Synopsis
A prey concentration dependent random walk model of feeding behavior in larval anchovy based on behavioral experiments was used in conjunction with an experimentally verified Markov chain prey attack rate model to evaluate the relationship between anchovy larval growth from 0.4 to 2.0 cm at various levels of contagion and temperature in the food prey environment. Contagion was regarded as being described by the negative binomial distribution while the actual prey particle size distribution was taken from actual prey particle surveys in areas where anchovy larvae are found. Other important physiological parameters necessary for the construction of the model are taken from existing literature and a description of the complete computer integration of the various submodels presented. Results demonstrate the extreme importance of food microstructure geometry and behavior in the growth rates and growth curves of the anchovy larvae. In particular extremely nonlinear growth rates as functions of contagion are observed in the model with the highest growth rates not occurring at the highest level of prey contagion. The implications these results have in explaining current paradoxes between laboratory-grown larval anchovy prey concentration requirements and those found in the ocean are discussed. Also, the relationship between physical oceanography and larval survival is discussed in light of the results in addition to the need for a more detailed understanding of food prey microstructure in larval ecology.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References cited
Anraku, M. 1975. Microdistribution of marine copepods in a small inlet. Mar. Biol. 30: 79–87.
Arthur, D. K. 1956. The particulate food and the food resources of the larvae of three pelagic fishes, especially the Pacific sardine Sardinops caerulea (Girard). Ph. D. Thesis, Univ. Calif., Scripps Inst. Oceanogr.,231 pp.
Bader, H. 1970. The hyperbolic distribution of particle sizes. J. Geophys. Res. 75: 2282–2830.
Bainbridge, R. 1957. The size, shape, and density of marine phytoplankton concentrations. Biol. Rev. 32: 91–116.
Batschelet, E. 1965. Statistical methods for the analysis of problems in animal orientation and certain biological rhythms. Am. Inst. Biol. Sci. Monogr. 57 pp.
Berner, L., Jr. 1959. The food of the larvae of the northern anchovy Engraulis mordax. Inter-Am. Trop. Tuna Comm. 4: 1–22.
Blaxter, J. H. S. 1965. The feeding of herring larvae and their ecology in relation to feeding. Calif. Coop. Oceanic Fish. Invest. Rep. 10: 79–88.
Blaxter, J. H. S. 1973. Monitoring the vertical movements and light responses of herring and plaice larvae. J. Mar. Biol. Assoc. U.K. 53: 635–647.
Chandrasekhar, S. 1943. Stochastic problems in physics and astronomy. Rev. Mod. Phys. 15: 1–89.
Debye, P. 1946. The intrinsic viscosity of polymer solutions. J. Chem. Phys. 14: 636.
Feller, W. 1943 On a general class of contagious distributions. Ann. Math. Statist. 14: 389–400.
Feller, W. 1957. An introduction to probability theory and its applications. John Wiley and Sons, Inc. 1 (2nd ed.).
Flory, P. J. 1969. Statistical mechanics of chain molecules. Wiley-Interscience. 432 pp.
Gulland, J. A. 1973. Can a study of stock and recruitment aid management decisions? Rapp. P-V Reun. Cons. Perm. Int. Explor. Mer. 164: 369–372.
Hunter, J. R. 1972. Swimming and feeding behavior of larval anchovy Engraulis mordax. U.S. Fish. Bull. 70: 821–838.
Hunter, J. R. 1076. Culture and growth of northern anchovy, Engraulis mordax, larvae. U.S. Fish. Bull. 74: 81–88.
Hunter, J. R. 1977. Behavior and survival of nothern anchovy Engraulis mordax larvae. Calif. Coop. Fish. Invest. Reports 19: (in press).
Hunter, J. R. & G. L. Thomas. 1973. Effect of prey distribution and density on the searching and feeding behavior of larval anchory Engraulis mordex Girard. pp. 559–574. In: J. H. S. Blaxter(ed.), The early life history of fish. Proc. Int. Symp. Dunstaffnage Mar. Res. Lab., Scottish Mar. Biol. Assoc., Oban, Scotland, May 17–23, 1973. Springer-verlag, Berlin.
Ivlev, U. S. 1961. Experimental ecology of the feeding of fishes. Yale Univ. Press, Inc. 302 pp.
Kerr, S. R. 1971. Analysis of laboratory experiments on growth efficiency of fishes. J. Fish. Res. Board Can. 28: 801–808.
Kramer, D. & J. R. Zweifel. 1970. Growth of anchovy larvae (E. mordax Girard) in the laboratory as influenced by temperature. Calif. Coop. Oceanic Fish. Invest. Rep. 14: 84–87.
Lasker, R. 1975. Field criteria for survival of anchovy larvae: the relation between inshore chlorophyll maximum layers and successful first feeding. U.S. Fish. Bull. 73: 453–463.
Lasker, R. & G. H. Theilacker. 1962. Oxygen consumption and osmoregulation by single Pacific sardine eggs and larvae (Sardinops caerulea Girard). J. Cons. Int. Explor. Mer. 27: 25–33.
Lasker, R., H. M. Feder, G. H. Theilacker & R. C. May. 1970. Feeding, growth, and survival of Engraulis mordax larvae reared in the laboratory. Mar. Biol. 5: 345–353.
Lloyd, M. 1976. Mean crowding. J. Anim. Ecol. 36: 1–30.
Rojas de Mendiola, B. 1974. Food of the larva anchoveta Engraulius ringens. pp. 277–285. In: J. H. S. Blaxter(ed.), The early life history of fishes. Proc. Int. Symp. Dunstaffnage, Mar. Res. Lab., Scottish Mar. Biol. Assoc., Oban, Scotland, May 17–23, 1973. Springer-Verlag, Berlin.
Sharp, G. D. & R. C. Francis. 1976. An energetics model for the exploited yellowfin tuna, Thunnus albacares, population in the eastern Pacific Ocean. U.S. Fish. Bull. 74: 36–51.
Skellam, J. G. 1952. Studies in statistical ecology. I. Spatial pattern. Biometrika 39: 346–362.
Steele, J. H. 1974a. The structure of marine ecosystems. Harvard University Press, Cambridge, Mass. 128 pp.
Steele, J. H. 1974b. Plankton patchiness. International Council for the Exploration of the Sea. CM. 1974/L: 15 Plankton Committee.
Vlymen, W. J. 1974. Swimming energetics of the larval anchovy, Engraulis mordax. U.S. Fish. Bull. 72: 885–899.
Winberg, G. G. 1956. Rate of metabolism and food requirements of fishes. Belorussian State University, Minsk. 251 pp J. Fish. Res. Board Can. Transl. Series 194.
Wroblewski, J. S., J. J. O'Brien & T. Platt. 1975. On the physical and biological scales of phytoplankton patchiness in the ocean. Proc. Sixth Liege Colloq. on Ocean Hydrodynamics. Memoires de la Soc. Roy. des Sciences de Liège.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Vlymen, W.J. A mathematical model of the relationship between larval anchovy (Engraulis mordax) growth, prey microdistribution, and larval behavior. Environ Biol Fish 2, 211–233 (1977). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00005991
Received:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00005991