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Spatial variation in growth rate of early juvenile European plaice Pleuronectes platessa

Spatial variation in growth rate of early juvenile European plaice Pleuronectes platessa
Spatial variation in growth rate of early juvenile European plaice Pleuronectes platessa
Patterns and causes of spatial variation in RNA-predicted growth rates in mid-August were examined in young-of-the-year European plaice Pleuronectes platessa (‘YOY plaice’) at 22 beaches along a 300 km stretch of coastline in west Scotland in 3 consecutive years. According to restricted maximum likelihood models, growth rates varied among beaches (25 km scale), but these spatial patterns were not consistent across years. We found no evidence for spatial variation in growth at the scale of subregions (50 km) or regions (100 km). Growth rate was positively correlated with total length, both within and among beaches and years. In general, YOY plaice in mid-August grew more slowly than estimated ad libitum laboratory rates. Average growth rates by beach and year were inversely related to intraspecific competitor densities, but not interspecific competitor densities (brown shrimp Crangon crangon) or 2 environmental productivity metrics (nearshore chlorophyll a concentration and lugworm Arenicola marina cast density). Physical beach characteristics also explained a significant source of spatial growth variation, with fish growing faster at beaches with larger tidal range and wave fetch. Therefore, the hypothesis of sub-maximum growth due to intraspecific competition (density-dependent growth) was supported, but additional, previously unexplored processes related to physical beach characteristics appear to have important influences on the spatial growth dynamics of YOY plaice.
Density dependence, 0-group flatfish, Recruitment, Benthic food web, Sandy beaches, Production, RNA-DNA ratio, Scottish sea lochs
213-232
Ciotti, Benjamin J.
034551e4-d770-4cd2-80cc-b95c677938d2
Targett, Timothy E.
97f9fce4-ce29-4156-b466-0df128381a55
Burrows, Michael T.
a38026ff-26eb-4a99-8cdd-34bf6b9b479d
Ciotti, Benjamin J.
034551e4-d770-4cd2-80cc-b95c677938d2
Targett, Timothy E.
97f9fce4-ce29-4156-b466-0df128381a55
Burrows, Michael T.
a38026ff-26eb-4a99-8cdd-34bf6b9b479d

Ciotti, Benjamin J., Targett, Timothy E. and Burrows, Michael T. (2013) Spatial variation in growth rate of early juvenile European plaice Pleuronectes platessa. Marine Ecology Progress Series, 475, 213-232. (doi:10.3354/meps10087).

Record type: Article

Abstract

Patterns and causes of spatial variation in RNA-predicted growth rates in mid-August were examined in young-of-the-year European plaice Pleuronectes platessa (‘YOY plaice’) at 22 beaches along a 300 km stretch of coastline in west Scotland in 3 consecutive years. According to restricted maximum likelihood models, growth rates varied among beaches (25 km scale), but these spatial patterns were not consistent across years. We found no evidence for spatial variation in growth at the scale of subregions (50 km) or regions (100 km). Growth rate was positively correlated with total length, both within and among beaches and years. In general, YOY plaice in mid-August grew more slowly than estimated ad libitum laboratory rates. Average growth rates by beach and year were inversely related to intraspecific competitor densities, but not interspecific competitor densities (brown shrimp Crangon crangon) or 2 environmental productivity metrics (nearshore chlorophyll a concentration and lugworm Arenicola marina cast density). Physical beach characteristics also explained a significant source of spatial growth variation, with fish growing faster at beaches with larger tidal range and wave fetch. Therefore, the hypothesis of sub-maximum growth due to intraspecific competition (density-dependent growth) was supported, but additional, previously unexplored processes related to physical beach characteristics appear to have important influences on the spatial growth dynamics of YOY plaice.

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More information

Published date: February 2013
Keywords: Density dependence, 0-group flatfish, Recruitment, Benthic food web, Sandy beaches, Production, RNA-DNA ratio, Scottish sea lochs
Organisations: Ocean Biochemistry & Ecosystems

Identifiers

Local EPrints ID: 355679
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/355679
PURE UUID: 35d870db-7f45-4d53-9da0-a0372519ed17

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Date deposited: 12 Aug 2013 13:08
Last modified: 14 Mar 2024 14:35

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Contributors

Author: Benjamin J. Ciotti
Author: Timothy E. Targett
Author: Michael T. Burrows

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