Littoral spawning habitats of three southern Arctic charr (Salvelinus alpinus L.) populations

Abstract Arctic charr populations in southern latitudes are nonmigratory, with all life‐stages limited to freshwater lakes and in‐ or out‐flowing tributaries. Although many of these populations are reported to also spawn in lake littorals, little is known about the physical characteristics of putative spawning grounds. A total of 23 discrete spawning sites within three Irish lakes were located by fyke netting of spawning adults and snorkelling in littoral habitats. Spawning sites were found to be long, narrow strips running parallel to the shore at a maximum depth of 124 cm. Spawning sites were limited to areas of coarse mineral substrate with an adequate (c. 8 cm) depth of clean interstitial spaces. In individual lakes, combined areas of spawning sites made up 0.4–0.7% of available littoral. Egg densities varied considerably between sites (33–900·eggs m^?2) and were significantly correlated with gradient and width of spawning sites. No evidence of redd digging was found. The shallow, localised and restricted nature of spawning grounds makes such populations vulnerable to anthropogenically induced postoviposition changes in surface water level, eutrophication processes such as increased lake sedimentation and elevated nutrient status.     

Aquatic macroinvertebrates from littoral vegetated lakes in arid Patagonia: The influence of fish introduction on community structure

1. Wetlands in arid regions are characterized by their great heterogeneity, often including endemic species that contribute to regional aquatic biodiversity. In the Patagonian steppe, most lakes are naturally fishless and sustain a rich aquatic biodiversity, including endemics; however, many of these lakes have been stocked with Oncorhynchus mykiss (rainbow trout) during recent decades. The introduction of predatory fish into aquatic ecosystems naturally devoid of these organisms can produce profound alterations in the structure of the original communities and in the configuration of their biotic assemblages.
2. Aquatic invertebrates play important roles in both the structure and functioning of freshwater ecosystems, including their contribution to global biodiversity and their cascading effects across ecosystem boundaries.
3. The aim of this study was to assess the effect of introduced non-native fish on the pleustonic macroinvertebrate assemblage. Samples were taken from 10 shallow Patagonian lakes (five fishless and five stocked with fish) in two consecutive warm periods.
4. Lakes with fish had higher conductivity and phosphate values. Higher inter-annual differences were also observed in lakes with fish for phytoplanktonic chlorophyll a, nitrate, phosphate, conductivity, and water temperature.
5. The community structure (relative abundance of different taxa, species composition, and diversity index) was affected by the presence of rainbow trout, with the differences mainly driven by the relative abundance of Ostracoda, Hyalella, Chironomidae, and Haliplus species.
6. This approach can be used to assess the required conservation actions in shallow Patagonian steppe lakes, which have been listed as priority areas for waterbird conservation. Specifically, this study provides a baseline for monitoring future trends of the macroinvertebrate communities and for evaluating conservation and management efforts over time.

     

Fishless shallow lakes of Southern Patagonia as habitat for waterbirds at the onset of trout aquaculture

• 1. The Strobel Meseta, a basaltic plateau of Patagonia (Santa Cruz Province, Argentina), holds thousands of shallow fishless lakes that are prime habitat for many species of waterbirds, including some considered ‘near threatened’. In recent years, several lakes have been stocked with trout which has created uncertainty about the potential effects on the recipient ecosystem.
• 2. Limnological and topographical analyses were performed in a group of 32 lakes of the Strobel Meseta in order to characterize and classify individual lakes of the meseta based on their limnological and topographic features, analyze the association between lake type and use by aquatic birds in general and by the endemic hooded grebe (Podiceps gallardoi) in particular, and evaluate the overlap between trout aquaculture and critical habitat for waterbirds.
• 3. The lakes were classified by multivariate analyses into four characteristic types: turbid, high conductivity lakes (T), small vegetated lakes (SV) and larger lakes which were subdivided into either vegetated (LV) or unvegetated (LU). In general, macrophyte cover was the main classificatory variable, whereas conductivity, pH, surface, and depth contributed moderately. Large vegetated lakes were generally found to be important for waterbirds and provided critical habitat for the hooded grebe, whereas trout farmers largely favoured large unvegetated lakes. However, since some large vegetated lakes have already been stocked, there is some level of geographical overlap between waterbird habitat and trout farming.
• 4. The existence of some level of spatial segregation between production and critical waterbird habitat affords opportunities for designing a spatially‐based management system for trout aquaculture.

Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.     

Spatio-temporal distribution of mutton snapper and dog snapper spawning aggregations in the South-west Atlantic

1. Sites and periods of spawning aggregations of two important fishery resources, the mutton snapper, Lutjanus analis, and the dog snapper, Lutjanus jocu, were identified and validated along the Brazilian north-east coast (latitude 8–15°S) using exploratory analysis of catch per unit effort (CPUE) data, gonadosomatic index analysis, and gonad histology.
2. The CPUE analysis for both species allowed the identification of outliers and far outliers, representing fisheries with exceptional catches, which were used as proxies of possible aggregation.
3. The presence of pre-spawning and recent spawning signs (hydrated oocytes and post-ovulatory follicles) in the ovary of females caught at sites with recurrent records of high CPUE allowed the validation of spawning activity at those specific sites for each species. All aggregation sites identified in this study were located on the outer shelf, close to the shelf break, a region that has been declared an Ecologically and Biologically Significant Marine Area.
4. Comparison of two subregions showed significant differences in size structure of the fish sampled during landings, suggesting a fishing depletion effect in the north region.
5. For both species, reproduction peaked twice in all regions studied, with a more marked peak during summer. However, spawning activity was observed in almost every month of the year, suggesting that seasonal closures could be more effective if combined with spatial measures.
6. In the northern part of the study range, spawning grounds were found to lie just outside the boundaries of one of Brazil's largest marine protected areas. Inclusion of those grounds in the marine protected area would increase protection of these species and also mean increased protection of an Ecologically and Biologically Significant Marine Area, encompassing mesophotic reefs.
7. The identification of these spawning aggregations sites on the north-east coast of Brazil was conducted in collaboration with local fishers that traditionally use bottom handline. Co-management approaches are suggested in view of the importance of these fishing sites for traditional fishing communities that may also face threats due to encroachment of mobile fleets.

     

Riverine spawning,long distance larval drift,and floodplain recruitment of a pelagophilic fish: A case study of golden perch (Macquaria ambigua) in the arid Darling River,Australia

1. Pelagic spawning riverine fish (pelagophils) spawn in free‐flowing river habitats with downstream drift of eggs and larvae but the spatial scale is often unknown, and this constitutes a major ecological knowledge gap.
2. In the arid Darling River in south‐eastern Australia, the present objectives were: (i) to determine the potential downstream dispersal distance of young golden perch (Macquaria ambigua); and (ii) to evaluate whether provision of environmental water enhanced dispersal of young fish from Menindee Lakes to the lower Darling River (LDR) while also cueing further spawning in downstream lotic reaches.
3. Golden perch spawned in unregulated lotic tributaries on a flood pulse and larvae drifted or dispersed >1,600 km downstream and entered large ephemeral productive floodplain lake nursery habitats as fully scaled fingerlings.
4. Planned releases of environmental water cued golden perch spawning in the LDR and enabled juvenile fish to disperse downstream from the Menindee Lakes nursery into receiving populations in the LDR, Great Darling Anabranch, and southern Murray River, with some fish potentially completing an active migration of >2,100 km by age 1 year.
5. The Darling River case study highlights the need for a system‐scale approach to the conservation management of pelagophilic fish, along with multi‐year perennial flow strategies to improve ecosystem integrity in large rivers globally.

