Maternal age, length, and weight influence larval characteristics and viability in the viviparous temperate reef fish Helicolenus percoides
Kolodzey S, SR Wing, and LM Durante. (2021).
Marine Ecology Progress Series
Highlights
In some fish species, older, larger females can produce faster-growing and more viable larvae than younger, smaller females
This effect was investigated in sea perch Helicolenus percoides
Information was collected on fecundity and oil globule volume (OGV)
Absolute fecundity increased proportionally with maternal age and total length
Older, larger females produced cohorts of larvae with larger OGVs
OGV, which was affected by maternal age and size, is an important factor influencing larval growth and viability when external energy sources were available
This research provides insight into the reproductive biology of sea perch and highlights the importance of an old-growth age structure for effective larval viability and growth.
Ecosystem connectivity: tracking biochemical fluxes to inform EBM
We traced the fate of water and sediments from land through coastal food webs, evaluating connections between coastal and deep sea habitats, and identified the effects of key coastal developments (such as aquaculture) on food web connectivity.
