Fraz Shamaila, Thompson W Andrew, Gallucci Milena S, Afridi Mariam, Easwaramoorthy Mellissa, Hartenstein Peyton, Laframboise Lisa, Dworkin Ian, Manzon Richard, Somers Christopher M, Wilson Joanna Y
Department of Biology, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada.
Department of Biology, University of Regina, Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada.
J Fish Biol. 2025 Sep;107(3):712-727. doi: 10.1111/jfb.70066. Epub 2025 May 9.
Early life development in fishes is a period of high phenotypic plasticity. Water temperatures during embryogenesis can lead to alterations in growth and metabolic and morphological phenotypic variations. This study aimed to characterize the effects of temperature on the growth and morphology of yellow perch throughout early development, a species of significant ecological and economic importance in North America. Yellow perch (Perca flavescens) embryos were incubated at either constant temperature (12, 15, or 18°C) or under an ambient seasonal regime, where temperature increased throughout embryogenesis until it reached 18°C. All groups were gradually warmed at hatch until they reached 18°C, and morphology was assessed. Inverse relationships between temperature, length and yolk-sac volume were found at the end of the embryonic period. Optimal embryonic growth was associated with the ambient seasonal regime. Fish reared at 15 or 18°C were larger and had higher growth rates when compared to those at 12°C following hatch. However, fish reared in cooler temperatures may possess more advantageous body shapes. Surprisingly, the ambient seasonal incubation had the lowest growth rate post-hatch, even though this most closely mimicked natural incubation for this species. Because suitable larval morphology is related to survival and successful recruitment, these data suggest that yellow perch may be vulnerable to climate change and thermal pollution, although further work is needed to better predict the ecological implications of the phenotypes.
鱼类的早期生命发育阶段具有高度的表型可塑性。胚胎发育期间的水温会导致生长、代谢以及形态学表型变异的改变。本研究旨在描述温度对黄鲈早期发育全过程中生长和形态的影响，黄鲈是北美一种具有重要生态和经济意义的物种。黄鲈（Perca flavescens）胚胎在恒温（12、15或18°C）条件下或在环境季节性温度模式下进行孵化，在环境季节性温度模式下，胚胎发育过程中温度逐渐升高直至达到18°C。所有组在孵化时都逐渐升温直至达到18°C，并对形态进行评估。在胚胎期结束时发现温度、体长和卵黄囊体积之间呈负相关。最佳胚胎生长与环境季节性温度模式相关。孵化后，与12°C饲养的鱼相比，在15或18°C饲养的鱼体型更大且生长速率更高。然而，在较低温度下饲养的鱼可能具有更具优势的体型。令人惊讶的是，尽管环境季节性孵化最接近该物种的自然孵化，但孵化后的生长速率却是最低的。由于合适的幼体形态与生存和成功补充有关，这些数据表明黄鲈可能易受气候变化和热污染的影响，尽管还需要进一步开展工作以更好地预测这些表型的生态影响。
