Offspring investment in wild Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar): relationships with smolt age and spawning condition

Burton, T., McKelvey, S., Stewart, D.C., Armstrong, J.D. and Metcalfe, N.B. (2013) Offspring investment in wild Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar): relationships with smolt age and spawning condition. Ecology of Freshwater Fish, 22(2), pp. 317-321. (doi: 10.1111/eff.12019)

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Abstract

We investigated the independent effects of age at smolting and body condition at the time of spawning on egg production by female Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar). For a given body size, female salmon that had smolted as juveniles after 2 years in fresh water produced smaller, more numerous eggs than females that smolted 1 year later. Furthermore, fecundity (but not egg size) was related positively to maternal body condition at spawning. Given that age at smolting is closely related to juvenile growth rate; results from this study suggest that conditions experienced by female Atlantic salmon during both early life and adulthood have implications for the size and number of eggs that they produce.

Item Type:Articles
Status:Published
Refereed:Yes
Glasgow Author(s) Enlighten ID:Burton, Dr Tim and Metcalfe, Professor Neil
Authors: Burton, T., McKelvey, S., Stewart, D.C., Armstrong, J.D., and Metcalfe, N.B.
College/School:College of Medical Veterinary and Life Sciences > School of Biodiversity, One Health & Veterinary Medicine
Journal Name:Ecology of Freshwater Fish
Publisher:John Wiley & Sons
ISSN:0906-6691
ISSN (Online):1600-0633
Published Online:26 November 2012

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Project CodeAward NoProject NamePrincipal InvestigatorFunder's NameFunder RefLead Dept
529351Does poor maternal condition reduce early offspring performance in the wild?Neil MetcalfeNatural Environment Research Council (NERC)NE/H012125/1RI BIODIVERSITY ANIMAL HEALTH & COMPMED