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Kennedy RJ, Barry J, Boyd A, Allen M. Does phenology influence predation rate on Salmo trutta parr during lake migration? JOURNAL OF FISH BIOLOGY 2024. [PMID: 38491848 DOI: 10.1111/jfb.15719] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/30/2023] [Revised: 02/22/2024] [Accepted: 02/25/2024] [Indexed: 03/18/2024]
Abstract
Acoustic tags fitted with predation sensors, which trigger following ingestion by piscivorous predators, were used to compare direct predation rates during downstream migration (out-migration) of potamodromous (freshwater) brown trout (Salmo trutta L.) parr from their natal river into a large freshwater lake system during spring and autumn. Thirty-eight spring migrants were tagged across two study years (2021 and 2022) of which 13 individuals (34%) were predated. By contrast 40 autumn migrants were tagged (2020 and 2021) of which three individuals (7.5%) experienced predation. The overall predation loss rate for spring migrants was 0.342% day-1 and was 0.075% day-1 for autumn migrants. Most predation events during spring (77%) occurred within the lower river before tagged fish entered the lake, whilst no predation events were recorded within the river in the autumn. Predation events were significantly linked to tagging season (spring or autumn), with the probability of tags remaining untriggered (as a proxy for survival) being higher 93% (95% confidence interval [CI] [87%, 100%]) in autumn than in spring 66% (95% CI [53%, 83%]). The spring migration periods showed significantly lower river discharge (0.321 m3 /s mean daily discharge, April 1 to May 31) to those measured during autumn (1.056 m3 /s mean daily discharge, October 1 to November 30) (Mann-Whitney U-test, U = 1149, p < 0.001). Lower flows, clearer water, and longer sojourn in the river may have contributed to greater predation losses in the spring relative to the autumn.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Adele Boyd
- Agri-Food & Biosciences Institute, Belfast, Northern Ireland
| | - Michelle Allen
- Agri-Food & Biosciences Institute, Belfast, Northern Ireland
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Georgopoulou DG, Fanouraki E, Voskakis D, Mitrizakis N, Papandroulakis N. European seabass show variable responses in their group swimming features after tag implantation. FRONTIERS IN ANIMAL SCIENCE 2022. [DOI: 10.3389/fanim.2022.997948] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The usefulness of acoustic telemetry on the study of movements, interactions, and behaviors has been revealed by many field and laboratory studies. The process of attaching acoustic tags on fish can, however, impact their physiological, behavioral, and growth performance traits. The potential negative effects are still unknown for several species and behavioral attributes. Previous studies have attempted to shed light on the effects of tag implantation on fish, focusing mainly on fish growth and physiological parameters, and one or two behavioral properties mainly on the individual level. However, the effect of this procedure could also be expressed at the group level. This study investigated the short-term effects of dummy and active body-implanted acoustic tags on the group-level swimming performance of adult European seabass (Dicentrarchus labrax) using optical flow analysis. We studied four main swimming performance properties—group speed, alignment (polarization), cohesion, and exploratory behavior. To help in the interpretation of any detected differences, physiological stress-related parameters were also extracted. The results show that the tag implantation procedure has variable effects on the different swimming performance attributes of fish. Group cohesion, polarization, and the group’s exploratory tendency were significantly impacted initially, and the effect persisted but to a lesser extent two weeks after surgery. In contrast, group speed was not affected initially but showed a significant decrease in comparison with the control group two weeks post-surgery. In addition, the physiological parameters tested did not show any significant difference between the control and the treated group 14 days after the onset of the experiment. The findings suggest that the effect of tagging is non-trivial, leading to responses and response times that could affect behavioral studies carried out using acoustic telemetry.
