The role of seasonally altering photoperiod in regulating physiology in Atlantic cod (Gadus morhua). Part I. Sexual maturation

2007 ◽  
Vol 64 (1) ◽  
pp. 84-97 ◽  
Author(s):  
Andrew Davie ◽  
Mark JR Porter ◽  
Niall R Bromage ◽  
Herve Migaud

While the Atlantic cod (Gadus morhua) displays clear seasonality in its reproductive cycle, the exact photic signal that entrains this rhythm is yet undefined. This present work developed a model to describe the photic regulation of reproduction in the species in comparison with other commercially important temperate teleosts. This was achieved through the strategic masking of the natural photoperiod cycle during the first 2 years of life with the application of continuous illumination. The results demonstrated that it is the falling autumnal photoperiod signal after the summer solstice, more specifically after October, that is responsible for recruiting individuals to enter the sexual maturation cycle. Furthermore, in all treatments where this signal was masked through the application of continuous illumination, there was no significant reproductive activity and growth was improved by up to 60% at 27 months posthatch. This information is of particular value to the developing cod aquaculture industry in which the management of reproduction using artificial photoperiod manipulation will be of vital economic importance.

2007 ◽  
Vol 64 (1) ◽  
pp. 98-112 ◽  
Author(s):  
Andrew Davie ◽  
Mark JR Porter ◽  
Niall R Bromage ◽  
Herve Migaud

Research to date has not clearly defined the role of photoperiod in regulating somatic growth in Atlantic cod (Gadus morhua). The present study followed individual growth performance, plasma insulin-like growth factor-I, and relative liver size in response to a range of experimental photoperiod treatments where populations were transferred from an ambient photoperiod regime to continuous illumination at strategic times during the first 2 years of life. While this work demonstrated that application of continuous illumination could directly stimulate somatic growth, this growth stimulation is transitory with no accumulative effect of prolonged exposure to continuous illumination. Importantly, it was apparent that the photic inhibition of maturation realized a far more significant growth stimulation, and in populations where this occurred, sexually dimorphic growth patterns became apparent. Plasma insulin-like growth factor-I displays a seasonal rhythm correlated with ambient temperature under natural photic conditions and in certain circumstances could be used as an accurate predictor of growth rate. Overall, this work further refines the guidelines on photoperiod management during commercial ongrowing of the species to help realize the maximum economic potential of cod aquaculture.


1991 ◽  
Vol 64 (4) ◽  
pp. 1087-1109 ◽  
Author(s):  
Richard Kinkead ◽  
Regina Fritsche ◽  
Steve F. Perry ◽  
Stefan Nilsson
Keyword(s):  

1992 ◽  
Vol 49 (6) ◽  
pp. 1149-1156 ◽  
Author(s):  
J.-D. Dutil ◽  
J. Munro ◽  
C. Audet ◽  
M. Besner

Plasma Na+, Cl−, K+, osmotic pressure, Cortisol, glucose, and protein, blood hemoglobin and hematocrit, and water content of skeletal muscle were measured at regular intervals during a 28-d period following the transfer of Atlantic cod (Gadus morhua) to waters of 7, 14, 21, and 28‰ (control) salinity. These experiments were repeated four times at 3-mo intervals under natural photoperiod and temperatures (0–10 °C). Exposure to 7‰ salinity caused large decreases in plasma Na+ in winter (25 mmol/L over 14 d) and in spring (32 mmol/L over 7 d) when the lowest value for the year was reached (156 mmol/L). Transfer to 14 and 21‰ salinity resulted in a slight decrease (maximum 4%) in plasma Na+ which was much smaller than the seasonal variation (14%) observed in controls. Hydration of skeletal muscle occurred only at 7‰ (2.3% maximum), but these changes were small compared with the seasonal variation (3.9%) observed in the controls. Principal components and clustering analyses showed that all ionic and osmotic variables measured were highly correlated while being only weakly associated with the condition or reproductive status of the fish. There were no indications that acclimation to low salinity was stressful for cod.


2006 ◽  
Vol 46 (1) ◽  
pp. 74-82 ◽  
Author(s):  
V. M. Borisov ◽  
A. A. Elizarov ◽  
V. D. Nesterov

2019 ◽  
Vol 2 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ian Salter ◽  
Mourits Joensen ◽  
Regin Kristiansen ◽  
Petur Steingrund ◽  
Poul Vestergaard

AbstractEnvironmental DNA (eDNA) has emerged as a powerful approach for studying marine fisheries and has the potential to negate some of the drawbacks of trawl surveys. However, successful applications in oceanic waters have to date been largely focused on qualitative descriptions of species inventories. Here we conducted a quantitative eDNA survey of Atlantic cod (Gadus morhua) in oceanic waters and compared it with results obtained from a standardized demersal trawl survey. Detection of eDNA originating from Atlantic cod was highly concordant (80%) with trawl catches. We observed significantly positive correlations between the regional integrals of Atlantic cod biomass (kg) and eDNA quantities (copies) (R2 = 0.79, P = 0.003) and between sampling effort-normalised Catch Per Unit Effort (kg hr−1) and eDNA concentrations (copies L−1) (R2 = 0.71, P = 0.008). These findings extend the potential application of environmental DNA to regional biomass assessments of commercially important fish stocks in the ocean.


