Movement Patterns and Growth of American Eels (Anguilla Rostrata) Between Salt and Fresh Water, Based on Otolith Microchemistry
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MOVEMENT PATTERNS AND GROWTH OF AMERICAN EELS (ANGUILLA ROSTRATA) BETWEEN SALT AND FRESH WATER, BASED ON OTOLITH MICROCHEMISTRY by Heather M. Lamson Bachelor of Science, University of Northern British Columbia, 2000 A THESIS SUBMITTED IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF Master of Science In the Graduate Academic Unit of Biology Supervisors: D.K. Cairns, Ph.D., Department of Fisheries and Oceans, (Charlottetown, PEI) R.A. Curry, Ph.D., Canadian Rivers Institute, UNB (Fredericton) Examining Board: S.C. Courtenay, Ph.D., Biology UNB (Fredericton), – Internal Examiner G.A. Benoy, Ph.D., Environment Canada – External Examiner This thesis is accepted by the Dean of Graduate Studies THE UNIVERSITY OF NEW BRUNSWICK November, 2005 © Heather M. Lamson, 2005 DEDICATION For all those people who can put the sliminess aside and appreciate eels for the amazing creatures that they are. ii ABSTRACT Reconstructing lifelong movements of teleost fishes between salt and fresh water is possible through otolith strontium:calcium microchemistry. This method was employed to trace movements of American eels (Anguilla rostrata) captured in saltwater bays and adjoining freshwater ponds in Prince Edward Island, Canada. Three migratory contingents were identified: freshwater residents, inter-habitat shifters, and saltwater residents. A pond with a pool-and-weir salmonid fishway and drained by a low-gradient channel contained eels that had entered freshwater at all ages. Another pond with a 2.2 m vertical spillway contained only eels that had entered freshwater upon initial continental arrival. Saltwater residents dominated saltwater bays, which challenges the conventional paradigm of obligate catadromy for American eels. Growth rates increased with the amount of time eels spent in salt water. Annual growth of yellow eels that resided in salt water throughout their lives (94.0 mm yr-1) was double that of freshwater residents (45.2 mm yr-1). Eels that shifted between salinity zones had intermediate growth rates (60.5 mm yr-1). Population models estimating growth and escapement of silver eels from salt, brackish, and freshwater habitats need to account for divergent growth rates based on habitat salinity and realize that previously reported growth rates that have not sampled eels in salt water may be underestimated. iii ACKNOWLEDGMENTS Thanks to David Cairns, my supervisor, who provided the opportunity to study this fascinating species and for his guidance throughout the project. Jay Shiao, W.N. Tzeng and Yoshiyuki Iizuka were all instrumental by performing the otolith microchemical analysis. Thanks to my co-supervisor Allen Curry and supervisory committee member Tillmann Benfey for their advice and direction. Corey Muttart, Valérie Tremblay, Robbie Moore, Noella McDonald and Mark Grimmett provided greatly appreciated field and lab assistance. Fisheries and Oceans Canada in Charlottetown supported the project financially and through the use of equipment and office space. Thanks to Brian Jessop for guidance with growth analysis and to Jay Shiao for his assistance with ageing and analysis. This study received support from the National Science Council, ROC (NSC 91-2313-B-002-291 and 92-2313-B-002-057). I am grateful to my parents and family for all their support. Finally, I would like to thank my best friend and loyal field partner even though he is afraid of eels, my black lab, Angus. iv TABLE OF CONTENTS DEDICATION .................................................................................................................. ii ABSTRACT.....................................................................................................................iii ACKNOWLEDGMENTS ............................................................................................... iv TABLE OF CONTENTS.................................................................................................. v LIST OF TABLES .......................................................................................................... vii LIST OF FIGURES .......................................................................................................viii 1 GENERAL INTRODUCTION........................................................... 1 1.1 Background ......................................................................................... 1 1.2 Outline of Thesis................................................................................. 5 1.3 Statement Regarding Contribution of Co-Authored Articles.............. 6 1.4 Literature Cited ................................................................................... 6 2 MOVEMENT PATTERNS OF AMERICAN EELS (ANGUILLA ROSTRATA) BETWEEN SALT AND FRESH WATER IN A COASTAL WATERSHED BASED ON OTOLITH MICROCHEMISTRY................................ 10 2.1 Abstract ............................................................................................. 10 2.2 Introduction....................................................................................... 11 2.3 Methods............................................................................................. 13 2.4 Results............................................................................................... 16 2.5 Discussion ......................................................................................... 18 2.5.1 Effect of obstacle type on upstream movement .................................. 18 2.5.2 Movement patterns.............................................................................. 19 2.5.3 Implications for conservation.............................................................. 21 v 2.6 Acknowledgements........................................................................... 22 2.7 Literature Cited ................................................................................. 23 3 GROWTH RATES OF AMERICAN EELS (ANGUILLA ROSTRATA) IN RELATION TO HABITAT SALINITY BASED ON OTOLITH MICROCHEMISTRY................................................................................................. 39 3.1 Abstract ............................................................................................. 39 3.2 Introduction....................................................................................... 40 3.3 Methods............................................................................................. 42 3.3.1 Growth Analysis ................................................................................. 44 3.4 Results............................................................................................... 46 3.5 Discussion ......................................................................................... 48 3.5.1 Length-at-age Analysis ....................................................................... 48 3.5.2 Back-calculation.................................................................................. 49 3.5.3 Implications for Conservation............................................................. 53 3.6 Acknowledgements........................................................................... 54 3.7 Literature Cited ................................................................................. 54 4 GENERAL DISCUSSION ............................................................... 68 4.1 General Conclusions ......................................................................... 68 4.2 Summary of Findings........................................................................ 68 4.3 Management Implications and Suggested Research Needs.............. 69 4.4 Literature Cited ................................................................................. 70 vi LIST OF TABLES Table 2-1. Catch and catch rates of American eels in fyke nets in the Brackley- Covehead system......................................................................................... 29 Table 2-2. Salinity history and rate of inter-habitat shifting of American eels captured in saltwater and freshwater sites. See text for definitions. ............................. 30 Table 2-3. Habitat occupancy patterns of wild (non-stocked) yellow and silver Anguilla eels after arrival in continental waters, as inferred from otolith Sr:Ca ratios. ..................................................................................................................... 31 Table 3-1. Mean annual growth (mm/year) of American eels under 15 years old, estimated by otolith radius back-calculation. SW= saltwater residents, IH= inter-habitat shifters and FW= freshwater residents. .................................. 62 vii LIST OF FIGURES Figure 2-1. Brackley and Covehead Bays, Prince Edward Island (a) and associated freshwater impoundments: McCallums Pond (b) and Cass and Marshalls Ponds (c)...................................................................................................... 32 Figure 2-2. Schematic profiles of pond outlets, showing the vertical spillway at McCallums Pond (a), the concrete salmonid fishway at Cass Pond (b) and the low-gradient channel at Marshalls Pond (c).......................................... 33 Figure 2-3. Mean within-year Sr:Ca ratios vs. age for American eels from five sites. For inter-habitat shifters (eels that moved between habitat types at least once after age 1), lines represent individual eels. For eels that remained resident in either salt or fresh water after age 1, symbols represent means, with “N” indicating the number of eels. ....................................................................