Early environment influences later performance in fishes. Issue 2 (24th June 2014)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Jonsson, B.; Jonsson, N.
• Is Part Of: Journal of fish biology. Volume 85:Issue 2(2014)
• Page Start: 151
• Page End: 188
• Publication Date: 2014-06-24
• Subjects: Fishes -- Periodicals; Fishes -- Great Britain -- Periodicals; 597
• DOI: 10.1111/jfb.12432
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0022-1112

Abstract

<abstract abstract-type="main" id="jfb12432-abs-0001"> <title> <x xml:space="preserve">Abstract</x> </title> <p id="jfb12432-para-0001">Conditions fish encounter during embryogenesis and early life history can leave lasting effects not only on morphology, but also on growth rate, life‐history and behavioural traits. The ecology of offspring can be affected by conditions experienced by their parents and mother in particular. This review summarizes such early impacts and their ecological influences for a variety of teleost species, but with special reference to salmonids. Growth and adult body size, sex ratio, egg size, lifespan and tendency to migrate can all be affected by early influences. Mechanisms behind such phenotypically plastic impacts are not well known, but epigenetic change appears to be one central mechanism. The thermal regime during development and incubation is particularly important, but also early food consumption and intraspecific density can all be responsible for later life‐history variation. For behavioural traits, early experiences with effects on brain, sensory development and cognition appear essential. This may also influence boldness and other social behaviours such as mate choice. At the end of the review, several issues and questions for future studies are given.</p> </abstract>