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Cited by 47Marine and fisheries researchAquaculture Nutrition and GrowthFish Ecology and Management Studies

Cannibalism among size classes of larvae may be a substantial mortality component in tuna

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Reglero, P, Urtizberea, A, Torres, AP, Alemany, F, Fiksen, ÿ·2011·Marine Ecology Progress Series
DOI 10.3354/meps09187
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Abstract

Cannibalism among size classes may reduce starvation and improve survival of larval tuna in oligotrophic ocean areas, but it may also be a substantial mortality component depending on the availability of alternative prey.Here, we combine laboratory and field data on tuna larvae with a model of larval foraging and bioenergetics to explore the role of cannibalism in cohort development at different temperatures, durations of hatching period, hatching larval densities and natural mortality rates.Prey fields (zooplankton densities and co-occurrence of different larval stages of 3 species of tuna) were established from cruises in a main tuna spawning area around the Balearic Islands (Mediterranean Sea).Results suggest that a pure zooplankton diet is frequently insufficient to sustain larval growth.Piscivory can be a major source of larval mortality among tuna species and larvae hatched early can feed on abundant larvae of smaller size and have fewer predators themselves.We show how the intensity of cannibalism depends on the temperature dependent growth rate and the resulting relative size distribution when eggs are released continuously over a period of a few weeks.The predator-prey size distribution and the relative densities of these voracious larvae may produce overcompensation in recruitment under some environmental conditions.

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Crossref · 10.3354/meps09187

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57 of 57 references verified0 citation errors · 0 not checkable

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  • Growth rates of tuna increase with temperature.

    “Regarding favorable temperatures for growth, the compilation of data from different tuna species suggests increasing growth rates with temperature (Reglero et al. 2011), but further studies are needed at the species level.”

    From Worldwide distributions of tuna larvae: revisiting hypotheses on environmental requirements for spawning habitats (2014) · cites this paper as Reglero et al. 2011

    The “Maximum specific growth rate” section reports that specific growth rates of Pacific bluefin tuna larvae increased with temperature, and the “Mortality effect of size-surfing cannibalism” section likewise describes faster larval growth in warmer water. The cited paper supports the temperature–growth relationship for larvae, but the cited passage does not establish it from a compilation of growth data across different tuna species. (LLM, conf=0.82)

    Experimental — accuracy not yet measured

  • Peaks of food abundance during both the planktivorous and the piscivorous stages of larval development may be a determinant of survival in these oligotrophic areas.

    “Peaks of food abundance during both the planktivorous and the piscivorous stages of larval development may be a determinant of survival in these oligotrophic areas (Reglero et al. 2011).”

    From Worldwide distributions of tuna larvae: revisiting hypotheses on environmental requirements for spawning habitats (2014) · cites this paper as Reglero et al. 2011

    The Model simulations section links zooplankton density to food limitation during planktivory, and Summary and broader potential implications links prey density to mortality during piscivory. The paper therefore supports a role for food availability, but the passages do not identify peaks of food abundance at both stages as a determinant of survival. Page numbers were not provided in our copy. (LLM, conf=0.78)

    Experimental — accuracy not yet measured

  • The loophole hypothesis has been partially tested for bluefin tuna in the Balearic Sea.

    “The loophole hypothesis has been partially tested for bluefin tuna in the Balearic Sea (Reglero et al. 2011), but needs to be tested for other species and locations in the future.”

    From Worldwide distributions of tuna larvae: revisiting hypotheses on environmental requirements for spawning habitats (2014) · cites this paper as Reglero et al. 2011

  • Few studies exist on the effects of temperature on larval tuna growth, with some studies finding no association and others a positive association.

    “Few studies exist on the effects of temperature on larval tuna growth, with some studies finding no association (Jenkins et al. 1991, Tanaka et al. 2006) and others a positive association (Reglero et al. 2011, Garcia et al. 2013).”

    From Comparison between environmental characteristics of larval bluefin tuna Thunnus thynnus habitat in the Gulf of Mexico and western Mediterranean Sea (2013) · cites this paper as Reglero et al. 2011

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Cites

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1 of the 58 references couldn’t be matched to a known paper.

Research works printed but not linked: 2

  1. Rosenthal H, Hempel G (1970) Experimental studies in feed- ing and food requirements of herring larvae (Clupea harengus L.). In: Steele JH (ed) Marine food chains. Uni- versity of California Press, Berkeley, CA, p 344-364
  2. Salat J, Pascual J (2002) The oceanographic and metereologi- cal station at l'Estartit (NW Mediterranean). Tracking long-term hydrological change in the Mediterranean Sea. CIESM Workshop Series 16:29-32

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Authors
Reglero, P., Urtizberea, A., Torres, A., Alemany, F., & Fiksen, Ÿ.
Affiliations
  • Instituto Español de Oceanografía (ES)
  • University of Bergen (NO)
Corresponding author
Reglero, P
ORCID
Venue
Marine Ecology Progress Series
Publisher
Inter-Research Science Center
Published
2011-07-18
Volume
433
Pages
205-219
ISSN
  • 0171-8630 (ISSN-L)
  • 1616-1599
DOI
10.3354/meps09187
OpenAlex
W2138790485
Cited by
47
References
58
Citations by year
2026: 1 · 2025: 3 · 2024: 1 · 2023: 1 · 2022: 2 · 2021: 3 · 2020: 1 · 2019: 2 · 2018: 7 · 2017: 3 · 2016: 1 · 2015: 4 · 2014: 7 · 2013: 7 · 2012: 3
FWCI
4.92
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • Marine Ecology Progress Series (publishedVersion)
  • DIGITAL.CSIC (Spanish National Research Council (CSIC)) (submittedVersion, cc-by-nc-nd)
  • LA Referencia (Red Federada de Repositorios Institucionales de Publicaciones Científicas) (submittedVersion, cc-by-nc-nd)
Funders
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
Topics
  • Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Global and Planetary Change › Marine and fisheries research
  • Life Sciences › Agricultural and Biological Sciences › Aquatic Science › Aquaculture Nutrition and Growth
  • Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Nature and Landscape Conservation › Fish Ecology and Management Studies
Keywords
cannibalism, tuna larvae, larval mortality, piscivory, bioenergetics, zooplankton diet, cohort development, temperature-dependent growth, hatching period, larval density, natural mortality, overcompensation, recruitment (biology)

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