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Evolution of the life history of Arctic charr Salvelinus alpinus

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Summary

Arctic charrSalvelinus alpinus life histories are very variable, both within and between localities. In some lakes we find more than one phenotype (in Lake Thingvallavatn there are four), each phenotype having a characteristic life history. In spite of this, the life histories of 44 populations of Arctic charr from throughout its range of distribution can be described accurately by a number of dimensionless indices made up from some common life-history descriptors (age and length at maturity, theoretical maximal length, instantaneous rate of natural mortality). This is contrary to what we previously have found for Brown troutSalmo trutta and we discuss this difference. We also test a new model which seeks to predict reproductive effort based on information on relative length at maturity (L α)/L inf) and age at maturity. The model did not fit the observed reproductive investment data.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Biology, Division of Zoology, University of Oslo, P.O. Box 1050 Blindern, N-0316, Oslo, Norway

    Leif Asbjørn Vøllestad

  2. Norwegian Water Resources and Energy Adminstration, P.O. Box 5091, Majorstua, N-0301, Oslo, Norway

    Jan Henning L'Abée-Lund

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  1. Leif Asbjørn Vøllestad
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Vøllestad, L.A., L'Abée-Lund, J.H. Evolution of the life history of Arctic charr Salvelinus alpinus. Evol Ecol 8, 315–327 (1994). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01238281

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