     

Passive monitoring of phenological acoustic patterns reveals the sound of the camouflage grouper,Epinephelus polyphekadion

1. Passive acoustic monitoring (PAM) is a non‐invasive technique that uses hydrophones to monitor populations and ecosystem dynamics. Although many applications of PAM have been developed in recent years, it has never been used to identify a calling marine species.
2. The south pass of Fakarava Atoll, French Polynesia, hosts spawning events of many reef fish species, including the camouflage grouper Epinephelus polyphekadion, with a spawning aggregation abundance exceeding 17 000 individuals during the full moons of June and July.
3. The current study aimed to use PAM to distinguish camouflage grouper sounds among the vocal activities of all fish recorded during the aggregation periods. Audio recordings analysis resulted in the identification of 29 sound types, some of which showed diel and lunar patterns.
4. Temporal analysis of these sounds in relation to spawning activities allowed the identification of camouflage grouper calls. These calls can be described as a single pulse or a series of ‘boom(s)’ with a pulse duration of ~44 ms and a low dominant frequency of 103 ± 31 Hz. Video recordings show that the camouflage grouper produces the ‘booms’ to initialize spawner ascent and to promote synchronous gamete release into the water column.
5. The study highlights for the first time that PAM can be used to identify the previously unknown sound of a fish species. Moreover, we can use it to understand the phenology of some biological activities for improving the resolution of fish biodiversity assessments.

     

Recovery,conservation status,and environmental effects on arapaima populations in Guyana

1. Using population estimates that were made regularly between 2001 and 2013, the state of recovery of arapaima populations and their IUCN conservation status were assessed after they were almost extirpated from the upper Essequibo basin, Guyana. Recovery rates were compared across multiple areas with different degrees of access by fishers to evaluate effectiveness of conservation efforts.
2. Population estimates were also used to investigate the influence of environmental factors on arapaima abundance in lakes with different morphometries, vegetation, and water types and to determine the relationship between the numbers of spawning individuals and subsequent recruits (at about age 2 years).
3. The most recent census conducted in November–December of 2013 indicated a 5.6-fold increase in overall abundance compared with 2001, with 4,591 individuals, of which 1,932 were juveniles (1.0–1.5 m total length) and 2,659 adults.
4. Assessment of conservation status following IUCN criteria indicated that arapaima populations in the upper Essequibo basin in 2001 would have been considered borderline Critically Endangered, but in 2013 after conservation interventions, status would be categorized as Near Threatened.
5. Arapaima in the Essequibo basin appear to favour larger but shallow lakes with low conductivity, clear water, and abundant aquatic macrophytes. Stock–recruitment relationships suggest that the entire upper Essequibo basin population may still be growing and that there is approximately a 1:1 juvenile to adult ratio. This ratio of juveniles to adults across all areas suggests a paucity of young fishes to sustain overall population growth, which might reflect widespread illegal removals of young fishes in the basin.
6. Comparisons of arapaima densities in the upper Essequibo basin with those at four localities across the Amazon Basin, suggest that with enhanced conservation efforts in the Essequibo, populations could potentially increase two-fold or more.

     

Fine‐scale acoustic telemetry reveals unexpected lake trout,Salvelinus namaycush,spawning habitats in northern Lake Huron,North America

Previous studies of lake trout, Salvelinus namaycush, spawning habitat in the Laurentian Great Lakes have used time‐ and labour‐intensive survey methods and have focused on areas with historic observations of spawning aggregations and on habitats prejudged by researchers to be suitable for spawning. As an alternative, we used fine‐scale acoustic telemetry to locate, describe and compare lake trout spawning habitats. Adult lake trout were implanted with acoustic transmitters and tracked during five consecutive spawning seasons in a 19–27 km² region of the Drummond Island Refuge, Lake Huron, using the VEMCO Positioning System. Acoustic telemetry revealed discrete areas of aggregation on at least five reefs in the study area, subsequently confirmed by divers to contain deposited eggs. Notably, several identified spawning sites would likely not have been discovered using traditional methods because either they were too small and obscure to stand out on a bathymetric map or because they did not conform to the conceptual model of spawning habitat held by many biologists. Our most unique observation was egg deposition in gravel and rubble substrates located at the base of and beneath overhanging edges of large boulders. Spawning sites typically comprised <10% of the reef area and were used consistently over the 5‐year study. Evaluation of habitat selection from the perspective of fish behaviour through use of acoustic transmitters offers potential to expand current conceptual models of critical spawning habitat.     

