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The interrelationship of temperature, growth parameters, and activity level in fishes

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Abstract

This study presents a multiple regression of the parameter K, i.e., the rate at which the asymptote of the von Bertalanffy Growth Function (VBGF) is approached vs. the asymptotic weight (W), environmental temperature (T’), and an index of activity level (the aspect ratio of the caudal fin, or A) in 4251 populations and 1155 fish species extracted from FishBase (www.fishbase.org). The resulting model was log(K) = 3.674 − 0.2362·log(W) − 1.035·T’ + 0.2838·log(A), with K in year−1, W in g, and T’ = −1000/Kelvin. It explained 57 % of the variance in the dataset, with all partial slopes significantly different from zero (p < 0.01), and having the expected signs. Thus, temperature decreases the asymptotic size of fish, but increases their parameter K, and thus decreases traits associated with K, e.g., longevity. Also, our model suggests that A, which take values around 1 in less active fish such as groupers and 8–9 in active swimmers such as tuna, correlates with K values. This implies that active fish have large gill areas supplying the oxygen required for both a high level of activity and rapid growth, both supported by a high feeding rate, which is what we know of these fishes.

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Fig. 1
Fig. 2

Data transparency and availability

All the data used in this analysis are stored and documented in FishBase (www.fishbase.org).

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Acknowledgements

We thank Daniel Pauly for advice and editorial assistance and Ms Elaine Chu for help with the graphs. MLDP is a member of the Sea Around Us, a research initiative supported by the David and Lucille Packard Foundation, Marisla Foundation, MAVA Foundation, Minderoo Foundation, Oak Foundation, Oceana, Paul M. Angell Family Foundation, Pew Charitable Trusts, and RARE.

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Conception: all authors. Data collection and encoding in FishBase: Vina A. Parducho and Rodolfo Reyes. Data preparation and analysis: Maria L.D. Palomares and Nicolas Bailly. Writing first draft: Maria L.D. Palomares. All authors commented on previous versions of the manuscript. All authors read and approved the final manuscript.

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Correspondence to Maria L. D. Palomares.

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No approval of research ethics committees was required to accomplish the goals of this study because no experimental work was performed.

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The authors declare no competing interests.

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Palomares, M.L.D., Parducho, V.A., Reyes, R. et al. The interrelationship of temperature, growth parameters, and activity level in fishes. Environ Biol Fish 105, 1475–1479 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10641-022-01261-5

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