Effects of simulated cold fronts on the survival and behaviour of yellow perchPerca flavescensyolk-sac fry

Abstract

Summary Acute reductions in water temperature (i.e. cold fronts) may influence larval fish survival directly via limits on physiological tolerance or indirectly by acting as a sublethal stressor. The primary objective was to quantify survivorship of yellow perch yolk‐sac fry exposed to two different temperature declines (4 and 8°C) and compare survivorship to that of perch fry under ambient temperatures representative of natural conditions. Behaviour of yolk‐sac fry following temperature declines was also qualitatively assessed. Mean survival in the control, −4, and −8 treatment tanks was 90, 91 and 97%, respectively, and no significant differences in percent survival were observed between the control and the −4 treatment (ts = −0.10; df = 7; P = 0.93), the control and −8 treatment (ts = −1.85; df = 7; P = 0.11) or the −4 and −8 treatments (ts = −1.33; df = 7; P = 0.22). Observations of yellow perch eggs and fry behaviour following temperature declines differed among treatments. Any remaining eggs in the control treatment and −4 treatments continued to hatch during the experiment, and fry were documented swimming throughout the water column in all tanks. However, in the −8 treatment, any eggs that had not hatched remained inactive and all fry within all −8 treatment tanks ceased swimming activity and settled to the bottom of the tanks once the temperature reached 3.9°C. Fry remained at the bottom of the tanks for the entire 48 h simulated cold‐front. Fry resumed swimming activity once water temperatures began to increase (by approximately 6°C). Results indicated that drops in temperature (i.e. cold fronts) similar to or greater than those found in small impoundments did not cause direct mortality of yellow perch during the yolk‐sac fry (post‐hatch larvae) stage. Although an acute drop in temperature may not induce sudden high mortality, it may be a sub‐lethal stressor, leading to increased starvation or predation risk.

Temperature, Hatch Date, and Prey Availability Influence Age‐0 Yellow Perch Growth and Survival

“…Cold fronts can occur throughout a typical Yellow Perch spawning season (Isermann and Willis 2008;Jolley et al 2010;VanDeHey et al 2013). Inconsistences or acute reductions in temperature (i.e., cold fronts) have been implied to adversely influence Yellow Perch growth, survival, behavior, and subsequent recruitment (Clady 1976;Pope et al 1996;Ward et al 2004;Longhenry et al 2010;VanDeHey et al 2013). Generally, water temperatures will be most optimal for spawning and early larval development later in the spring rather than earlier, as identified in our study.…”

“…However, we did not find a strong relationship between these two variables in our study most likely because of unpredictable weather patterns that transpire during Yellow Perch spawning. Cold fronts can occur throughout a typical Yellow Perch spawning season (Isermann and Willis 2008;Jolley et al 2010;VanDeHey et al 2013). Inconsistences or acute reductions in temperature (i.e., cold fronts) have been implied to adversely influence Yellow Perch growth, survival, behavior, and subsequent recruitment (Clady 1976;Pope et al 1996;Ward et al 2004;Longhenry et al 2010;VanDeHey et al 2013).…”

Factors influencing recruitment and growth of age‐0 yellow perch in eastern South Dakota glacial lakes

“…Unfavourable or large fluctuations in water temperature may also affect pre‐hatch or post‐hatch development of larvae, leading to body deformities, smaller size at hatch and reduced hatch success (e.g., Hokanson & Kleiner, ; Newsome & Aalto, ). Acute reductions in temperature did not cause direct mortality to larval yellow perch but were hypothesised to act as a sublethal stressor influencing fish behaviour and potentially making larvae more susceptible to predation, mechanical damage from wind or wave action or settling to anoxic sediment layers (VanDeHey et al., ). Suboptimal temperatures could lead to reduced larval growth rates (Kaemingk et al., ), which in turn may influence recruitment via the “growth rate” (Anderson, ; Ware, ) and “stage‐duration” (Leggett & DeBlois, ) hypotheses.…”

Does overwinter temperature affect maternal body composition and egg traits in yellow perch Perca flavescens?

“…Moreover, P . flavescens are thermal generalists, with a native range spanning nearly 35° in latitude, from the southern U.S.A. to northern Canada, and may be relatively tolerant to temperature variation (Huh et al , ; Beitinger & Bennett, ; VanDeHey et al , ). The significant effect of temperature on egg fatty acids, maternal condition and maternal spawning, however, provides evidence that overwinter temperatures are indeed important to reproductive success in this species.…”