would be more sensitive than Iberian loach or sand smelt to interspecific interactions.     

Influence of delayed metamorphosis on postsettlement survival and growth in the sipunculan Apionsoma misakianum

Abstract. Certain stresses experienced by marine larvae from many groups can dramatically reduce aspects of juvenile performance. This study reports the effects of delayed metamorphosis and nutritional stress on survival and growth of the deposit-feeding sipunculan Apionsoma (= Golfingia ) misakianum . Approximately 600 larvae collected from the Florida Current plankton were distributed among 3 treatment groups. Ninety larvae (controls) were offered sediment and adult-conditioned seawater 4 d after collection, to induce metamorphosis; larvae of this species could not be induced to metamorphose by increasing the K⁺ concentration of seawater. The remaining 500 larvae were kept swimming for either 2 or 4 weeks, with or without phyto-plankton (clone T-ISO). At the end of the periods of prolonged larval swimming, subsampled larvae (360) were induced to metamorphose as in the controls. Surviving individuals were retrieved 6 weeks after the addition of excess sediment in all treatments, and weighed to document growth. Neither delayed metamorphosis nor starvation influenced juvenile survival. However, starving larvae for 2 weeks significantly reduced mean juvenile growth rates relative to the mean growth rate of control individuals (p<0.0001), while prolonging larval life by 4 weeks significantly reduced mean juvenile growth rates (p<0.05) whether or not larvae were fed. Reduced juvenile growth rates may have been caused by nutritional stress experienced by larvae in both the starved and fed treatments. The rapid response of freshly collected larvae to sediment indicates that competent larvae of this species routinely delay metamorphosis in the field. The extent to which they also experience food limitation is not yet clear. If competent larvae are food limited while delaying metamorphosis in the field, our results suggest that juveniles will grow more slowly and may thus exhibit reduced fitness.     

Characterization and expression of calmodulin gene during larval settlement and metamorphosis of the polychaete Hydroides elegans

The polychaete Hydroides elegans (Serpulidae, Lophotrochozoa) is a problematic marine fouling organism in most tropical and subtropical coastal environment. Competent larvae of H. elegans undergo the transition from the swimming larval stage to the sessile juvenile stage with substantial morphological, physiological, and behavior changes. This transition is often referred to as larval settlement and metamorphosis. In this study, we examined the possible involvement of calmodulin (CaM) - a multifunctional calcium metabolism regulator, in the larval settlement and metamorphosis of H. elegans. A full-length CaM cDNA was successfully cloned from H. elegans (He-CaM) and it contained an open reading frame of 450 bp, encoding 149 amino acid residues. It was highly expressed in 12h post-metamorphic juveniles, and remained high in adults. In situ hybridization conducted in competent larvae and juveniles revealed that He-CaM gene was continuously expressed in the putative growth zones, branchial rudiments, and collar region, suggesting that He-CaM might be involved in tissue differentiation and development. Our subsequent bioassay revealed that the CaM inhibitor W7 could effectively inhibit larval settlement and metamorphosis, and cause some morphological defects of unsettled larvae. In conclusion, our results revealed that CaM has important functions in the larval settlement and metamorphosis of H. elegans.     

Impact of variable pelagic environments on natural larval growth and recruitment of the reef fish Thalassoma bifasciatum

New recruits of the bluehead wrasse Thalassoma bifasciatum were censused and collected from nearshore reefs of Barbados, West Indies, every 2 weeks for 20 months. Their temporal coincidence with low salinity (<34·5) water during their pelagic larval stage was determined by comparing the otolith records of new recruits with conductivity and temperature records from a current meter moored 2 km off the west coast of the island. Larval residence in a low salinity North Brazil Current (NBC) ring appeared to have a negative impact on growth. Larvae that encountered a NBC ring for at least 7 days during either the first half of the larval period exhibited slower larval growth than those that did not encounter a ring for 7 days during any part of their larval period. As a result of this slower growth, larvae that encountered low salinity waters had a longer pelagic larval duration and were larger at the time of settlement. The magnitude of settlement was not distinctly related to the presence or absence of a NBC ring, but the largest settlement event occurred at the end of the longest ring event. Early juvenile growth did not vary between fish that had encountered a ring and those that did not, so size differences at settlement were propagated through the first week of life on the reef. The potentially opposing attributes of fast and slow‐growing larvae ( e.g . fast growing larvae with shorter larval stage duration but smaller size at settlement and higher susceptibility to reef predation), and the resulting differential mortality on the reef may promote the persistence of individuals in the population with contrasting life history traits, and contribute to the lack of a relationship between larval growth and recruitment success. Positive transport related effects of rings ( i.e . enhanced retention during some ring events) may further complicate matters by outweighing the negative impact of rings on larval growth.     

