Variation in age and size at maturity in perch (Perca fluviatilis L.), compared across lakes with different predation risk

Abstract –  Life-history variation in perch ( Perca fluviatilis L.), with special emphasis on age and size at maturity in females, was studied in five lakes in Northern Sweden, differing in perch size distribution and relative predator abundance. Age at maturity was negatively correlated with size of young-of-the-year perch in the end of their first growth season. Length at maturity was positively correlated with L _∞ (asymptotic length when age is close to infinity) and negatively correlated with K (growth rate coefficient) from von Bertalanffy growth model. Relative predator abundance was negatively correlated with minimum size at maturity. However, predation was probably more important in its effect on growth, with a high predation leading to a decrease in population density, decreased food competition, and as a consequence, higher growth rates. Instantaneous mortality rates did not affect maturation patterns when comparing across the five lakes. Age and size at maturity in the perch populations studied here seemed to be mainly influenced by factors affecting growth.