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Lennox RJ, Stöger E, Dahlmo LS, Helle T, Wiers T, Hanssen EM, Vollset KW. Effects of tag type and surgery on migration of Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) smolts. JOURNAL OF FISH BIOLOGY 2022; 101:515-521. [PMID: 35668681 PMCID: PMC9545663 DOI: 10.1111/jfb.15116] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/22/2022] [Accepted: 05/09/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Tagging salmon smolts to provide information about the timing of outmigration has been a common approach to monitor phenology and model the risk of encountering stressors. However, the validity of tagging has come under scrutiny because of the sensitivity of this parameter in various management systems. We studied the probability of migration, timing of migration and growth during migration for Atlantic salmon smolts tagged with three different tags in the River Dale, western Norway. Two groups were tagged with passive integrated transponder (PIT) tags via a small ventral nonsurgical incision, either a 12 mm or a new 16 mm PIT tag. Two groups were subjected to surgical implantation of either a dummy acoustic transmitter or a 12 mm PIT tag (a sham surgery). Overall, 71% of the tagged smolts were recaptured at the downstream Wolf trap. Smolts from the sham tagged group were recaptured most frequently (78%) compared to dummy acoustic transmitters and 16 mm PIT tags (both 68%), but the differences were not significant. Results agree with prior assessments that longer smolts migrated earlier, with about half a day earlier migration for each millimetre total length of the smolt, but did not suggest any difference in time of migration among the tag types. Growth in length was evident from release to recapture, with smaller smolts exhibiting greater growth and no effect of tagging treatment. Our findings suggest that inferences about the timing of outmigration for salmon smolts based on acoustic tagging should be made cautiously because of the relationship among tag size, suitable fish size and the timing of a tagged individual's migration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robert J. Lennox
- NORCE Norwegian Research CentreLaboratory for Freshwater Ecology and Inland FisheriesBergenNorway
| | - Elisabeth Stöger
- NORCE Norwegian Research CentreLaboratory for Freshwater Ecology and Inland FisheriesBergenNorway
| | - Lotte S. Dahlmo
- NORCE Norwegian Research CentreLaboratory for Freshwater Ecology and Inland FisheriesBergenNorway
| | - Turid Helle
- NORCE Norwegian Research CentreLaboratory for Freshwater Ecology and Inland FisheriesBergenNorway
| | - Tore Wiers
- NORCE Norwegian Research CentreLaboratory for Freshwater Ecology and Inland FisheriesBergenNorway
| | - Erlend M. Hanssen
- NORCE Norwegian Research CentreLaboratory for Freshwater Ecology and Inland FisheriesBergenNorway
| | - Knut Wiik Vollset
- NORCE Norwegian Research CentreLaboratory for Freshwater Ecology and Inland FisheriesBergenNorway
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Smith R, Hitkolok E, Loewen T, Dumond A, Kristensen K, Swanson H. Overwintering ecology and movement of anadromous Arctic char (Salvelinus alpinus) in a large, ice-covered river in the Canadian Arctic. JOURNAL OF FISH BIOLOGY 2022; 100:1432-1446. [PMID: 35362094 PMCID: PMC9320965 DOI: 10.1111/jfb.15054] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2021] [Revised: 03/02/2022] [Accepted: 03/28/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Arctic char (Salvelinus alpinus) is a facultatively anadromous fish species that is critically important to many Inuit communities in the Canadian Arctic. Plasticity in life history has allowed the species to persist in a diversity of challenging Holarctic environments. Despite their ecological and cultural importance and their presence in aquatic ecosystems that are ice-covered for much of the year, few under-ice studies of Arctic char have been conducted. Most winter studies of adult Arctic char have focused on lakes, where they typically overwinter. Several populations of Arctic char, however, overwinter in large river systems, and subsistence fishers have reported that Arctic char overwinter in the lower reaches of the Coppermine River. The Coppermine River is a large Arctic river that flows into Coronation Gulf near Kugluktuk, Nunavut, Canada. The authors used acoustic telemetry to investigate the overwintering ecology of Arctic char in the region. Consistent with local knowledge, they detected Arctic char overwintering within the fluvial environment of the Coppermine River from 2018 to 2020. Unlike other fluvial environments known to be used by overwintering Arctic char, the lower reaches of the Coppermine River are completely ice-covered throughout the winter, are of moderate depths (3.8-14.1 m) and have no known groundwater inputs. Acoustic telemetry observations indicated long-distance movement (7-8 km) within the river in early winter (October) in response to dynamic ice formation. Under-ice movement generally declined 2 weeks after river freeze-up but continued throughout winter in the lower 5 km of the river, where there were fewer under-ice disturbances. Migration into the marine environment before river ice break-up (June), as well as winter (November-May) movements into and within the marine environment, was unexpectedly observed for some fish. Under-ice use of the marine environment is unusual for Arctic char at the distances observed (up to 18 km) and has not previously been documented at the temperatures (fish body temperatures from -0.76 to 1.90°C) observed. Results allow further understanding of the diverse life-history tactics employed by Arctic char and lay a foundation for future research into fluvial and other diverse overwintering tactics employed by the species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rosie Smith
- Department of BiologyUniversity of WaterlooWaterlooOntarioCanada
| | - Eric Hitkolok
- Kugluktuk Hunters and Trappers OrganizationKugluktukNunavutCanada
| | - Tracey Loewen
- Arctic Stock AssessmentFisheries and Oceans Canada, Freshwater InstituteWinnipegManitobaCanada
