Temperature preference of juvenile lumpfish (Cyclopterus lumpus) originating from the southern and northern parts of Norway

Fish are ectothermic animals and have body temperatures close to that of the water they inhabit. They can still control their body temperatures by selecting habitats with temperatures that maximize their growth, feed conversion and wellbeing. Lumpfish, Cyclopterus lumpus, is widely distributed in the North Atlantic Ocean and therefore exposed to variable water temperatures. Lumpfish is extensively used as cleanerfish in salmon farming in Norway and exposed to a wide temperature range along the north-south axis of the Norwegian coastline. But, if these temperature ranges correspond to the preference temperatures of lumpfish is not known. If lumpfish has adapted to regional temperatures along the Norwegian coast, differences in preference temperature for fish from different regions should be evident. In a selective breeding perspective, different selection lines for preference temperature would then be useful for further development of lumpfish as a cleanerfish.We subjected lumpfish juveniles weighing 154–426g originated from northern (Group North – GN) and southern (Group South – GS) Norway to a temperature preference test, using an electronic shuttle box system. The system allowed the fish to control the water temperature by moving between two chambers, and thereby choosing its preferred temperature in the range from 5 to 16 °C. We started the temperature at 7.8 ± 1.37 °C for GN and 7.58 ± 1.34 °C for GS, but all the fish except four (two each from GN and GS) chose lower temperatures (5.03–7.6 °C) in the first 18 h and stayed closer to that temperature during the next 30 h. Based on the results, GN and GS lumpfish preferred 6.92 ± 1.8 and 6.2 ± 1.2, respectively, and there was no significant difference between the groups. Neither was there any significant difference in growth rates (SGR) between the two groups. Based on our results, we suggest that lumpfish from any geographical origin along the Norwegian coast can be used anywhere in Norway. It follows that lumpfish from a single selection line could be used at any salmon farm in Norway independent of its location.     

Ticket to spawn: Combining economic and genetic data to evaluate the effect of climate and demographic structure on spawning distribution in Atlantic cod

Climate warming and harvesting affect the dynamics of species across the globe through a multitude of mechanisms, including distribution changes. In fish, migrations to and distribution on spawning grounds are likely influenced by both climate warming and harvesting. The Northeast Arctic (NEA) cod (Gadus morhua) performs seasonal migrations from its feeding grounds in the Barents Sea to spawning grounds along the Norwegian coast. The distribution of cod between the spawning grounds has historically changed at decadal scales, mainly due to variable use of the northern and southern margins of the spawning area. Based on historical landing records, two major hypotheses have been put forward to explain these changes: climate and harvesting. Climate could affect the distribution through, for example, spatial habitat shifts. Harvesting could affect the distribution through impacting the demographic structure. If demographic structure is important, theory predicts increasing spawner size with migration distance. Here, we evaluate these hypotheses with modern data from a period (2000–2016) of increasing temperature and recovering stock structure. We first analyze economic data from the Norwegian fisheries to investigate geographical differences in size of spawning fish among spawning grounds, as well as interannual differences in mean latitude of spawning in relation to changes in temperature and demographic parameters. Second, we analyze genetically determined fish sampled at the spawning grounds to unambiguously separate between migratory NEA cod and potentially smaller sized coastal cod of local origin. Our results indicate smaller spawners farther away from the feeding grounds, hence not supporting the hypothesis that harvesting is a main driver for the contemporary spawning ground distribution. We find a positive correlation between annual mean spawning latitude and temperature. In conclusion, based on contemporary data, there is more support for climate compared to harvesting in shaping spawning ground distribution in this major fish stock in the North Atlantic Ocean.     

