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The Age Structure and Growth Dynamics of Young-Of-The-Year Bass, Dicentrarchus Labrax, Populations

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  11 May 2009

S. Jennings ,
J. E. Lancaster ,
J. S. Ryland  and
S. E. Shackley
S. Jennings
Affiliation:
Marine, Environmental and Evolutionary Research Group, School of Biological Sciences, University of Wales, Swansea SA2 8PP
J. E. Lancaster
Affiliation:
Marine, Environmental and Evolutionary Research Group, School of Biological Sciences, University of Wales, Swansea SA2 8PP
J. S. Ryland
Affiliation:
Marine, Environmental and Evolutionary Research Group, School of Biological Sciences, University of Wales, Swansea SA2 8PP
S. E. Shackley
Affiliation:
Marine, Environmental and Evolutionary Research Group, School of Biological Sciences, University of Wales, Swansea SA2 8PP
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Extract

Back-calculated egg fertilization (spawned) dates and growth rates for young-of-the-year bass, Dicentrarchus labrax (L), captured from Loughor Estuary, Oxwich Bay and Ogmore Estuary, south Wales, UK, during 1988 and 1989 were compared. Spawned date frequency distributions indicated that the bass spawning season began in late February and continued until early June in 1988 and early July in 1989.

There were no significant differences in the frequency distributions of back-calculated spawned dates for the bass populations, between either sites or years, which suggested that any variations in growth rates were attributable to characteristics of their respective environments. Growth rates were determined for bass cohorts resulting from early, midor late-season spawnings at Oxwich and Loughor in 1988 and Oxwich, Loughor and Ogmore in 1989. There were only slight intra-annual differences between the mean growth rates of bass cohorts at the same site, suggesting that bass from early cohorts would be larger at any given time of year. In 1989, growth was considerably faster at Oxwich and Loughor than at Ogmore, where food supply was considered limiting. However, between-site variations in growth rate were small in comparison with inter-annual differences. The faster growth rates observed at Loughor and Oxwich in 1989 were attributed to higher water temperatures.

Relationships between growth rate and subsequent survival of young-of-the-year bass, and the relative importance of estuaries as nursery habitats for juvenile bass, are discussed.

Type
Research Article
Information
Journal of the Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom , Volume 71 , Issue 4 , November 1991 , pp. 799 - 810
Copyright
Copyright © Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom 1991

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References

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