Growth and mortaility rates of larval American shad, Alosa sapidissima, at different salinities
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Abstract
The tolerance of post yolk-sac American shad Alosa sapidissima larvae to salinities typically seen in estuaries was assessed experimentally. Sixteen-day-old Hudson River (experiment I) and 35-d-old Delaware River (experiment II) larvae were held for 8 d and 9 d respectively in low (0–1‰), medium (9–11‰), and highly (19–20‰) brackish water, and mortality and growth rates were measured. Growth rates did not vary significantly among salinity treatments. Mortality in experiment I did not vary significantly among salinity treatments however, in experiment II, mortality was zero at 10‰ but higher and statistically indistinguishable between 0‰ and 20‰ In experiment II relative condition increased with salinity. These results imply that estuarine salinities neither depress growth rates nor elevate mortality rates of larval American shad when compared with freshwater conditions. We conclude that ecological factors other than the physiological effects of salinity have played more important roles in the evolution of the upriver spawning and nursery preference shown by this species.
Study Area
| Publication type | Article |
|---|---|
| Publication Subtype | Journal Article |
| Title | Growth and mortaility rates of larval American shad, Alosa sapidissima, at different salinities |
| Series title | Estuaries |
| DOI | 10.2307/1352315 |
| Volume | 18 |
| Issue | 2 |
| Year Published | 1995 |
| Language | English |
| Publisher | Springer |
| Contributing office(s) | Leetown Science Center |
| Description | 6 p. |
| First page | 335 |
| Last page | 340 |
| Country | United States |
| State | Delaware, New Jersey, New York, Philadelphia |
| Google Analytic Metrics | Metrics page |