Inter-breeding movements of common guillemots (Uria aalge) suggest the Barents Sea is an important autumn staging and wintering area

Seabird movements outside the breeding season are generally poorly known, but can cover thousands of square km and a multitude of habitats, feeding conditions and potential threats. During the last decades, many seabird species in the North Atlantic have experienced large reductions in population size and breeding success, probably caused by reduced prey abundance caused by climate alterations and overfishing. One of these seabird species is the common guillemot. We used global location sensors (geolocators) to identify inter-breeding movements of 10 individuals breeding at Sklinna, a colony off the coast of Central Norway during July 2009–July 2010. All individuals moved northwards after breeding, and eight of them (80?%) entered the Barents Sea where they probably completed their moult. Three individuals moved southwards before the winter, but in total, half of the individuals stayed in the Barents Sea during winter. The other half wintered off the coast of Central Norway–Lofoten. The fact that all individuals moved northwards to winter was surprising as ringing recoveries suggest they also moves southwards (to the Skagerrak area) to winter. This suggests variation (individual or annual) in wintering movements and calls for a multi-year geolocator study at a number of colonies. Much of the area in the Barents Sea–Lofoten area is classified as vulnerable with respect to specific environmental pressures such as oil pollution and other anthropogenic factors, and the importance of the Barents Sea as a major wintering area for common guillemots from central Norway certainly has implications for the management authorities.     

Distribution and reproduction strategies of krill (Euphausiacea) on the Norwegian shelf

Meganyctiphanes norvegica and Thysanoessa inermis were the dominant krill species that were observed on the Norwegian shelf. T. inermis and M. norvegica were found in abundances of up to 14 and 22 no. m^?2, respectively, on the mid Norwegian shelf (Møre plateau, Halten, Sklinna, Træna banks) and up to the Lofoten area. The main distribution of the krill indicates that they are mostly restricted to the Atlantic waters of the shelf region in April and little krill was observed south of 62°N. The two dominant krill species appeared to have different strategies for the timing of spawning, thus avoiding direct overlap of spawning products. The majority of the T. inermis females were in the spawning condition in April. Meganyctiphanes norvegica appeared to spawn at least a month later. The sizes of the first time spawners of T. inermis were around 11–16 mm, and they were approximately 1 year old. The sizes of the second time spawners were around 17–22 mm. The spawning of krill on the Norwegian shelf coincides with the blooming of the spring phytoplankton in this region . Advection of eggs and larvae of krill, as well as other plankton, is important not only to the shelf and slope region, but also for the functioning of the wider Norwegian Sea ecosystem and the adjacent areas.     

Climate-Driven Ichthyoplankton Drift Model Predicts Growth of Top Predator Young

Climate variability influences seabird population dynamics in several ways including access to prey near colonies during the critical chick-rearing period. This study addresses breeding success in a Barents Sea colony of common guillemots Uria aalge where trophic conditions vary according to changes in the northward transport of warm Atlantic Water. A drift model was used to simulate interannual variations in transport of cod Gadus morhua larvae along the Norwegian coast towards their nursery grounds in the Barents Sea. The results showed that the arrival of cod larvae from southern spawning grounds had a major effect on the size of common guillemot chicks at fledging. Furthermore, the fraction of larvae from the south was positively correlated to the inflow of Atlantic Water into the Barents Sea thus clearly demonstrating the mechanisms by which climate-driven bottom-up processes influence interannual variations in reproductive success in a marine top predator.     

New data on distribution of Norwegian (Atlantic) pollock Theragra finnmarchica (Gadidae) in the Barents Sea

New data have been acquired on the biology, morphological features and distribution of Norwegian (Atlantic) pollock Theragra finnmarchica in the Barents Sea. Two individuals of this rare species gadoid (Gadidae) were caught in June and July 2012 in the south-eastern part of the Barents Sea, indicating a wider distribution area of this species than previously thought. It has been confirmed that a number of morphological features of Norwegian pollock is different from T. chalcogramma, and that it feeds on macroplankton (Euphausiidae, Hyperiidae).     

Aspects of the spawning biology of the Brazilian sardine, Sardinella brasiliensis (Steindachner, 1879), (Clupeidae)

Biological data, size frequency distribution of intraovarian oocytes, maturity indices and histological observations of the gonads were used to assess the spawning cycle of S. brasiliensis , sampled September 1981–August 1982 throughout the main fishing area off the Brazilian coast (22°S to 28°S). Post-ovulatory follicles are described and classified, and the incidence of mature females displaying these structures was calculated. The main findings were (a) spawning occurred during the spring and summer with a maximum in December and January; (b) spawning occurred throughout the area studied; (c) spawning was fractional; (d) average batch fecundity was 26 000 oocytes per female, or 393 eggs g⁻¹; (e) spawning frequency reached values of approximately 50% during the spawning peak, but was sensibly lower during the other months of spawning activity.     

