Contrasting environmental drivers of adult and juvenile growth in a marine fish: Implications for the effects of climate change

Authors

Joyce Jia Lin Ong, The University of Western Australia
Adam Nicholas Rountrey, The University Of Michigan
Jessica Jane Meeuwig, University of Western Australia
Stephen J. Newman, Department of Fisheries, Western AustraliaFollow
Jens Zinke, University of Western Australia
Mark Gregory Meekan, University of Western Australia

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

6-8-2015

Journal Title

Scientific Reports

ISSN

Electronic: 2045-2322

Keywords

Climate change, Ontogenetic changes, Marine fish, El Nino-Southern Oscillation (ENSO), Oceanography, Marine habitats

Disciplines

Aquaculture and Fisheries | Climate | Environmental Monitoring | Marine Biology | Natural Resources and Conservation | Oceanography

Abstract

Many marine fishes have life history strategies that involve ontogenetic changes in the use of coastal habitats. Such ontogenetic shifts may place these species at particular risk from climate change, because the successive environments they inhabit can differ in the type, frequency and severity of changes related to global warming. We used a dendrochronology approach to examine the physical and biological drivers of growth of adult and juvenile mangrove jack (Lutjanus argentimaculatus) from tropical north-western Australia. Juveniles of this species inhabit estuarine environments and adults reside on coastal reefs. The Niño-4 index, a measure of the status of the El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) had the highest correlation with adult growth chronologies, with La Niña years (characterised by warmer temperatures and lower salinities) having positive impacts on growth. Atmospheric and oceanographic phenomena operating at ocean-basin scales seem to be important correlates of the processes driving growth in local coastal habitats. Conversely, terrestrial factors influencing precipitation and river runoff were positively correlated with the growth of juveniles in estuaries. Our results show that the impacts of climate change on these two life history stages are likely to be different, with implications for resilience and management of populations.

Recommended Citation

Ong, J., Nicholas Rountrey, A., Jane Meeuwig, J. et al. Contrasting environmental drivers of adult and juvenile growth in a marine fish: implications for the effects of climate change. Sci Rep 5, 10859 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1038/srep10859