Resmoltification in wild, anadromous Arctic char (Salvelinus alpinus): a survey of osmoregulatory, metabolic, and endocrine changes preceding annual seawater migration

2005 ◽  
Vol 62 (1) ◽  
pp. 195-204 ◽  
Author(s):  
Øyvind Aas-Hansen ◽  
Mathilakath M Vijayan ◽  
Helge K Johnsen ◽  
Colin Cameron ◽  
Even H Jørgensen
Keyword(s):  
Plasma Levels ◽  
Liver Enzymes ◽  
Salvelinus Alpinus ◽  
Arctic Char ◽  
Hepatosomatic Index ◽  
Plasma Growth Hormone ◽  
Metabolic Capacity ◽  
General Increase ◽  
Energy Conserving ◽  
Feeding Migration

Anadromous Arctic char (Salvelinus alpinus) migrate to seawater every summer for feeding and spend the rest of the year overwintering in fresh water. We investigated whether annual seawater migration is preceded by changes in hyposmoregulatory capacity, intermediary metabolism, and the plasma levels of hormones known to play a role in salmonid seawater preadaptation (smoltification). Wild, anadromous Arctic char were sampled in their overwintering lake in April and May and during the period of downstream migration in June. Our results demonstrate a fourfold seasonal increase in gill Na+/K+ ATPase activity, with maximum levels in descending migrants that also displayed prime hyposmoregulatory capacity. Hepatosomatic index and activities of key liver enzymes also increased during spring, indicating a general increase in liver metabolic capacity. These changes were accompanied by increased plasma cortisol and thyroxine levels, decreased plasma growth hormone levels, and unchanged plasma levels of insulin-like growth factor-I and 3,5,3′-triiodothyronine. Our results indicate that wild, anadromous Arctic char resmoltify every spring, and this involves a shift from an energy-conserving overwintering state to a state where they become osmotically and metabolically prepared for their annual feeding migration to seawater.

Feeding and Migratory Habits of Arctic Char, Salvelinus alpinus, Indicated by the Presence of the Swimbladder Nematode Cystidicola cristivomeri White

1978 ◽  
Vol 35 (11) ◽  
pp. 1488-1491 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. B. Eddy ◽  
M. W. Lankester
Keyword(s):  
Intermediate Host ◽  
Salvelinus Alpinus ◽  
Arctic Char ◽  
Shallow Waters ◽  
Small Fish ◽  
Swim Bladder ◽  
Mysis Relicta ◽  
Seaward Migration ◽  
Slow Growing ◽  
Feeding Migration

The presence of Cystidicola cristivomeri White 1941 in the swim bladder of char indicates the fish have fed on infected, freshwater Mysis relicta which is the essential intermediate host of this parasite. Char younger than 5 yr occur in shallow waters in Stanwell-Fletcher Lake and apparently feed rarely on Mysis as indicated by infrequent infection with C. cristivomeri. Older fish that adopt a migratory habit and go to sea for the summer appear to feed little on Mysis when they return to overwinter in the lake. Small, slow-growing char present in the lake during summer were commonly infected with C. cristivomeri indicating they feed heavily on Mysis. These small fish, which are as old as many migrants, may not participate regularly in the seaward migration. Key words: Arctic char, feeding, migration, nematodes, Cystidicola cristivomeri

First confirmation of salmonid alphavirus infection in Arctic char Salvelinus alpinus and in Austria

2018 ◽  
Vol 130 (1) ◽  
pp. 71-76
Author(s):  
E Lewisch ◽  
T Frank ◽  
H Soliman ◽  
O Schachner ◽  
A Friedl ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Salvelinus Alpinus ◽  
Arctic Char ◽  
Alphavirus Infection

scholarly journals Investigating the morphological and genetic divergence of arctic char ( Salvelinus alpinus) populations in lakes of arctic Alaska

