A model of survival and growth of striped Pass larvae Morone saxatilis in the Potomac River, 1987

Abstract

ABSTRACT. A StellaTM lnodel based on laboratory-derived growth data was developed to simulate abundances, cohort survival and growth rates of striped bass eggs and larvae. The goal was to compare the simulations to 1987 field survey results from the Potomac River (Cheasapeake Bay, USA). Key factors in the model were striped bass egg production, water temperature, surface light and penetration, turbidity and zooplankton concentration. Growth and survival were simulated from the predicted effects of turbidity. light at depth, and zooplankton concentration. Predation terms simulated survival under different predation pressures. The model estimated dally ~nstantaneous growth rates ranging from -0.07 to 0.19 d -' The model predicted poor survival and growth of cohorts produced early in the spawning season when water temperatures and zooplankton concentration were low. Mortality of eggs was predicted to be 54 % by simulation with most of the mortality att~ibutable to low temperatures early in the spawning season. Simulated growth rates ranged widely and were highest in the down river sections of the Potomac. Predicted groxvth was in close agreement with field estimates during the second half of the spawning season. Early in the season, field growth rates were higher than those modeled, possibly because survival was more growth-rate dependent a t that time than later when temperature, light a n d food levels were nearer to optimum. Trends in simulated larval abundances resembled Potomac River estimates but there were differences in simulated peak abundances. Mortality was partitioned and attributed to causes other than that caused by low temperature anomalies and growth-dependent factors. The difference between modeled and field observed larval abundances estimated a rate of mortality for 'other' causes at 13.7 ";I d-', a rate that can readily be attributed to predation.

Plasticity in vertical migration by native and exotic estuarine fishes in a dynamic low‐salinity zone

“…Previous work on potential retention mechanisms indicated that larval striped bass (Morone saxatilis) remained at depth in the LSZ regardless of tidal direction or time of day, and that longfin smelt (Spirinchus thaleichthys) were abundant in surface waters as yolk-sac and young postlarvae and occurred progressively deeper as they grew larger (Wang 1986;Fujimura 1991). These findings are consistent with those from the Chesapeake Bay estuary, where larval striped bass have been observed to occur regularly in the lower two-thirds of the water column (Kernehan et al 1981;Chesney 1993). North and Houde (2001) recently showed that younger postlarvae were positioned near the surface while older postlarvae were positioned near the bottom.…”

“…Although we are unaware of information on the vertical distributions of yellowfin goby and shimofuri goby in their native estuaries, striped bass larvae have not been previously reported to undertake vertical migrations. In the Hudson river estuary, investigators have hypothesized that vertical movements may occur on diel basis (Smith 1988), and in the Chesapeake postlarval striped bass appear to occur regularly in the lower two-thirds of the water column (Kernehan et al 1981;Chesney 1993;E. Houde pers.…”

Recruitment Dynamics of Striped Bass in the Santee–Cooper System, South Carolina

“…Growth during the larval stage plays a critical role in recruitment, because slow growth increases the duration of a developmental stage and thus mortality (Shepherd and Gushing 1980;Houde 1987;Anderson 1988). In simulation studies, Chesney (1993) demonstrated that cohort-specific growth…”

Modelling growth and ingestion processes in herring Clupea harengus larvae

“…Rose & Cowan (1993) and Letcher et al (1996) used a length-dependent expression from bluegill sunfish Lepomis macrochirus derived by Breck & Gitter (1983). Chesney (1993) developed a model for bass larvae with light, turbidity and prey density represented directly from empirical functions. These authors (and others) made feeding depend on a lower light threshold, below which feeding did not occur, so that feeding was restricted to a prescribed fraction of the day.…”