Spawning site selection by Eurasian perch (Perca fluviatilis L.) in relation to temperature and wave exposure

Abstract –  The selection of spawning depth by Eurasian perch Perca fluviatilis was investigated in an experiment using artificial substrata in Lake Constance during the spawning season of 2007. The experiment compared spawning behaviour at substrata between 0.5 and 15 m depth at two sites exposed to different regimes of ship-generated wave action. The total abundance of egg ribbons did not differ significantly between the two sites, but the preferred spawning depth was deeper at the wave exposed site (5 m) compared to the sheltered site (2 m). While water temperatures could not account for the observations, differences in wave exposure may explain the different spawning depth preferences. At both sites, large egg ribbons were generally found in deeper water, and large egg ribbons occurred more frequently at the sheltered site. Because the egg ribbons of perch are likely to have a size-dependent susceptibility to hydrodynamic stress, large females may be expected to select deeper spawning locations where the effects of surface waves are considerably attenuated.     

Rainbow trout effects on zooplankton in the reproductive area of the critically endangered hooded grebe

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Predicting use of habitat patches by spawning horseshoe crabs (Limulus polyphemus) along a complex coastline with field surveys and geospatial analyses

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Anthropogenic injury and site fidelity in Maldivian whale sharks (Rhincodon typus)

1. Whale sharks collect in predictable seasonal aggregations across the tropics. South Ari Atoll in the Maldives is one of a few aggregation sites where whale sharks can be encountered year-round. Here, areas with high levels of tourism-related boating traffic overlap with the whale shark hotspot, increasing the probability of anthropogenic injury. Whale sharks have been reported to remain faithful to this aggregation site following injury, despite the costs of injury and the risk of re-injury. However, the impacts of injury on site fidelity and residency behaviour are not fully understood.
2. Encounter data on individual sharks from the Maldives Whale Shark Research Programme database (2006–2018) were analysed to assess the relationship between injury and site fidelity in whale sharks. There was no difference in geographic site use, with injured and non-injured individuals being encountered in the same areas. However, there were differences in residency timings: injured resident whale sharks (individuals repeatedly encountered over 6 months or longer) spent significantly more time at the atoll and less time absent, and were seen more consistently than non-injured residents. Increased residency duration, return rate and number of residency periods correlated with increasing injury number.
3. These differences in behaviour imply a cost to injury, with whale sharks potentially remaining at this site to recover. With boat traffic being concentrated at the aggregation site, injured sharks may be more vulnerable to further injury. Alternatively, these individuals may remain at the atoll despite injury because the benefits gained from this area outweigh the potential costs, with more resident individuals facing greater exposure to anthropogenic threats. These findings highlight the importance of this location and emphasize the need for improved management of anthropogenic activities, particularly boating traffic, at aggregation hotspots to reduce injury rates and any subsequent impacts on behaviour and fitness.

     

Coastal breeding aggregations of threatened stingrays and guitarfish in the Levant

