Browsing by Author "Pavey, S. A."

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    Increased acute thermal tolerance and little change to hematology following acclimation to warm water in juvenile Striped Bass, Morone saxatilis
    (Springer, 2021-04-21) Penny, F. M.; Pavey, S. A.
    Striped Bass naturally inhabit a wide range of temperatures, yet little is known about the processes that control their acute and chronic temperature limits. The objective of this study was to determine the effect of temperature acclimation on acute thermal maxima and physiology of juvenile Striped Bass. Juvenile fish were acclimated to 15, 25 or 30 °C for 4 weeks, then split into two sampling groups: post-acclimation and post-critical thermal maximum trials. We found that fish survived in all acclimation temperatures with little change to underlying hematology, and that critical thermal maximum (CTmax) increased with increasing acclimation temperature. At CTmax, fish acclimated to 30 °C had elevated plasma cortisol, lactate and potassium levels. These results suggest that, while 30 °C is likely to be outside their thermal optima, Striped Bass can survive at high temperatures. This ability to cope with warm temperatures may provide an advantage with increasing global temperatures.
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    Winter ecology of striped bass (Morone saxatilis) near its northern limit of distribution in the Saint John River, New Brunswick
    (Springer, 2020-10-10) Andrews, S. N.; Linnansaari, T.; Curry, R. A.; Leblanc, N. M.; Pavey, S. A.
    Winter habitat selection by Striped Bass (Morone saxatilis) has been described as opportunistic, but due to the length and severity of winter at its northern range, winter habitats in the north are predicted to be restricted in distribution and carefully selected. Here we describe the locations and environmental conditions supporting winter aggregations of adult Striped Bass including periods under ice cover in the Saint John River, New Brunswick using acoustic telemetry. Striped Bass of both Saint John River (72%) and other ancestry (28%) were observed to overwinter within the river’s four mainstem lakes and embayments to which the individuals returned each fall. Most non-Saint John River ancestry Striped Bass were observed in habitats nearest the river mouth in winter. Striped Bass travelled to winter habitats from fall feeding locations from October to November, and only four tagged individuals departed the river at this time. Temperature, dissolved oxygen, and salinity conditions best described the winter habitats. By demonstrating the non-random distribution of Striped Bass during winter and identifying a gradient of habitat use by Saint John River ancestry Striped Bass in this northern river system, it is apparent that protection of these locations is critical for the long term conservation of Striped Bass populations in Canada.