Sexual dimorphism of drumming muscles in European hake (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Merluccius merluccius</Emphasis>)

Dissections of mature and non-mature European hake males and females (N = 142) collected in waters off the western coast of Norway and in the Bay of Biscay (France) in 2004–2006 demonstrate for the first time that this gadoid species contains drumming muscles. There were differences in drumming muscles weight with body length, sex and maturity stage. This study shows that the difference between females and males is primarily manifested during the spawning season, seen both in the French and Norwegian samples. For the mature females the drumming muscles dry weight increases only slightly, if at all, with increase in total length. For mature males there is a corresponding rapid increase. There does not seem to be any consistent difference between the average dry weight of the drumming muscles in immature male and immature and mature female hake of the same length, tested on the Norwegian samples. Our results suggest that male hake, like the males of other gadoids studied, may produce sounds in the context of spawning.     

The barnacles (Cirripedia: Thoracica) collected by the Viking expedition in chemobiotic benthic communities of the Norwegian and Barents Seas

The barnacles (Cirripedia Thoracica) collected by the Viking expedition in chemobiotic benthic communities of Arctic Ocean-Nyegga area in Norwegian Sea and Håkon Mosby Mud Volcano area in the Barents Sea are investigated. The species (Weltnerium nymphocola in Håkon Mosby Mud Volcano area and Hamatoscalpellum hamatum in Nyegga area) that were found are common inhabitants of the Barents and Norwegian sea benthic communities. The absence of obligatory barnacle fauna that was revealed in investigated chemobiotic benthic communities of the Arctic Ocean shows they are similar to corresponding communities of the Atlantic Ocean, while the specific obligatory barnacle fauna is noted for chemobiotic benthic communities of the Pacific and Indian oceans.     

Phylogeography of the temperate marine bivalve Cerastoderma edule (Linnaeus, 1758) (Bivalvia: Cardiidae) in the Subarctic: Unique diversity and strong population structuring at different spatial scales

Using mitochondrial COI sequencing, we explored the genetic diversity and population structuring of the common cockle Cerastoderma edule (Linnaeus, 1758) in the Norwegian and Barents Seas. Phylogeographic diversity and hence the evolutionary history of C. edule on the Scandinavian and Russian coastlines were found to be richer than expected for populations of temperate species in postglacially colonized seas. A major phylogeographic break at Lofoten Islands separated a group of subarctic populations dominated by a distinct star‐shaped clade of haplotypes from those to the south, extending to the North Sea and having highest gene diversities (h). At the northeastern edge of the range of C. edule, the Russian Murman coast, populations show a mosaic structure with considerable admixture of haplotypes from the south and high local‐scale variation in haplotype diversity (ranging between 0 and 0.8). To explain this mosaic we refer to the core‐satellite metapopulation model, with Norwegian populations as core, and Murman populations as satellites. Our results contradict the conventional biogeographic paradigm implying lack of metapopulation structuring in marine broadcast spawning invertebrates. Hypotheses considered to explain the origin of the unique variation in cockles from Northern Norway involve an early postglacial colonization and establishment of these populations (10–12 ka ago), a persistent oceanographic break at Lofoten, and a mitochondrial selective sweep associated with the postglacial recolonization of the subarctic seas by the boreal C. edule.     

Feeding of Greenland halibut <Emphasis Type="Italic">Reinhardtius hippoglossoides</Emphasis> (Pleuronectidae) in the Kara Sea

Feeding of Greenland halibut Reinhardtius hippoglossoides in the northern Kara Sea was studied based on data collected in summer–autumn 2007–2013. The main food of all size groups of halibut were fish—up to 98% of weight of the food bolus. Larger individuals had lower intensity of feeding as compared to juveniles, which was probably owing to the lack of suitable food for large fish and, along with gonad maturation process, could be one of the reasons of their migration to the Barents Sea. The northern part of the Kara Sea, as well as the adjacent areas of Barents Sea, can be considered as an important area of habitation of juvenile Greenland halibut of the Norwegian–Barents Sea population.     

