Effects of temperature and food supply on the growth of whitefish Coregonus lavaretus larvae in an oligotrophic peri-alpine lake

• Published in: Journal of Fish Biology
• Main Authors: Perrier, C., Molinero Vargas, Juan Carlos, Gerdeaux, Daniel, Anneville, Orlane
• Other Authors: Centre Alpin de Recherche sur les Réseaux Trophiques et Ecosystèmes Limniques (CARRTEL), Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique (INRA)-Université Savoie Mont Blanc (USMB Université de Savoie Université de Chambéry ), Université Laval Québec (ULaval), Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research Kiel (GEOMAR)
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: HAL CCSD 2012
• Subjects: Coregonidae; daily growth; otolith; zooplankton; NORTH-ATLANTIC OSCILLATION; CLIMATE VARIABILITY; LONG-TERM; GENEVA; MORTALITY; ANNECY; CONSTANCE; microstructure; RECRUITMENT; VENDACE; EUROPE; [SDV]Life Sciences [q-bio]; Alpine Lake; North Atlantic; North Atlantic oscillation
• Online Access: https://hal.inrae.fr/hal-02648612; https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1095-8649.2012.03393.x

International audience The relative roles of temperature and food availability on the seasonal and daily growth of whitefish Coregonus lavaretus larvae were investigated in the oligotrophic peri-alpine Lake Annecy, France. During the spring from 2004 to 2007, surface water temperature and density of potential zooplankton prey were monitored, and 2688 larvae were caught and measured. In addition, the daily growth of 130 larvae was estimated retrospectively by investigating the microstructure of their otoliths. Temperature played the predominant role in controlling both seasonal and daily growth of early larvae. In contrast, the abundance of Mesocyclops leuckarti and larval density was only slightly correlated to larval growth, suggesting no food limitation nor strong interindividual competition over the study period. Overall, these findings run counter to concerns about potential food limitation, but sound a warning about the potential impact of climate change on fish ecology and fisheries management.