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A Comparison of First Feeding Characteristics in Two Populations of Chinook Salmon
Author(s) -
Linley Timothy J.
Publication year - 2001
Publication title -
transactions of the american fisheries society
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.696
H-Index - 86
eISSN - 1548-8659
pISSN - 0002-8487
DOI - 10.1577/1548-8659(2001)130<0519:acoffc>2.0.co;2
Subject(s) - chinook wind , oncorhynchus , hatching , fishery , hatchery , biology , fish <actinopterygii> , yolk , zoology
Timing, growth, and survival during the transition from yolk absorption to active feeding were examined in two hatchery populations of chinook salmon Oncorhynchus tshawytscha from southeastern Alaska (Andrew Creek and the Tahini River). Alevins were divided into fed and nonfed groups and cultured under experimental conditions from hatching to yolk absorption. Andrew Creek alevins benefited from feeding earlier in their development than Tahini River alevins and were significantly larger in size than nonfed alevins at yolk absorption ( P < 0.001). Fed Tahini River alevins were also larger in size than nonfed fish at yolk absorption ( P = 0.03), but the relative increase in size was considerably less than for Andrew Creek alevins. Survival exceeded 93% for all groups; it did not differ within ( P > 0.32) or between ( P > 0.09) populations, but the survival of Andrew Creek alevins was significantly higher than that of Tahini River fish ( P = 0.03). Intraspecific variation in feeding ontogeny should be considered in determining the optimum time to initiate feeding in chinook salmon.