Comparative microhabitat use of cyprinid larvae and juveniles in a lotic floodplain channel

Synopsis The microhabitat of six cyprinids in a braided side-channel of the Upper Rhône River, France, was studied June to September 1985, using point abundance sampling by electrofishing. Correspondence analysis of the samples-by-species data and Jacob&s electivity index (calculated from the availability and exploitation of eight environmental variables) revealed three groups of species: (1) Leuciscus cephalus and Alburnus alburnus, which used relatively similar microhabitat during both larval and 0 + juvenile development; (2) Rutilus rutilus, Leuciscus leuciscus and Chondrostoma nasus, which used different microhabitats as larvae but whose microhabitat overlapped notably during 0 + juvenile development; (3) and Gobio gobio, whose juvenile microhabitat overlapped only marginally with that of other 0 + juveniles (no data were available on larvae). Overlap in microhabitat use by 0 + juveniles increased notably during a period of reduced discharge, when the amount of available vegetal and ligneous structures decreased; while most species exploited the increased area of shallow waters, juvenile A. alburnus appeared to be the only species that exploited the deeper waters off the channel&s steeper banks. Although not quantified, numerous field observations of predation threat, particularly during the period of reduced discharge (which reduced the amount of cover), suggest that predation risk may influence the microhabitat use of young fishes. Compared with similar species in European lakes, the overlap in microhabitat use of these fluvial cyprinids appears to be more intensive.     

Sex‐specific compensatory growth in the larvae of the greater wax moth Galleria mellonella

Deficiency of food resources in ontogeny is known to prolong an organism's developmental time and affect body size in adulthood. Yet life‐history traits are plastic: an organism can increase its growth rate to compensate for a period of slow growth, a phenomenon known as ‘compensatory growth’. We tested whether larvae of the greater wax moth Galleria mellonella can accelerate their growth after a fast of 12, 24 or 72 h. We found that a subgroup of female larvae showed compensatory growth when starved for 12 h. Food deficiency lasting more than 12 h resulted in longer development and lower mass gain. Strength of encapsulation reactions against a foreign body inserted in haemocoel was the weakest in females that showed compensatory growth, whereas the strongest encapsulation was recorded in the males and females that fasted for 24 and 72 h. More specifically, we found sex‐biased immune reactions so that females had stronger encapsulation rates than males in one group that fasted for 72 h. Overall, rapidly growing females had a short larval development period and the shortest adult lifespan. These results suggest that highly dynamic trade‐offs between the environment, life‐history traits and sex lead to plasticity in developmental strategies/growth rates in the greater wax moth.     

Allometric growth and larval development in Pacific red snapper Lutjanus peru under culture conditions

Allometric growth is a common feature during fish larval development. It has been proposed as a growth strategy to prioritize the development of body segments related to primordial functions like feeding and swimming to increase the probability of survival during this critical period. In the present study we evaluated the allometric growth patterns of body segments associated to swimming and feeding during the larval stages of Pacific red snapper Lutjanus peru. The larvae were kept under intensive culture conditions and sampled every day from hatching until day 33 after hatching. Each larva was classified according to its developmental stage into yolk-sac larva, preflexion larva, flexion larva or postflexion larva, measured and the allometric growth coefficient of different body segments was evaluated using the potential model. Based on the results we can infer the presence of different ontogenetic priorities during the first developmental stages associated with vital functions like swimming during the yolk-sac stage [total length (TL) interval = 2.27–3.005 mm] and feeding during the preflexion stage (TL interval = 3.007–5.60 mm) by promoting the accelerated growth of tail (post anal) and head, respectively. In the flexion stage (TL interval = 5.61–7.62 mm) a change in growth coefficients of most body segments compared to the previous stage was detected, suggesting a shift in growth priorities. Finally, in the postflexion stage (TL interval = 7.60–15.48 mm) a clear tendency to isometry in most body segments was observed, suggesting that growth priorities have been fulfilled and the larvae will initiate with the transformation into a juvenile. These results provide a framework of the larval growth of L. peru in culture conditions which can be useful for comparative studies with other species or in aquaculture to evaluate the changes in larval growth due to new conditions or feeding protocols.