Deep Sea Research Part II: Topical Studies in Oceanography, 2013
ABSTRACT Fishery managers require an understanding of how climate influences recruitment if they ... more ABSTRACT Fishery managers require an understanding of how climate influences recruitment if they are to separate the effects of fishing and climate on production. The southeastern Bering Sea offers opportunities to understand climate effects on recruitment because inter-annual oscillations in ice coverage set up warm or cold conditions for juvenile fish production. Depth-averaged temperature anomalies in the Bering Sea indicate the past nine years have included three warm (2003-2005), an average (2006), and five cold (2007-2011) years. We examined how these climatic states influenced the diet quality and condition (size, energy density and total energy) of young-of-the-year (YOY) pollock (Theragra chalcogramma) in fall. The implications of fall condition were further examined by relating condition prior to winter to the number of age-1 recruits-per-spawner the following summer (R/S). The percentage of lipid in pollock diets was threefold higher in cold years compared with warm years, but stomach fullness did not vary. Consequently, fish energy densities were 33% higher in cold years (P<0.001) than in warm years. In contrast, neither fish size (P=0.666), nor total energy (P=0.197) varied with climatic condition. However, total energy was significantly (P=0.007) and positively correlated with R/S (R2=0.736). We conclude that recruitment to age-1 in the southeastern Bering Sea is improved under environmental conditions that produce large, energy dense YOY pollock in fall.
Understanding mechanisms behind variability in early life survival of marine fishes through model... more Understanding mechanisms behind variability in early life survival of marine fishes through modeling efforts can improve predictive capabilities for recruitment success under changing climate conditions. Walleye pollock (Theragra chalcogramma) support the largest single-species commercial fishery in the United States and represent an ecologically important component of the Bering Sea ecosystem. Variability in walleye pollock growth and survival is structured in part by climatedriven bottom-up control of zooplankton composition. We used two modeling approaches, informed by observations, to understand the roles of prey quality, prey composition, and water temperature on juvenile walleye pollock growth: (1) a bioenergetics model that included local predator and prey energy densities, and (2) an individual-based model that included a mechanistic feeding component dependent on larval development and behavior, local prey densities and size, and physical oceanographic conditions. Prey composition in late-summer shifted from predominantly smaller copepod species in the warmer 2005 season to larger species in the cooler 2010 season, reflecting differences in zooplankton composition between years. In 2010, the main prey of juvenile walleye pollock were more abundant, had greater biomass, and higher mean energy density, resulting in better growth conditions. Moreover, spatial patterns in prey composition and water temperature lead to areas of enhanced growth, or growth ‘hot spots’, for juvenile walleye pollock and survival may be enhanced when fish overlap with these areas. This study provides evidence that a spatial mismatch between juvenile walleye pollock and growth ‘hot spots’ in 2005 contributed to poor recruitment while a higher degree of overlap in 2010 resulted in improved recruitment. Our results indicate that climate-driven changes in prey quality and composition can impact growth of juvenile walleye pollock, potentially severely affecting recruitment variability.
Deep Sea Research Part II: Topical Studies in Oceanography, 2013
ABSTRACT Fishery managers require an understanding of how climate influences recruitment if they ... more ABSTRACT Fishery managers require an understanding of how climate influences recruitment if they are to separate the effects of fishing and climate on production. The southeastern Bering Sea offers opportunities to understand climate effects on recruitment because inter-annual oscillations in ice coverage set up warm or cold conditions for juvenile fish production. Depth-averaged temperature anomalies in the Bering Sea indicate the past nine years have included three warm (2003-2005), an average (2006), and five cold (2007-2011) years. We examined how these climatic states influenced the diet quality and condition (size, energy density and total energy) of young-of-the-year (YOY) pollock (Theragra chalcogramma) in fall. The implications of fall condition were further examined by relating condition prior to winter to the number of age-1 recruits-per-spawner the following summer (R/S). The percentage of lipid in pollock diets was threefold higher in cold years compared with warm years, but stomach fullness did not vary. Consequently, fish energy densities were 33% higher in cold years (P<0.001) than in warm years. In contrast, neither fish size (P=0.666), nor total energy (P=0.197) varied with climatic condition. However, total energy was significantly (P=0.007) and positively correlated with R/S (R2=0.736). We conclude that recruitment to age-1 in the southeastern Bering Sea is improved under environmental conditions that produce large, energy dense YOY pollock in fall.
Understanding mechanisms behind variability in early life survival of marine fishes through model... more Understanding mechanisms behind variability in early life survival of marine fishes through modeling efforts can improve predictive capabilities for recruitment success under changing climate conditions. Walleye pollock (Theragra chalcogramma) support the largest single-species commercial fishery in the United States and represent an ecologically important component of the Bering Sea ecosystem. Variability in walleye pollock growth and survival is structured in part by climatedriven bottom-up control of zooplankton composition. We used two modeling approaches, informed by observations, to understand the roles of prey quality, prey composition, and water temperature on juvenile walleye pollock growth: (1) a bioenergetics model that included local predator and prey energy densities, and (2) an individual-based model that included a mechanistic feeding component dependent on larval development and behavior, local prey densities and size, and physical oceanographic conditions. Prey composition in late-summer shifted from predominantly smaller copepod species in the warmer 2005 season to larger species in the cooler 2010 season, reflecting differences in zooplankton composition between years. In 2010, the main prey of juvenile walleye pollock were more abundant, had greater biomass, and higher mean energy density, resulting in better growth conditions. Moreover, spatial patterns in prey composition and water temperature lead to areas of enhanced growth, or growth ‘hot spots’, for juvenile walleye pollock and survival may be enhanced when fish overlap with these areas. This study provides evidence that a spatial mismatch between juvenile walleye pollock and growth ‘hot spots’ in 2005 contributed to poor recruitment while a higher degree of overlap in 2010 resulted in improved recruitment. Our results indicate that climate-driven changes in prey quality and composition can impact growth of juvenile walleye pollock, potentially severely affecting recruitment variability.
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