Ancient DNA reveals a southern presence of the Northeast Arctic cod during the Holocene

Climate change has been implicated in an increased number of distributional shifts of marine species during the last century. Nonetheless, it is unclear whether earlier climatic fluctuations had similar impacts. We use ancient DNA to investigate the long-term spawning distribution of the Northeast Arctic cod (skrei) which performs yearly migrations from the Barents Sea towards spawning grounds along the Norwegian coast. The distribution of these spawning grounds has shifted northwards during the last century, which is thought to be associated with food availability and warming temperatures. We genetically identify skrei specimens from Ruskeneset in west Norway, an archaeological site located south of their current spawning range. Remarkably, ¹⁴C analyses date these specimens to the late Holocene, when temperatures were warmer than present-day conditions. Our results either suggest that temperature is not the only driver influencing the spawning distribution of Atlantic cod, or could be indicative of uncertainty in palaeoclimate reconstructions in this region. Regardless, our findings highlight the utility of aDNA to reconstruct the historical distribution of economically important fish populations and reveal the complexity of long-term ecological interactions in the marine environment.     

On reproduction of longfin thornyhead <Emphasis Type="Italic">Sebastolobus macrochir</Emphasis> (Scorpaeniformes: Sebastidae) in waters off the eastern coast of the Kurils

According to data obtained off the eastern coast of the Northern Kurils in October–December 1998, the body length of spawning females of the longfin thornyhead Sebastolobus macrochir is 26–41 cm (on average, 31.5 ± 0.27). Mass spawning is recorded in females 28 cm in length and longer. The individual absolute fecundity of females is 69355-411710 (on average, 189086 ± 13662) eggs. The reproductive potential of females of the longfin thornyhead is estimated as 189 million eggs. It is supposed that all females participate in spawning.     

Calcareous sponges of the genera Clathrina and Guancha (Calcinea, Calcarea, Porifera) of Norway (north-east Atlantic) with the description of five new species

The taxonomy and distribution of 11 species of calcareous sponges of the subclass Calcinea from the Norwegian coast are reviewed. The Norwegian Calcinea represents a mixture of southern boreal/boreal and boreoarctic species, and the calcinean sponge fauna of northern Norway has strong similarities to the Greenlandic and the White Sea/Barents Sea sponge faunas. Most Norwegian Calcinea have their main distribution between 20 and 100 m depth, although some species are found only in the shallow sublittoral or from sublittoral to abyssal depths. Six species were previously reported in the area: Clathrina coriacea (Montagu, 1818), Clathrina cribrata Rapp et al ., 2001, Clathrina nanseni (Breitfuss, 1896), Clathrina septentrionalis Rapp et al ., 2001, Guancha blanca Miklucho-Maclay, 1868 and Guancha lacunosa (Johnston, 1842). Five species are new to science: Clathrina corallicola , Clathrina jorunnae , Guancha arnesenae , Guancha camura , and Guancha pellucida spp. nov. A key to the known Norwegian Calcinea is provided.  © 2006 The Linnean Society of London, Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society , 2006, 147 , 331–365.     

Comparative characteristic of sablefish Anoplopoma fimbria in catches with passive and active fishing gear in the northwestern Pacific ocean

According to materials of trap, long-line, and trawl fishing, specific features of distribution of sablefish Anoplopoma fimbria and some of its biological characteristics in Pacific waters off the southeastern coast of Kamchatka, continental slope of the western part of the Bering Sea, Shirshov Underwater Ridge, and off the Commander Islands are considered. Maximum density concentrations according to data of trap fishing was noted along southeastern coast of Kamchatka and the data of trawl fishing indicated most frequent catches in the western part of the Bering Sea in the area of Koryak coast up to Cape Navarin. The pattern of vertical distribution in different areas considerably differs. The magnitude of trap catches in different areas is different and determined by the type of trap and the period of soaking. The size composition, fatness, and the sex ratio are different in catches of different fishing gear and differ between regions. On the whole, in Russian Far Eastern waters, females mature in mass at a body length of 71 cm and males at 57 cm.     

