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Effects of suboptimal temperatures on larval and juvenile development and otolith morphology in three freshwater fishes: implications for cold water pollution in rivers

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Abstract

Temperature is a key determinant that governs fish survival, reproduction, growth and metabolism. In freshwater ecosystems, anthropogenic influences have resulted in acute and prolonged temperature changes which lead to lethal and sub-lethal impacts on the biota that occupy these environments. We assessed the effects of temperature on somatic and otolith growth and development of three species of native Australian freshwater fish (silver perch Bidyanus bidyanus, trout cod Maccullochella macquariensis and golden perch Macquaria ambigua) to simulate how thermal pollution from the release of unseasonably cold water from thermally stratified dams in Australian freshwater ecosystems may impact fish at critical life-history stages. Fish (31 days post-hatch) were exposed to four temperature treatments (13, 16, 20, 24 °C) for 30 days. Low temperatures resulted in reduced somatic growth, with no growth observed in silver perch and golden perch held at 13 °C over 30 days. Somatic growth was highest at the upper temperature of 24 °C. Morphological assessment of fish size reiterated that low water temperatures resulted in reduced body size, particularly in terms of body width and head size. Low temperatures were associated with reduced otolith growth in all species, however a somatic-otolith size relationship was maintained for all species in measures of otolith weight, area, length and perimeter. The sub-lethal impacts observed in our study are likely to manifest at the population level through a reduced capacity of larvae and juveniles to avoid size-dependent predation, a narrower range of prey sources due to extended gape-limited feeding and, ultimately, poorer survival and recruitment.

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Acknowledgements

The authors would like to pass on their sincere gratitude for the guidance and advice provided by all staff of the Narrandera Fisheries Centre and their generosity in providing use of facilities and resources, in particular Lachie Jess and Matt McLellan, as well as Daniel Wright and Osmar Luiz for assistance with statistical analysis. Financial support for this research was provided by DPI Water and DPI Fisheries, The Fisheries Scientific Committee, The Society for Freshwater Science and the Australian Wildlife Society. Ethics approval for this research was granted by the University of Technology Sydney Animal Care and Ethics Committee under permit ETH18-2580.

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  1. School of Life Sciences, University of Technology Sydney, PO Box 123, Broadway, New South Wales, 2007, Australia

    Laura E. Michie, Jordan A. Facey & Simon M. Mitrovic

  2. NSW Department of Primary Industries, Narrandera Fisheries Centre, PO Box 182, Narrandera, New South Wales, 2700, Australia

    Jason D. Thiem

  3. NSW Department of Primary Industries, Port Stephens Fisheries Centre, Taylors Beach Road, Taylors Beach, New South Wales, 2316, Australia

    Craig A. Boys

  4. Centre for Freshwater Ecosystems, La Trobe University, McCoy Street, Albury-Wodonga, Victoria, 3690, Australia

    David A. Crook

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Michie, L.E., Thiem, J.D., Facey, J.A. et al. Effects of suboptimal temperatures on larval and juvenile development and otolith morphology in three freshwater fishes: implications for cold water pollution in rivers. Environ Biol Fish 103, 1527–1540 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10641-020-01041-z

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