2007 ◽  
Vol 64 (2) ◽  
pp. 239-248 ◽  
Author(s):  
Albert Kjartansson Imsland ◽  
Atle Foss ◽  
Thomas Alvseike ◽  
Arild Folkvord ◽  
Sigurd Olav Stefansson ◽  
...  

Interactions between temperature and photoperiod on growth of Atlantic cod (Gadus morhua) juveniles (initial weight 9.1 g) were studied by rearing juvenile cod 3 months under simulated natural photoperiod (LDN) and continuous light (LD24:0) at 7, 10, and 13 °C. Juvenile Atlantic cod exposed to LD24:0 had higher growth rate and better feed conversion efficiency compared with cod reared under LDN. Optimal temperature for growth of juvenile Atlantic cod in the size range 5–50 g was influenced by photoperiod and was estimated to be 12.3 °C under LD24:0 and 15.7 °C under LDN. After termination of the laboratory study, the fish were reared in sea pens at ambient conditions for 17 months. The growth-enhancing effect of LD24:0 could be traced far beyond the duration of the laboratory trial, as the final mean weights in June 2005 of the fish reared at LD24:0 and 13 and 10 °C in the laboratory trial were 8% and 13% higher than those of the respective LDN groups. Our study indicates a physiological mechanism that might be linked to cod migrations, as maximal growth and feeding efficiency will be attained in areas during a season with extended day length or continuous light.


PeerJ ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 7 ◽  
pp. e7784 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tommy Norin ◽  
Paula Canada ◽  
Jason A. Bailey ◽  
A. Kurt Gamperl

Atlantic cod (Gadus morhua) and haddock (Melanogrammus aeglefinus) are two commercially important marine fishes impacted by both overfishing and climate change. Increasing ocean temperatures are affecting the physiology of these species and causing changes in distribution, growth, and maturity. While the physiology of cod has been well investigated, that of haddock has received very little attention. Here, we measured the metabolic response to increasing temperatures, as well as the critical thermal maximum (CTmax), of cod acclimated to 8 and 12 °C and haddock acclimated to 12 °C. We also compared the swimming performance (critical swimming speed, Ucrit) of cod and haddock at 12 °C, as well as the Ucrit of 12 °C-acclimated cod acutely exposed to a higher-than-optimal temperature (16 °C). The CTmax for cod was 21.4 and 23.0 °C for 8- and 12 °C-acclimated fish, respectively, whereas that for the 12 °C-acclimated haddock was 23.9 °C. These values were all significantly different and show that haddock are more tolerant of high temperatures. The aerobic maximum metabolic rate (MMR) of swimming cod remained high at 16 °C, suggesting that maximum oxygen transport capacity was not limited at a temperature above optimal in this species. However, signs of impaired swimming (struggling) were becoming evident at 16 °C. Haddock were found to reach a higher Ucrit than cod at 12 °C (3.02 vs. 2.62 body lengths s−1, respectively), and at a lower MMR. Taken together, these results suggest that haddock perform better than cod in warmer conditions, and that haddock are the superior swimmer amongst the two species.


1992 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
pp. 43 ◽  
Author(s):  
MA McGuckin ◽  
AW Blackshaw

Melatonion concentrations were determined in plasma pools obtained from adult male Pteropus poliocephalus (autumn mating season) at four times of the year. Melatonin levels increased within 3 h of sunset and remained elevated for the duration of the scotophase at all times of the year. Two photoperiod manipulation experiments were performed to examine the role of daylength in the regulation of the timing of the breeding season of this species. In Experiment 1, three adult males were transferred from natural short days to 16L:8D for 137 days and then photoperiod was progressively decreased over 120 days to 9L:15D; this photoperiod was then maintained for 350 days. Testicular volume (TV) peaked during decreasing photoperiod well before the time of maximal size in natural conditions. During the period in extended short photoperiod these bats showed several cycles of TV change with a progressively decreasing interval between cycles. In Experiment 2, nine adult males were exposed to the same shift to 16L:8D as in Experiment 1, but were subsequently split into three groups: 8L:16D, progressive decrease to 8L:16D and maintenance in 16L:8D. The 8L:16D and decreasing photoperiod groups showed coincident premature increases in TV, as in Experiment 1, whereas in the 16L:8D group TV increased at about the same time as in animals in natural photoperiod. Melatonin determination in the different experimental groups showed that duration of secretion was related to the length of the scotophase in all cases. These experiments demonstrate that regulation of the timing of reproduction in males of this species is influenced by changes in daylength.


Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document