Effects of environmental factors on reproductive potential of the Gulf of Maine northern shrimp (Pandalus borealis)
The northern shrimp (Pandalus borealis) once supported a significant winter fishery in the Gulf of Maine (GOM). However, the population collapsed in 2012 and a fishery moratorium has been in effect since 2014 due to record low levels of spawning stock biomass and persistent recruitment failure. An i...
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doaj-4dc89fc1390d44148944007d34c530222021-09-19T04:57:56ZengElsevierGlobal Ecology and Conservation2351-98942021-10-0130e01774Effects of environmental factors on reproductive potential of the Gulf of Maine northern shrimp (Pandalus borealis)Hsiao-Yun Chang0R. Anne Richards1Yong Chen2School of Marine Sciences, University of Maine, Orono, Maine 04469, USA; Corresponding author.124 West Falmouth Highway, Falmouth, MA 02540, USASchool of Marine Sciences, University of Maine, Orono, Maine 04469, USAThe northern shrimp (Pandalus borealis) once supported a significant winter fishery in the Gulf of Maine (GOM). However, the population collapsed in 2012 and a fishery moratorium has been in effect since 2014 due to record low levels of spawning stock biomass and persistent recruitment failure. An important parameter in determining population dynamics, fecundity, has not been evaluated for more than 30 years, during which time the GOM has warmed significantly. In this study, we quantified three reproductive characteristics related to fecundity: potential fecundity (PF, number of viable eggs), relative fecundity (RF, number of viable eggs per gram of body weight), and egg size (ES) for GOM northern shrimp. The results showed that PF was strongly related to body size, while RF was independent of body size. Egg size declined with increasing body size for larger females. Egg size is related to size at larval hatch, suggesting that although larger females produced more eggs, those eggs may produce smaller larvae. In contrast with previous studies, PF and RF were positively correlated with bottom temperature in the relatively warm years of our study. We hypothesize that the positive temperature-fecundity relationship we observed may not reflect a direct effect, but possibly a compensatory response relating to decreased population density during the time period of our study. In addition, the environmental effects we observed may to some extent reflect progression of the inshore migration of females. The information derived in this study can help us have a better understanding of environmental effects on reproductive potential for climatically vulnerable species such as the GOM northern shrimp.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2351989421003243Potential fecundityRelative fecundityEgg sizeEnvironmental effectsGeneralized additive mixed modelsStock-recruitment |
collection |
DOAJ |
language |
English |
format |
Article |
sources |
DOAJ |
author |
Hsiao-Yun Chang R. Anne Richards Yong Chen |
spellingShingle |
Hsiao-Yun Chang R. Anne Richards Yong Chen Effects of environmental factors on reproductive potential of the Gulf of Maine northern shrimp (Pandalus borealis) Global Ecology and Conservation Potential fecundity Relative fecundity Egg size Environmental effects Generalized additive mixed models Stock-recruitment |
author_facet |
Hsiao-Yun Chang R. Anne Richards Yong Chen |
author_sort |
Hsiao-Yun Chang |
title |
Effects of environmental factors on reproductive potential of the Gulf of Maine northern shrimp (Pandalus borealis) |
title_short |
Effects of environmental factors on reproductive potential of the Gulf of Maine northern shrimp (Pandalus borealis) |
title_full |
Effects of environmental factors on reproductive potential of the Gulf of Maine northern shrimp (Pandalus borealis) |
title_fullStr |
Effects of environmental factors on reproductive potential of the Gulf of Maine northern shrimp (Pandalus borealis) |
title_full_unstemmed |
Effects of environmental factors on reproductive potential of the Gulf of Maine northern shrimp (Pandalus borealis) |
title_sort |
effects of environmental factors on reproductive potential of the gulf of maine northern shrimp (pandalus borealis) |
publisher |
Elsevier |
series |
Global Ecology and Conservation |
issn |
2351-9894 |
publishDate |
2021-10-01 |
description |
The northern shrimp (Pandalus borealis) once supported a significant winter fishery in the Gulf of Maine (GOM). However, the population collapsed in 2012 and a fishery moratorium has been in effect since 2014 due to record low levels of spawning stock biomass and persistent recruitment failure. An important parameter in determining population dynamics, fecundity, has not been evaluated for more than 30 years, during which time the GOM has warmed significantly. In this study, we quantified three reproductive characteristics related to fecundity: potential fecundity (PF, number of viable eggs), relative fecundity (RF, number of viable eggs per gram of body weight), and egg size (ES) for GOM northern shrimp. The results showed that PF was strongly related to body size, while RF was independent of body size. Egg size declined with increasing body size for larger females. Egg size is related to size at larval hatch, suggesting that although larger females produced more eggs, those eggs may produce smaller larvae. In contrast with previous studies, PF and RF were positively correlated with bottom temperature in the relatively warm years of our study. We hypothesize that the positive temperature-fecundity relationship we observed may not reflect a direct effect, but possibly a compensatory response relating to decreased population density during the time period of our study. In addition, the environmental effects we observed may to some extent reflect progression of the inshore migration of females. The information derived in this study can help us have a better understanding of environmental effects on reproductive potential for climatically vulnerable species such as the GOM northern shrimp. |
topic |
Potential fecundity Relative fecundity Egg size Environmental effects Generalized additive mixed models Stock-recruitment |
url |
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2351989421003243 |
work_keys_str_mv |
AT hsiaoyunchang effectsofenvironmentalfactorsonreproductivepotentialofthegulfofmainenorthernshrimppandalusborealis AT rannerichards effectsofenvironmentalfactorsonreproductivepotentialofthegulfofmainenorthernshrimppandalusborealis AT yongchen effectsofenvironmentalfactorsonreproductivepotentialofthegulfofmainenorthernshrimppandalusborealis |
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