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Patterns of reproduction in two populations of pumpkinseed sunfish,Lepomis gibbosus, with differing food resources

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The influence of available food resources on growth and patterns of reproduction was studied in two populations of pumpkinseed sunfish in adjacent lakes in southeastern Ontario. Ideally, mature individuals should be long-lived, attain a large size, and maintain a high reproductive effort. However, rarely are environmental conditions ideal and compromises are necessary. In the present study, there were smaller quantities of preferred prey items (gastropods), and total benthos available in one lake. Pumpkinseed in this population ate less in general, and were smaller in body size in the older age classes. These fish matured at a younger age and a smaller size than individuals in the other lake studied, and in populations in this geographic area reported in the literature. In addition, the relationships of both fecundity and ovary weight to total weight were different between lakes. Mean ovary weight, ripe egg size and lifetime fecundity were less in the population of small-bodies fish. Variation in patterns of reproduction between populations suggests that fish may be able to fine-tune responses to local environmental conditions.

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  1. Lois I. Deacon

    Present address: , Box 188, Minden, Ontario, KOM 2KO, Canada

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  1. Department of Biology, Queen's University, Kingston, Ontario, K7L 3N6, Canada

    Lois I. Deacon & J. Allen Keast

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Deacon, L.I., Keast, J.A. Patterns of reproduction in two populations of pumpkinseed sunfish,Lepomis gibbosus, with differing food resources. Environ Biol Fish 19, 281–296 (1987). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00003229

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00003229

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