Premium
Long‐term growth patterns in a pond‐dwelling population of crucian carp, Carassius carassius : environmental and density‐related factors
Author(s) -
TARKAN A. S.,
GAYGUSUZ Ö.,
GODARD M. J.,
COPP G. H.
Publication year - 2011
Publication title -
fisheries management and ecology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.693
H-Index - 55
eISSN - 1365-2400
pISSN - 0969-997X
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-2400.2011.00791.x
Subject(s) - crucian carp , carassius , zoology , population , biology , carassius auratus , air temperature , environmental science , ecology , fish <actinopterygii> , fishery , geography , demography , meteorology , sociology
Scale samples from crucian carp, Carassius carassius (L.), collected over a 10‐year period from a population in an ornamental pond were used to examine patterns in growth as a function of environmental factors, including water temperatures. Back‐calculated standard lengths (SL) at age differed between year classes in most cases. Annual SL increments were related to temperature and age using a non‐linear growth model. Growth declined with increasing age, whereas annual SL increments increased with increasing water temperature. The best‐fit model was with the total number of summer days when air temperature exceeded 20 °C (using water temperature equivalents of air temperature). A growth model including water temperature, age, year class, relative condition and rainfall was a better fit than other models. Year‐class strength was positively correlated with water degree‐days, and year‐class strength negatively affected annual SL increments. The results indicate that within a strong year class of crucian carp, the growth of individual fish is reduced compared with weak year classes, suggesting that density negatively affects growth in ponds where resources are limited.