A laboratory-calibrated model of coho salmon growth with utility for ecological analyses

Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
By: , and 

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Abstract

We conducted a meta-analysis of laboratory- and hatchery-based growth data to estimate broadly applicable parameters of mass- and temperature-dependent growth of juvenile coho salmon (Oncorhynchus kisutch). Following studies of other salmonid species, we incorporated the Ratkowsky growth model into an allometric model and fit this model to growth observations from eight studies spanning ten different populations. To account for changes in growth patterns with food availability, we reparameterized the Ratkowsky model to scale several of its parameters relative to ration. The resulting model was robust across a wide range of ration allocations and experimental conditions, accounting for 99% of the variation in final body mass. We fit this model to growth data from coho salmon inhabiting tributaries and constructed ponds in the Klamath Basin by estimating habitat-specific indices of food availability. The model produced evidence that constructed ponds provided higher food availability than natural tributaries. Because of their simplicity (only mass and temperature are required as inputs) and robustness, ration-varying Ratkowsky models have utility as an ecological tool for capturing growth in freshwater fish populations.

Publication type Article
Publication Subtype Journal Article
Title A laboratory-calibrated model of coho salmon growth with utility for ecological analyses
Series title Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
DOI 10.1139/cjfas-2016-0506
Volume 75
Issue 5
Year Published 2018
Language English
Publisher NRC Research Press
Contributing office(s) Western Fisheries Research Center
Description 9 p.
First page 682
Last page 690
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