1. Stingrays and guitarfish are globally threatened by overexploitation, particularly so in the Mediterranean Sea. Nevertheless, very little information is known about their ecology, behaviour, and taxonomy in the Mediterranean, and especially in the Levant, where water temperature, salinity, and the impact of invasive species are relatively high.
2. Although it has been suggested that some species may aggregate in the Levant, this has not been formally documented and the scale of this phenomenon, the taxonomic composition, and the temporal dynamics are unknown.
3. Visual surveys were conducted, which allowed the documentation of stingrays and guitarfish behaviour, and which was not available from data based on fishery catches. The census took place within a marine protected area over a period of 3 years.
4. Altogether, we documented 675 batoid observations. One of the observed species is Endangered (Glaucostegus cemiculus) and one is Vulnerable (Dasyatis pastinaca), whereas the others are classed as Least Concern (Torpedo torpedo and Torpedo marmorata), Data Deficient (Taeniurops grabatus), non‐assessed within the Mediterranean (Dasyatis chrysonota), and Not Evaluated (Himantura uarnak). Results show clear seasonal patterns, with dense aggregations recorded during spring and early summer, when densities reached 85 observations per kilometre. In addition, there were clear indications of breeding behaviour in D. pastinaca and D. chrysonota, including the first recorded documentation of D. pastinaca courtship in the Mediterranean.
5. Large seasonal stingrays and guitarfish aggregations in shallow waters have not, to our knowledge, been documented in the Mediterranean Sea previously. This highlights the importance of conserving shallow habitats as potential breeding grounds. As these sites are easily reached while both snorkelling and diving, the aggregation of these charismatic species can serve as potential ecotourism sites. Finally, this study shows the benefits of using simple visual census, as opposed to catch‐based methods, to record both the diversity and the behaviour of batoids.

     

Burrowing behaviour of unionid mussels in subtropical rivers: Implications for survey guidelines

1. Conservation efforts have increased in response to global mussel declines, and effective surveys are a crucial step in assessing and monitoring mussel populations and in determining their conservation status. The burrowing behaviour of mussels can affect their detectability, and a better understanding of these behaviours would help to improve survey design and guidelines.
2. The burrowing depth of mussels may differ between seasons, habitat conditions, species, and individuals, and little is known about the burrowing behaviour of mussels in subtropical rivers.
3. Burrowing depth variation was examined and compared at three sites in the San Marcos, Guadalupe, and San Antonio river drainages in central Texas. In addition, laboratory experiments were used to determine whether observed differences between field sites and seasons could be linked to differences in substrate type and water temperature and to examine differences between species.
4. Seasonal variation in burrowing depth was found at all field sites, and water temperature was a significant factor for explaining variation in burrowing depth, but there was no clear relationship between burrowing depth and temperature in shorter term laboratory experiments, where individual variation was high and burrowing behaviour seemed to be solely a function of time.
5. Mussels burrowed significantly deeper in finer substrate (sand vs. gravel) in both field and laboratory experiments. Few significant differences between species were found in the field, but no differences were found in the laboratory experiments.
6. The results suggest that surveys may need to follow different guidelines depending on local conditions, such as substrate and water temperature. Surveys will be less efficient and may fail to detect larger proportions of populations in colder water temperatures. In addition, a larger proportion of burrowed mussels can be expected at sites with finer substrate, such as sand. Under these conditions, visual searches will not suffice, as a large part of the population or specific species may be overlooked.

     

Inter‐annual variation of the spawning aggregations of the white‐streaked grouper Epinephelus ongus,in relation to the lunar cycle and water temperature fluctuation

The white‐streaked grouper, Epinephelus ongus (Serranidae), which forms spawning aggregations at specific times and sites, has been traditionally targeted by local fishers in the Yaeyama Islands, Okinawa. This study examined the long‐term dynamics of the population and the spawning aggregation of E. ongus, based on the historical catch data for a 20‐yr period. The continuous declines of the catch data suggested a substantial decrease in the population. The analysis of the daily catch data, which reflect the approximate volumetric fluctuation of the spawning aggregation, demonstrated that the distinctive peaks of daily catches appeared consistently over a 20‐yr span at the last quarter moon in the spawning season, in synchrony with the lunar phase as a spawning cue of the species. Contrary to this consistency, there were inter‐annual variations of spawning aggregation formation, which formed once or twice in the two consecutive months in the lunar calendar. The present study indicated that the water temperature before the aggregation period dictated not the only timing of the first spawning aggregation, but also the frequency of spawning aggregation and that the abundance between the first and the second spawning aggregation, represented by catch data, were negatively correlated. Together with previous evidence of gonadal histology, the findings indicated that water temperatures affect the gonadal maturation in the spawning population and control spawning aggregation formation. These facts imply that most individuals join in only a single spawning aggregation in the course of the year and highlight the importance of the spawning aggregation for reproduction of E. ongus.     

