Stable isotope-based determinations of the average temperatures experienced by young-of-the-year Svalbard Arctic charr (Salvelinus alpinus (L.))

• Published in: Polar biology Vol. 34; no. 4; pp. 591 - 596
• Main Authors: Godiksen, J. A, Svenning, M.-A, Sinnatamby, R. N, Dempson, J. B, Borgstrøm, R, Power, M
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Berlin/Heidelberg Berlin/Heidelberg : Springer-Verlag 01.04.2011; Springer-Verlag; Springer; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Ambient temperature; Animal and plant ecology; Animal, plant and microbial ecology; Biological and medical sciences; Biomedical and Life Sciences; Climate change; Climatic changes; Ecology; Fishes; Food availability; Freshwater; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Hatching; Isotopes; Lakes; Life Sciences; Microbiology; Oceanography; Otoliths; Outlets; Particular ecosystems; Plant Sciences; Rivers; Salvelinus alpinus; Short Note; Stable isotopes; Synecology; Temperature effects; Water; Water temperature; Zoology; Svalbard; Arctic Region; Norway, Svalbard; Svalbard; Young-of-the-year growth; Thermal habitat; Oxygen isotopes; Oxygen; Temperature; Growth; Vertebrata; Pisces; Habitat; Polar region; Salvelinus alpinus; Isotopes
• ISSN: 0722-4060; 1432-2056
• DOI: 10.1007/s00300-010-0907-8

Mean ambient water temperatures experienced by individual young-of-the-year (YOY) Arctic charr, Salvelinus alpinus (L.), from a Svalbard lake were estimated using measurements of oxygen stable isotopes (δ¹⁸O) derived from fish otoliths. Otolith-derived water temperatures differed significantly from temperatures recorded at the outlet river of the Dieset watercourse but were consistent with temperatures previously recorded in shallow littoral areas of other Svalbard lakes where YOY charr are commonly found. This indicates that fixed-point monitoring does not necessarily represent the temperatures and thermal habitats used by individual fish. Otolith-derived water temperatures were also positively related to fish length-at-capture and otolith size, although much of the variation remained unexplained. Differences among individuals could be related to variability in food availability and food intake as well as variation in the initial fish size at hatching. Implications for subsequent investigations into how YOY charr respond and adapt to future climate change are discussed.