Seasonal and interannual variation of ichthyoplankton off the coast of the Moroccan Sahara

Changes in the qualitative and quantitative composition of ichthyoplankton off the coast of the Moroccan Sahara (21–28° N) in different seasons of 1994–2007 are analyzed. In this region, the pelagic eggs and larvae of over 100 fish species belonging to 62 families have been recorded. In cold periods, off the coast of the Moroccan Sahara there is peak in the spawning of fish of the subtropical fauna. The majority of them are European pilchard Sardina pilchardus, common scad Trachurus trachurus, and Atlantic mackerel Scomber japonicus. In warm periods there is intensive spawning of fish of the tropical fauna. Among them, dominants are round sardinella Sardinella aurita, West-African scad Trachurus trecae, and Atlantic bonito Sarda sarda. The spawning biomass of principal commercial fish is calculated by the quantity of eggs laid by females. The environmental factors are indicated that influence the fluctuation of abundance and distribution of ichthyoplankton in the region under consideration.     

Characteristics of the Norwegian Coastal Current during Years with High Recruitment of Norwegian Spring Spawning Herring (Clupea harengus L.)

Norwegian Spring Spawning herring (NSSH) Clupea harengus L. spawn on coastal banks along the west coast of Norway. The larvae are generally transported northward in the Norwegian Coastal Current (NCC) with many individuals utilizing nursery grounds in the Barents Sea. The recruitment to this stock is highly variable with a few years having exceptionally good recruitment. The principal causes of recruitment variability of this herring population have been elusive. Here we undertake an event analysis using data between 1948 and 2010 to gain insight into the physical conditions in the NCC that coincide with years of high recruitment. In contrast to a typical year when northerly upwelling winds are prominent during spring, the years with high recruitment coincide with predominantly southwesterly winds and weak upwelling in spring and summer, which lead to an enhanced northward coastal current during the larval drift period. Also in most peak recruitment years, low-salinity anomalies are observed to propagate northward during the spring and summer. It is suggested that consistent southwesterly (downwelling) winds and propagating low-salinity anomalies, both leading to an enhanced northward transport of larvae, are important factors for elevated recruitment. At the same time, these conditions stabilize the coastal waters, possibly leading to enhanced production and improved feeding potential along the drift route to Barents Sea. Further studies on the drivers of early life history mortality can now be undertaken with a better understanding of the physical conditions that prevail during years when elevated recruitment occurs in this herring stock.     

Red king crab (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Paralithodes camtschaticus</Emphasis>) in the Barents Sea: A comparative study of introduced and native populations

Red king crab (Paralithodes camtschaticus) was introduced into the Barents Sea in the 1960–1970s. At present, it occurs along the coast from Hammerfest (Northern Norway) to the (northeastern coast of Kola Peninsula). We studied the polymorphism of a mitochondrial gene encoding cytochrome oxidase (COI) and five nuclear microsatellite loci in four samples from the Barents Sea and two donor populations from the Western Kamchatka and Primorye (Russian Pacifics). No decrease in the genetic diversity of the introduced populations was observed. The results of PCA103 locusanalysis but some samples from the Barents Sea significantly differed from the Pacific populations according to the test for population differentiation demonstrated that the sample from Varrangerfjord was highly significantly different from the other five populations. As no significant differences between the other samples were found at this locus. We consider it to be a marker for Varangerfjord population differentiation. Possible reasons of this phenomenon are discussed.     

Fungi ahoy! Diversity on marine wooden substrata in the high North

Marine fungi are severely understudied in the polar regions. We used molecularly identified cultures to study fungi inhabiting 50 intertidal and sea-floor logs along the North Norwegian coast. The aim was to explore the taxonomic and ecological diversity and to examine factors shaping the marine wood-inhabiting fungal communities. The 577 pure cultures analyzed clustered into 147 operational taxonomic units (OTUs) based on 97 % ITS sequence similarity. Ascomycota dominated, but OTUs belonging to Basidiomycota, Mucoromycotina and Chytridiomycota were also isolated. Nine OTUs could not be assigned to any fungal phylum. Almost half of the OTUs were considered non-marine. The western and eastern part of the Norwegian Barents Sea coast hosted different communities. Geography, substratum and site level variables contributed to shaping these communities. We characterized a previously overlooked fungal community in a poorly studied area, discovered high diversity and report many taxa for the first time from the marine environment.