Brook trout spawning areas in lakes

Abstract— Nine lakes containing self-sustaining populations of brook trout ( Salvelinus fontinalis ) were surveyed to provide quantitative information on the abundance and distribution of redd sites. We measured rates of groundwater flow at redds in four of these lakes, and in one of these lakes we also compared the frequency of site use over four years from spawning observations. The number of redd sites in each lake ranged from 1 to 53 (mean=30) with most found relatively close to shore (∼ 1 m deep). Spawning areas per lake (16.9–829.4 m²) were not related to lake size and were often not continuous areas of littoral zone habitat. Rates of groundwater flow in lakes, averaged across redd sites in each lake, ranged from 20.0 to 107.9 ml. m.⁻² min^−1. The intensive survey of redd site use in one lake demonstrated that only 11% of sites (10 of 92) were used in all four years of observation. The mean rates of groundwater flow at sites used in all four years were significantly greater than at sites used intermittently. Data from this and other studies point to the conservation of subcatchments associated with groundwater discharge areas used by spawning brook trout as a means of maintaining self-sustaining populations.     

Predation on native fish eggs by invasive round goby revealed by species‐specific gut content DNA analyses

1. Conservation of riverine fish often aims to improve access to spawning grounds and restore longitudinal connectivity by removing migration barriers, and involves substantial investments. However, these investments also enable non‐native predators to invade upstream into spawning areas and potentially adversely affect the recruitment of threatened freshwater fish through egg or fry predation.
2. Detecting egg predation is often challenging. Visual inspections of fish gut contents may underestimate predation of soft materials such as eggs and fry, which limits the discovery of predators preying upon these life‐stages. DNA‐based detection assays may offer a more sensitive tool to assess predation of soft materials.
3. A conservation issue was confirmed by developing and applying a species‐specific DNA‐based detection assay: invasive round goby (Neogobius melanostomus) prey on the eggs or fry of the threatened common nase (Chondrostoma nasus) in Switzerland.
4. DNA‐based detection assays were also developed for five other valuable native fish species, including endangered salmonid and cyprinid river spawners. The applicability of the assays was confirmed in a series of laboratory and field feeding experiments involving eggs and fish tissue. In addition, this work provides a guiding framework for conservation managers regarding the use and applicability of different DNA‐based detection approaches for gut content analysis.
5. The results of this study could inform local conservation measures – such as temporary reductions in the density of round goby at spawning sites prior to spawning – and demonstrate how targeted application of species‐specific molecular markers may advance freshwater fish management.

     

The use of brushwood bundles as fish spawning media

Salford Quays is a redeveloped freshwater dockland, which initially constituted part of the grossly polluted Manchester Docks, Manchester, UK. Such water bodies are characterized by a lack of suitable spawning sites and littoral refuges, and this will act to reduce fish recruitment. To redress this, a variety of artificial spawning substrates were introduced to these waters. Spawning structures were made from bundles of different types of thin brushwood suspended from the dock walls. Roach, Rutilus rutilus (L.), spawned on bundles of willow, Salix alba (L.), and spruce, Pilea abies (L.), branches, whilst perch, Perca fluviatilis L., spawned on bundles of willow, sycamore, Acer pseudoplatanus (L.), spruce and plastic netting. Unused bundles were made up of lime, Tilia platyphyloss (Scop.), pear willow, Pyrus salicitolia (Pall.), and laurel, Laurus nobilis (L.). Perch spawning began around 20 May and showed a preference for open structures (between one and three ribbons per bundle). Roach spawning began about 10 days after perch and showed a preference for dense bundles of spruce (geometric mean egg density 1.5 cm^{? 2} spruce). The use of such structures in fisheries management is discussed.