| | - Amanda Dumond
- Kugluktuk Hunters and Trappers OrganizationKugluktukNunavutCanada
| | | | - Heidi Swanson
- Department of BiologyUniversity of WaterlooWaterlooOntarioCanada
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Chavarie L, Honkanen HM, Newton M, Lilly JM, Greetham HR, Adams CE. The benefits of merging passive and active tracking approaches: New insights into riverine migration by salmonid smolts. Ecosphere 2022. [DOI: 10.1002/ecs2.4045] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Louise Chavarie
- Faculty of Environmental Sciences and Natural Resource Management Norwegian University of Life Sciences Ås Norway
- Scottish Centre for Ecology and the Natural Environment, IBAHCM University of Glasgow Glasgow UK
| | - Hannele M. Honkanen
- Scottish Centre for Ecology and the Natural Environment, IBAHCM University of Glasgow Glasgow UK
| | - Matthew Newton
- Scottish Centre for Ecology and the Natural Environment, IBAHCM University of Glasgow Glasgow UK
| | - Jessie M. Lilly
- Scottish Centre for Ecology and the Natural Environment, IBAHCM University of Glasgow Glasgow UK
| | - Hannah R. Greetham
- Scottish Centre for Ecology and the Natural Environment, IBAHCM University of Glasgow Glasgow UK
| | - Colin E. Adams
- Scottish Centre for Ecology and the Natural Environment, IBAHCM University of Glasgow Glasgow UK
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Minett JF, Garcia de Leaniz C, Sobolewska H, Brickle P, Crossin GT, Consuegra S. SNP analyses and acoustic tagging reveal multiple origins and widespread dispersal of invasive brown trout in the Falkland Islands. Evol Appl 2021; 14:2134-2144. [PMID: 34429754 PMCID: PMC8372121 DOI: 10.1111/eva.13274] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2021] [Revised: 06/18/2021] [Accepted: 06/22/2021] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Biological invasions are important causes of biodiversity loss, particularly in remote islands. Brown trout (Salmo trutta) have been widely introduced throughout the Southern Hemisphere, impacting endangered native fauna, particularly galaxiid fishes, through predation and competition. However, due to their importance for sport fishing and aquaculture farming, attempts to curtail the impacts of invasive salmonids have generally been met with limited support and the best prospects for protecting native galaxiids is to predict where and how salmonids might disperse. We analysed 266 invasive brown trout from 14 rivers and ponds across the Falkland Islands as well as 32 trout from three potential source populations, using a panel of 592 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and acoustic tagging, to ascertain their origins and current patterns of dispersal. We identified four genetically distinct clusters with high levels of genetic diversity and low admixture, likely reflecting the different origins of the invasive brown trout populations. Our analysis suggests that many trout populations in the Falklands may have originated from one of the donor populations analysed (River Wey). The highest genetic diversity was observed in the rivers with the greatest number of introductions and diverse origins, while the lowest diversity corresponded to a location without documented introductions, likely colonized by natural dispersal. High levels of gene flow indicated widespread migration of brown trout across the Falkland Islands, likely aided by anadromous dispersal. This is supported by data from acoustically tagged fish, three of which were detected frequently moving between two rivers ~26 km apart. Our results suggest that, without containment measures, brown trout may invade the last remaining refuges for the native endangered Aplochiton spp. We provide new insights into the origin and dispersal of invasive brown trout in the Falkland Islands that can pave the way for a targeted approach to limit their impact on native fish fauna.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jessica F. Minett
- Department of BiosciencesCentre for Sustainable Aquatic ResearchSwansea UniversitySwanseaUK
- South Atlantic Environmental Research Institute (SAERI)StanleyFalkland Islands
| | | | | | - Paul Brickle
- South Atlantic Environmental Research Institute (SAERI)StanleyFalkland Islands
- School of Biological Science (Zoology)University of AberdeenAberdeenUK
| | | | - Sofia Consuegra
- Department of BiosciencesCentre for Sustainable Aquatic ResearchSwansea UniversitySwanseaUK
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Synchrony and multimodality in the timing of Atlantic salmon smolt migration in two Norwegian fjords. Sci Rep 2021; 11:6504. [PMID: 33753812 PMCID: PMC7985142 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-85941-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2020] [Accepted: 03/08/2021] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
The timing of the smolt migration of Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) is a phenological trait increasingly important to the fitness of this species. Understanding when and how smolts migrate to the sea is crucial to understanding how salmon populations will be affected by both climate change and the elevated salmon lice concentrations produced by salmon farms. Here, acoustic telemetry was used to monitor the fjord migration of wild post-smolts from four rivers across two fjord systems in western Norway. Smolts began their migration throughout the month of May in all populations. Within-population, the timing of migration was multimodal with peaks in migration determined by the timing of spring floods. As a result, migrations were synchronized across populations with similar hydrology. There was little indication that the timing of migration had an impact on survival from the river mouth to the outer fjord. However, populations with longer fjord migrations experienced lower survival rates and had higher variance in fjord residency times. Explicit consideration of the multimodality inherent to the timing of smolt migration in these populations may help predict when smolts are in the fjord, as these modes seem predictable from available environmental data.
