Louisiana State University LSU Digital Commons LSU Doctoral Dissertations Graduate School 2014 Enhancement of Gulf killifish, Fundulus grandis, fitness and reproduction Joshua Thomas Patterson Louisiana State University and Agricultural and Mechanical College, [email protected] Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.lsu.edu/gradschool_dissertations Part of the Environmental Sciences Commons Recommended Citation Patterson, Joshua Thomas, "Enhancement of Gulf killifish, Fundulus grandis, fitness and reproduction" (2014). LSU Doctoral Dissertations. 2409. https://digitalcommons.lsu.edu/gradschool_dissertations/2409 This Dissertation is brought to you for free and open access by the Graduate School at LSU Digital Commons. It has been accepted for inclusion in LSU Doctoral Dissertations by an authorized graduate school editor of LSU Digital Commons. For more information, please [email protected]. ENHANCEMENT OF GULF KILLIFISH, FUNDULUS GRANDIS, FITNESS AND REPRODUCTION A Dissertation Submitted to the Graduate Faculty of the Louisiana State University and Agricultural and Mechanical College in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in The School of Renewable Natural Resources by Joshua T. Patterson B.S., George Mason University, 2006 M.S., Kentucky State University, 2010 May 2014 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I would like to thank my advisor Dr. Christopher Green for allowing me the opportunity to carry out my doctoral research at LSU. He taught me many valuable lessons on functioning as a professional scientist and provided vital support throughout my graduate education. Thanks to my committee members, Drs. Fernando Galvez, Robert Reigh, Timothy Schowalter, and Jacqueline Stephens for their comments and revision of my dissertation. Their advice and input were indispensable in developing and refining my research. Thanks also to Millie Williams and Dr. Michael Dowd for taking time out of busy schedules to share expertise. Taylor Allgood and Charlotte Bodinier contributed significantly to individual projects included in this dissertation and coauthored refereed manuscripts with me. This research would not have been possible without assistance from many undergraduates, graduate students, and research associates. Minley Bell, Kent Bollfrass, Chelsea Bonner, Sunny Brogan, Charlie Brown, Mike Coulon, Calvin Fisher, Craig Gothreaux, Chris Mariani, Emily McArdle, Zach McDaniel, Derek Nicholas, Donna Nissen, Heidi Oliver, Paige O’Malley, and Louann Walker were all instrumental in various aspects of this research project. I would like to especially acknowledge my friends and corner-officemates Kent Bollfrass, Chelsea Bonner, and Charlie Brown. Their willingness to provide professional and personal advice, or an occasional ride to the casino, was always greatly appreciated. Thanks to Karen Cambre, Suzette Diez, Nedra Ghoram, and Pamela Rupert; without whom, nothing gets done. My most important debt of gratitude is to my wife Marrissa (Justice) Patterson. In addition to our beautiful son, she has provided love, support, and assistance in a greater quantity and diversity of ways than I can list here. I also want to thank my parents, Thomas and Anne Marie, for their enduring sacrifice and devotion. ii TABLE OF CONTENTS ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ............................................................................................................ ii LIST OF TABLES ...........................................................................................................................v LIST OF FIGURES ..................................................................................................................... viii ABSTRACT ................................................................................................................................... xi CHAPTER 1 GENERAL INTRODUCTION ................................................................................1 CHAPTER 2 EFFECTS OF LOW SALINITY MEDIA ON GROWTH, CONDITION, AND GILL ION TRANSPORTER EXPRESSION IN JUVENILE GULF KILLIFISH, FUNDULUS GRANDIS ...................................................................................................................6 Introduction .....................................................................................................................6 Methods .........................................................................................................................10 Results ...........................................................................................................................15 Discussion .....................................................................................................................18 CHAPTER 3 INTRASPECIFIC VARIATION IN REPRODUCTIVE POTENTIAL WITH MATERNAL BODY SIZE IN GULF KILLIFISH, FUNDULUS GRANDIS ...................26 Introduction ...................................................................................................................26 Methods .........................................................................................................................28 Results ...........................................................................................................................33 Discussion .....................................................................................................................35 CHAPTER 4 PHYSIOLOGICAL AND REPRODUCTIVE RESPONSE TO VARYING QUANTITATIVE LIPID INCLUSION IN DIETS FOR GULF KILLIFISH, FUNDULUS GRANDIS ................................................................................44 Introduction ...................................................................................................................44 Methods .........................................................................................................................46 Results ...........................................................................................................................52 Discussion .....................................................................................................................57 CHAPTER 5 DIET INDUCED FATTY ACID VARIATION IN CRITICAL TISSUES OF A SPAWNING ESTUARINE FISH AND CONSEQUENCES FOR LARVAL FITNESS....................................................................63 Introduction ...................................................................................................................63 Methods .........................................................................................................................66 Results ...........................................................................................................................73 Discussion .....................................................................................................................75 iii CHAPTER 6 PHYSIOLOGICAL MANAGEMENT OF ω-3 LONG CHAIN- POLYUNSATURATED FATTY ACID DEFICIENT DIETS BY SPAWNING GULF KILLIFISH, FUNDULUS GRANDIS ..........................................................84 Introduction ...................................................................................................................84 Methods .........................................................................................................................86 Results ...........................................................................................................................90 Discussion .....................................................................................................................91 CHAPTER 7 GENERAL SUMMARY AND CONCLUSIONS .................................................99 LITERATURE CITED ................................................................................................................103 APPENDIX A REPRINT PERMISSIONS ................................................................................120 APPENDIX B CHAPTER 5 SUPPLEMENTAL TABLES .......................................................123 APPENDIX C CHAPTER 6 SUPPLEMENTAL TABLES .......................................................128 VITA ............................................................................................................................................144 iv LIST OF TABLES 2.1 Mean (± SEM) water chemistry parameters throughout a 12-week growth trial on juvenile Fundulus grandis. ...............................................................................................16 2.2 Growth, survival, and condition data for juvenile Fundulus grandis reared in 0.5, 5.0, 8.0, and 12.0‰ for 84 days. Letters denote statistical significance across parameters (REGWQ; p < 0.05). ......................................................................................17 3.1 Mean ± SEM chorion volume (mm3), time to hatch (d), and percent survival to hatch for embryos produced by Fundulus grandis during a six week spawning period. Letters denote statistical significance among experimental female size classes (REGWQ; p<0.05). No significant difference was detected in probability of survival to hatch among female size classes (Wald X2=0.48; p=0.788). ..........................36 4.1 Formulation and analyzed proximate composition of experimental diets fed to Fundulus grandis in the lipid content experiment. ...........................................................46 4.2 Composition of selected fatty acids from menhaden fish oil utilized in formulation of experimental diets fed to Fundulus grandis in the lipid