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Evidence for Non-Anadromous Behaviour of Arctic Charr

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Evidence for Non-Anadromous Behaviour of Arctic Charr ARCTIC VOL. 50, NO. 3 (SEPTEMBER 1997) P. 224– 233 Evidence for Non-Anadromous Behaviour of Arctic Charr (Salvelinus alpinus) from Lake Hazen, Ellesmere Island, Northwest Territories, Canada, Based on Scanning Proton Microprobe Analysis of Otolith Strontium Distribution JOHN A. BABALUK,1 NORMAN M. HALDEN,2 JAMES D. REIST,1 ALLAN H. KRISTOFFERSON,1 JOHN L. CAMPBELL3 and WILLIAM J. TEESDALE3 (Received 23 December 1996; accepted in revised form 20 May 1997) ABSTRACT. Scanning proton microprobe analysis was used to determine the distribution of strontium (Sr) in otoliths from arctic charr (Salvelinus alpinus) of known non-anadromous, known anadromous, and unknown life histories. Strontium concentration patterns in otoliths of known non-anadromous charr were low and relatively flat (with little variation) from the core area to the outermost edge of the otolith, while patterns for known anadromous charr were characterized by a similar low, flat region for the first several years of life, followed by marked oscillatory increases and decreases in Sr content for the duration of the fish’s life. Small and large forms of Lake Hazen charr of unknown life histories exhibited Sr profiles that were similar to those of the known non-anadromous charr, which strongly suggests that Lake Hazen charr are non-anadromous. These results indicate that Lake Hazen is a “closed” system with energy cycling primarily within the system; this conclusion suggests that a conservative approach would be appropriate for the management of the Lake Hazen charr population. Key words: anadromy, arctic charr, Salvelinus alpinus, Ellesmere Island National Park Reserve, life history, otolith microchemistry, scanning proton microprobe, trace elements RÉSUMÉ. À l’aide d’une sonde protonique à balayage, on a procédé à une analyse afin de déterminer la répartition du strontium (Sr) dans des otolithes prélevés sur des ombles chevaliers (Salvelinus alpinus) ayant eu soit un cycle biologique non anadrome connu, soit un cycle anadrome connu ou un cycle inconnu. Les courbes de concentration en strontium dans les otolithes d’ombles reconnus comme non anadromes étaient faibles et relativement uniformes (montrant peu de fluctuations) en allant du centre de l’otolithe vers la périphérie, tandis que les courbes relatives aux ombles reconnus comme anadromes se caractérisaient par une zone de concentrations faibles et uniformes pour plusieurs des premières années de vie, suivie par des oscillations à la hausse et à la baisse très nettes quant au contenu en Sr pour la durée de vie du poisson. De gros et de petits spécimens d’ombles au cycle biologique inconnu, trouvés dans le lac Hazen, affichaient des profils de Sr semblables à ceux des ombles reconnus comme non anadromes, ce qui suggère fortement que l’omble du lac Hazen est non anadrome. Ces résultats révèlent que le lac Hazen est un système où l’énergie circule surtout en circuit «fermé». Cette conclusion suggère qu’il faudrait adopter une approche prudente quant à la gestion de la population d’ombles du lac Hazen. Mots clés: anadromie, omble chevalier, Salvelinus alpinus, réserve de parc national de l’île-d’Ellesmere, cycle biologique, microchimie otolithique, sonde protonique à balayage, éléments traces Traduit pour la revue Arctic par Nésida Loyer. INTRODUCTION system, in which energy cycles primarily within the system, the ability of its charr population to withstand even limited Lake Hazen is a large (542 km2), deep (280 m) lake located human perturbation is unknown. Conservation and manage- in Ellesmere Island National Park Reserve on Ellesmere ment of this charr population are primary goals of Parks Island in the Canadian High Arctic (Fig. 1). The only fish Canada (Parks Canada, 1994). It is therefore essential to species present in Lake Hazen is arctic charr (Salvelinus establish an understanding of the life history traits of the charr alpinus). Despite the distant and isolated location of Lake of Lake Hazen so an appropriate management approach may Hazen, its charr are exploited by anglers to an unknown be developed. degree (Stewart, 1994). However, since the primary produc- Arctic charr exhibit a wide range of phenotypic diversity tivity of Lake Hazen is extremely low (Johnson, 1990), and throughout their geographic range. Often, populations inhab- since, in many respects, the lake may represent a closed iting areas with access to the sea exhibit the phenomenon of 1 Canada Department of Fisheries and Oceans, 501 University Crescent, Winnipeg, Manitoba R3T 2N6, Canada; [email protected] 2 Department of Geological Sciences, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba R3T 2N2, Canada 3 Department of Physics, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario