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Temperature affects transition timing and phenotype between key developmental stages in white sturgeon Acipenser transmontanus yolk-sac larvae

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Abstract

Temperature differentially influences developmental trajectories of traits during early life stages that can affect survival and recruitment. Experiments were conducted to quantify temperature-induced developmental responses of White Sturgeon (Acipenser transmontanus) yolk-sac larvae (YSL) reared at temperatures encountered across the species’ range (12.5, 14.0, 15.5, and 17.0 °C). We quantified effects of temperature on timing of transitions between sequential developmental stages from hatch to initiation of exogenous feeding. Rate of development significantly increased at warmer compared to cooler temperatures; no significant difference was observed between 15.5 and 17.0 °C or 12.5 and 14.0 °C. When standardized by relative timing of development (RTi), developmental rate was not significantly different among treatments. Morphological traits (total length; body area; yolk-sac area; head area; gill filament area; mouth area; pectoral fin area) were measured daily, though only data for YSL reared at 12.5 and 17.0 °C was used to quantify phenotypic variation. Morphological traits (excluding yolk-sac area) were generally larger 48+ hours post hatch for YSL reared at 17. 0 °C compared to 12.5 °C. In contrast, these same traits, with the exception of gill filament area, were larger in 12.5 °C reared YSL when considered as a function of developmental stage. These opposing results suggest trade-offs associated with allocating resources to a particular trait depended on rearing temperature. Our results provide the ability to estimate timing of critical early life stages (i.e., hatch, emergence) as a function of temperature which is an important management tool to understand how early life development contributes to recruitment processes and adaptability in thermally altered systems.

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Acknowledgements

Support for this project was provided by BC Hydro, Castlegar, through the Columbia River Use Plan. We gratefully acknowledge the Freshwater Fisheries Society of BC for provision of fertilized sturgeon eggs, facility use and assistance by Ron Ek, Mike Keehn, Chad Fritz, Aaron Wolff, Asley Uittenbogaard, and Sten Lundgren. We thank Phil Ganz and Kaitlin Clark for assistance with morphological trait measurements and Dan Hayes, Michael Wagner, Jared Homola and the Scribner Lab for comments on earlier drafts. Two anonymous reviewers and David Noakes (Editor-in-Chief) provided comments that greatly imporved the quality of this manuscript. This work was conducted at a facility with an approved Freshwater/land-based aquaculture licence under the Fisheries Act in Canada. All handling, care and experimental procedures were carried out under approved Species at Risk Act permits obtained by both the Freshwater Fisheries Society of British Columbia and BC Hydro.

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  1. Fish and Aquatic Issues, Environment, BC Hydro, 6911 Southpoint Drive, Burnaby, British Columbia, V3N 4X8, Canada

    Kathleen J. Jay

  2. Fish and Aquatic Issues, Environment, BC Hydro, 601 18th Street, Castlegar, British Columbia, V1N 2N1, Canada

    James A. Crossman

  3. Department of Fisheries and Wildlife, and Department of Integrative Biology, Michigan State University, 480 Wilson Road, 13 Natural Resources Building, East Lansing, MI, 48824, USA

    Kim T. Scribner

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Jay, K.J., Crossman, J.A. & Scribner, K.T. Temperature affects transition timing and phenotype between key developmental stages in white sturgeon Acipenser transmontanus yolk-sac larvae. Environ Biol Fish 103, 1149–1162 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10641-020-01007-1

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