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stephen L. Klobucar ◽  
Jessica A. Rick ◽  
Elizabeth G. Mandeville ◽  
Catherine E. Wagner ◽  
Phaedra Budy
Keyword(s):  
Genetic Divergence ◽  
Salvelinus Alpinus ◽  
Arctic Char ◽  
Arctic Alaska

Influence of Parr Growth, Lake Morphology, and Freshwater Parasites on the Degree of Anadromy in Different Populations of Arctic Char (Salvelinus alpinus) in Northern Norway

1994 ◽  
Vol 51 (6) ◽  
pp. 1229-1246 ◽  
Author(s):  
Knut Kristoffersen ◽  
Morten Halvorsen ◽  
Lisbeth Jørgensen
Keyword(s):  
Salvelinus Alpinus ◽  
Relative Size ◽  
Significant Negative Correlation ◽  
Relative Volume ◽  
Arctic Char ◽  
Northern Norway ◽  
Length Relationship ◽  
Lake Morphology ◽  
Different Populations ◽  
Profundal Zone

Anadromy of nine lake populations of Arctic char (Salvelinus alpinus) in northern Norway was scored on the following criteria: prevalence of marine parasites, fish size, and size at maturity. In general, anadromy dominated in shallow lakes and residency dominated in deep lakes. The anadromy scores of the populations were significantly higher in lakes without a profundal zone compared with lakes with a profundal zone. There was also a significant negative correlation between the relative volume of the profundal zone (RPV) and the degree of anadromy and between RPV and mean parr length at ages 2+ and 3+. However, differences in parr growth could not explain all the observed variation in anadromy, and the correlation between mean parr length at ages 2+ and 3+ and the degree of anadromy in the different populations was not significant. In addition to the effect on parr growth, lake morphology seemed to influence the degree of anadromy through the relative size of different habitats, which in turn affects the number of available niches. The parr weight/length relationship and infection with the freshwater parasites Phyllodistomum umblae and Diphyllobothrium spp. did not affect the degree of anadromy.

Respiratory development in Arctic char Salvelinus alpinus under conditions of normoxia and chronic hypoxia

1977 ◽  
Vol 55 (9) ◽  
pp. 1461-1467 ◽  
Author(s):  
D. G. McDonald ◽  
B. R. McMahon
Keyword(s):  
Heart Rate ◽  
Surface Morphology ◽  
Chronic Hypoxia ◽  
Prolonged Exposure ◽  
Salvelinus Alpinus ◽  
Ventilation Rate ◽  
Arctic Char ◽  
Adult Fish ◽  
Weighted Averages ◽  
Secondary Lamellae

Changes in surface morphology of the gills, ventilation rate, and heart rate were examined in Arctic char larvae exposed to normoxia (pO2 = 121 ± 6 (SE) mmHg) or chronic hypoxia (pO2 = 33 ± 3.5 mmHg) for 47 days after hatching. A modified weighted-averages technique was developed to measure aspects of gill morphology.Early development of the gills was characterized by rapid increases in filament size and number, and the emergence and proliferation of secondary lamellae. Variations in the dimensions of the gills, as noted in adult fish, were particularly evident in the larval fish.Hypoxia caused increases in both ventilation rate and heart rate. Prolonged exposure led to a retardation of gill growth, particularly the proliferation of secondary lamellae. However, growth of individual lamellae was stimulated between 38 and 47 days.

Annual Variations in Rheotactic Behaviour and Seawater Adaptability in Landlocked Arctic Char (Salvelinus alpinus)

1992 ◽  
Vol 49 (3) ◽  
pp. 448-452 ◽  
Author(s):  
Monika Schmitz
Keyword(s):  
Seasonal Changes ◽  
Salvelinus Alpinus ◽  
Challenge Test ◽  
Early Summer ◽  
Rapid Decrease ◽  
Arctic Char ◽  
Migratory Behaviour ◽  
Annual Variations ◽  
Seawater Tolerance ◽  
Seawater Challenge