N1G 2W1, Canada © Department of Fisheries and Oceans, Government of Canada NON-ANADROMOUS BEHAVIOUR OF ARCTIC CHARR • 225 “partial migration”: that is, migratory and resident individu- 1990) and thus have great potential as indicators of anadromy; als co-exist (Jonsson and Jonsson, 1993). These populations they may also provide details regarding the habitats occupied of charr are most often divided into a large-form component, throughout a fish’s life. which passes the first two to nine years in freshwater before Using wavelength dispersive electron microprobe (EMP) migrating to the sea for the first time (anadromous), and a analysis, Kalish (1990) found patterns in the Sr/Ca ratios of small form, which passes its entire life in freshwater (non- otoliths that distinguished anadromous and non-anadromous anadromous) (Johnson, 1980). Understanding the energetics rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss), Atlantic salmon (Salmo of and the relationship between these forms is an important salar), and brown trout (Salmo trutta). Radtke (1995) and component of any conservation and management strategy. Radtke et al. (1996) suggested that otolith microchemistry Previous scientific investigations have described both could be used to look retroactively at arctic charr life histo- large and small forms of arctic charr from Lake Hazen ries. Coote et al. (1991) suggested that scanning proton (Hunter, 1960; Johnson, 1983; Reist et al., 1995). The large microprobe (SPM) analysis of Sr distribution in otoliths could form of Lake Hazen charr has a robust, rounded body form; be used to detect anadromous behaviour in fishes, and in pre- light grey back and white belly; and orange or pale orange liminary studies, we have demonstrated that SPM analysis of paired fins with white leading edges (Reist et al., 1995). the Sr content of charr otolith annuli can be used to character- These fish are similar in size, shape, and colouration to many ize anadromous behaviour (Halden et al., 1995, 1996). anadromous charr from the Canadian Arctic described by In this study, we used SPM analysis to measure and deter- Johnson (1980). The small form of Lake Hazen charr is mine the pattern of Sr distribution in the otoliths of known characterized by its relatively small size and terete body non-anadromous and anadromous arctic charr from various form. It has a dark brownish to grey back, a rosy belly, and locations in the Canadian Arctic, and compared these patterns grey paired fins with dull white leading edges (Reist et al., to those of the small and large forms of charr from Lake 1995). These characteristics are similar to the generalized Hazen to determine whether either form is anadromous. non-anadromous charr described by Johnson (1980). As Lake Hazen charr potentially have access to the sea via the Ruggles River (Fig. 2), and because of the morphological, MATERIALS AND METHODS colouration, and growth rate differences between the two forms, it was previously hypothesized that the larger of the Otolith Collection and Preparation two forms was anadromous while the smaller form was non- anadromous (Hunter, 1960; Johnson, 1983). This hypothesis Otoliths were collected from Arctic charr from seven was indirectly supported by the presence of numerous ar- locations in the Canadian Arctic (Fig. 1): (1) four known non- chaeological sites on the Ruggles River (Sutherland, 1989; anadromous charr were caught by gill net from an unnamed Dick et al., 1994), which suggested utilization of a fishery lake with no connection to the sea (69˚26' N, 139˚33' W; resource in the distant past. However, no direct scientific hereafter Lake 104) in September 1988 (Reist et al., 1997); investigations have previously been conducted to confirm (2) five known non-anadromous charr were caught by gill this hypothesis regarding anadromous behaviour. net from Capron Lake (71˚50' N, 124˚13' W) in August Distinguishing between anadromous and non-anadromous 1994 (Capron Lake has an impassable connection to the sea); arctic charr in North America has generally been limited to (3) four known anadromous charr were caught by gill net monitoring fish migrating to and from the sea (e.g., Johnson, while migrating from the sea to freshwater near the mouth 1989), although in one case parasites were used as biological of the Halovik River (69˚09' N, 107˚05' W) in August 1992; tags to distinguish the two forms (Dick and Belosevic, 1981). (4) three known anadromous charr were caught by gill net More recently, chemical analysis of otoliths has been used to while migrating from the sea to freshwater near the mouth of describe the environmental histories, including anadromous the Jayco River (69˚43' N, 103˚16' W) in September 1990; behaviour, of individual fish of various species (e.g., Radtke, (5) three known anadromous charr were caught by gill net 1989; Coutant
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