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Wright DW, Stien LH, Dempster T, Oppedal F. Differential effects of internal tagging depending on depth treatment in Atlantic salmon: a cautionary tale for aquatic animal tag use. Curr Zool 2019; 65:665-673. [PMID: 31857813 PMCID: PMC6911844 DOI: 10.1093/cz/zoy093] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/16/2018] [Accepted: 12/03/2018] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Electronic tags are widespread tools for studying aquatic animal behavior; however, tags risk behavioral manipulation and negative welfare outcomes. During an experiment to test behavioral differences of Atlantic salmon Salmo salar in different aquaculture cage types, including ones expected to elicit deeper swimming behavior, we found negative tagging effects depending on whether cages were depth-modified. In the experiment, data storage tags implanted in Atlantic salmon tracked their depth behavior and survival in unmodified sea-cages and depth-modified sea-cages that forced fish below or into a narrow seawater- or freshwater-filled snorkel tube from a 4 m net roof to the surface. All tagged individuals survived in unmodified cages; however, survival was reduced to 62% in depth-modified cages. Survivors in depth-modified cages spent considerably less time above 4 m than those in unmodified cages, and dying individuals in depth-modified cages tended to position in progressively shallower water. The maximum depth that fish in our study could attain neutral buoyancy was estimated at 22 m in seawater. We calculated that the added tag weight in water reduced this to 8 m, and subtracting the tag volume from the peritoneal cavity where the swim bladder reinflates reduced this further to 4 m. We conclude that the internal tag weight and volume affected buoyancy regulation as well as the survival and behavior of tagged fish. Future tagging studies on aquatic animals should carefully consider the buoyancy-related consequences of internal tags with excess weight in water, and the inclusion of data from dying tagged animals when estimating normal depth behaviors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel W Wright
- Institute of Marine Research, Matre Research Station, Matredal, Norway
| | - Lars H Stien
- Institute of Marine Research, Matre Research Station, Matredal, Norway
| | - Tim Dempster
- Sustainable Aquaculture Laboratory - Temperate and Tropical, School of BioSciences, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Australia
| | - Frode Oppedal
- Institute of Marine Research, Matre Research Station, Matredal, Norway
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Darcy AP, Raby GD, Johnson TB, Pitcher TE, Fisk AT. Effects of intracoelomic transmitter implantation on metabolic rate, swimming performance, growth and survival in juveniles of two salmonids. JOURNAL OF FISH BIOLOGY 2019; 95:1094-1106. [PMID: 31328795 DOI: 10.1111/jfb.14102] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/25/2019] [Accepted: 07/18/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
In this study, we investigated the effects of acoustic tag implantation on standard and routine metabolic rate (SMR and RMR, estimated via oxygen consumption), critical swimming speed (Ucrit ), survival and growth in juveniles of rainbow trout Oncorhynchus mykiss and lake trout Salvelinus namaycush. Tag burdens ranged from 1.8% to 7.5% across the two species. Growth rates in acoustic-tagged fish were equal to or higher than those in other treatments. Acoustic-tagged S. namaycush had a marginally lower Ucrit than controls but that effect was not replicated in the O. mykiss experiment. Tagging did not have clear effects on metabolic rate but there was an interaction whereby SMR and RMR tended to increase with time since surgery in tagged O. mykiss but not in other treatments (the same trend did not occur in S. namaycush). Survival was high across treatments (mean 98% survival among O. mykiss, 97.5% among S. namaycush). There were no statistically significant effects of tag burden (percentage of body mass) except for a weak negative relationship with growth rate (across species) and a weak positive relationship with Ucrit but only in the O. mykiss. Collectively, our findings suggest there were minor, context-dependent effects of acoustic tagging in juvenile S. namaycush and O. mykiss during an eight-week laboratory experiment. Further research will be required to assess whether tagging can cause meaningful behavioural effects in these species in captivity or in the wild and whether there is a tag burden threshold above which deleterious effects consistently occur.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew P Darcy
- Great Lakes Institute for Environmental Research, University of Windsor, Windsor, Ontario, Canada
| | - Graham D Raby
- Great Lakes Institute for Environmental Research, University of Windsor, Windsor, Ontario, Canada
| | - Timothy B Johnson
- Glenora Fisheries Station, Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry, Picton, Ontario, Canada
| | - Trevor E Pitcher
- Great Lakes Institute for Environmental Research, University of Windsor, Windsor, Ontario, Canada
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Windsor, Windsor, Ontario, Canada
| | - Aaron T Fisk
- Great Lakes Institute for Environmental Research, University of Windsor, Windsor, Ontario, Canada
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