Comparative effects of temperature on rates of development and survival of eggs and yolk-sac larvae of Arctic cod (Boreogadus saida) and walleye pollock (Gadus chalcogrammus)

• Published in: ICES Journal of Marine Science
• Main Authors: Laurel, Benjamin J, Copeman, Louise A, Spencer, Mara, Iseri, Paul
• Other Authors: Robert, Dominique, North Pacific Research Board, NPRB, National Marine Fisheries Service, NOAA
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford University Press (OUP) 2018
• Subjects: Arctic cod; Boreogadus saida; Chukchi; Climate change; Pacific Arctic
• Online Access: http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/icesjms/fsy042; http://academic.oup.com/icesjms/article-pdf/75/7/2403/31236714/fsy042.pdf

Abstract Changes in Arctic fish assemblages resulting from climate change will likely be determined by the differential thermal response of key species during their early life history. In this study, we incubated multiple batches of eggs and larvae of two ecologically important gadids co-occurring at the Pacific–Arctic interface, Arctic cod (Boreogadus saida) and walleye pollock (Gadus chalcogrammus). Fertilized egg batches (n = 11 Arctic cod; n = 6 walleye pollock) were collected in the late winter/early spring from laboratory broodstock held under simulated seasonal environmental conditions. Image and lipid analyses indicated that Arctic cod eggs and larvae were ∼25–35% larger than walleye pollock and had nearly 3–6× more energetic reserves. Two batches of eggs from each species were incubated in replicated containers (n = 3/batch/temperature) at −0.4, 1.2, 2.5, 3.8, 5.0, 9.0, and 12.0°C for Arctic cod and −0.8, 0.3, 2.2, 4.5, 9.0, and 12.0°C for walleye pollock. Both species had very similar low thermal tolerance, but Arctic cod were much more sensitive to higher thermal stress in terms of hatch success and size-at-hatch. For example, Arctic cod hatch success declined precipitously at temperatures above 3.5°C yet remained above 50% in walleye pollock at 9°C. Arctic cod also had significantly longer development times, such that embryos could survive for ∼4 months at temperatures <0°C from the time of spawning to first-feeding. Collectively, these results indicate Arctic cod have a much smaller thermal window for survival, but can survive for longer periods in the absence of food than walleye pollock at cold temperatures. These temperature-dependent rates will be useful in the development of population forecasts and biophysical transport models for these species in the northern Bering, Chukchi, and Beaufort seas.