The existence of basic smoltification characteristics, measured by means of seasonal changes in rheotactic behaviour and seawater adaptability, was studied from February to November in 1- and 2-yr-old landlocked Arctic char (Salvelinus alpinus). Up- and downstream directed movements were monitored in an annular stream tank at a water velocity of 0.2 m/s. A 48-h seawater challenge test using 25‰ seawater was performed at monthly intervals throughout the year to assess seawater adaptability. The 1-yr-old char displayed mainly nondirectional behaviour during spring, but from August onwards the movements were predominantly against the current. Seawater performance improved slightly in this group in May and June. The 2-yr-old char progressively developed a downstream behaviour and exhibited an increased seawater adaptability during spring and early summer. In late August, a marked reversal in rheotactic behaviour occurred, followed by a rapid decrease in seawater tolerance. The results demonstrate that seasonal changes in seawater adaptability and changes in migratory behaviour which were directionally consistent with smolting still exist in a population of Arctic char that has been landlocked for about 6000 yr.

Summer stream habitat preferences of Nunavik anadromous Arctic char (Salvelinus alpinus) fry and parr

2022 ◽  
Author(s):  
Véronique Dubos ◽  
André St-Hilaire ◽  
Normand E Bergeron
Keyword(s):  
Habitat Use ◽  
Salvelinus Alpinus ◽  
Habitat Preferences ◽  
Arctic Region ◽  
Arctic Char ◽  
The Arctic ◽  
Stream Habitat ◽  
Physical Habitat ◽  
High Plasticity ◽  
Slow Velocity

Arctic char is a fish species known to occupy diverse habitats within the Arctic region. However, summer habitat use during the juvenile stage of the anadromous form is largely unknown. The present study aims to characterize fry and parr summer habitat preferences. Surveys were conducted by electrofishing, associated with physical habitat characterization on several rivers of the Ungava Bay, Nunavik, Canada. At the microhabitat and station scales, fry showed significant habitat preferences for shallow water and slow velocity. At the mesohabitat scale, fry showed a significant habitat selectivity for riffles. This habitat selectivity implies that habitat models can be built to evaluate the potential of habitat suitability for Arctic char fry. However, no significant habitat selectivity was found for parr. Parr size was nonetheless positively correlated with velocity, which was found to be a limitative factor for juvenile habitat use. This first attempt at modeling juvenile anadromous Arctic char habitat in rivers emphasizes the importance of selecting an appropriate spatial scale and reiterates the fact that parr showed relatively high plasticity in stream habitat selection.

Overwinter thermal habitat use in lakes by anadromous Arctic char

2018 ◽  
Vol 75 (12) ◽  
pp. 2343-2353 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ingeborg M. Mulder ◽  
Corey J. Morris ◽  
J. Brian Dempson ◽  
Ian A. Fleming ◽  
Michael Power
Keyword(s):  
Habitat Use ◽  
Water Column ◽  
Prey Capture ◽  
Salvelinus Alpinus ◽  
Late Summer ◽  
Arctic Char ◽  
Foraging Efficiency ◽  
Thermal Habitat ◽  
Metabolic Costs ◽  
Seaward Migration

Anadromous Arctic char (Salvelinus alpinus) migrate back to fresh water in late summer to spawn and (or) overwinter. Upon freshwater entry, feeding is reduced or absent, and movement activity is restricted. While the physiological responses to low temperatures (e.g., growth, metabolism) are understood, specifics of the use of thermal habitat for overwintering remains poorly characterized. This study used acoustic and archival telemetry data from two lakes in southern Labrador, Canada, to study thermal habitat use during the ice-covered period. Results showed that lake-dwelling anadromous Arctic char predominantly occupied a narrow range of temperatures (0.5–2 °C) and used cooler temperatures available within the middle and upper water column. Use of the selected temperatures is likely a strategy that lowers metabolic costs and minimizes energy expenditure, preserving stored lipids for overwinter survival and the energetic costs of preparation for seaward migration. As Arctic char are visual feeders, use of the upper water column is also thought to aid foraging efficiency by increasing the likelihood of prey capture.

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