Effects of Temperature, Dissolved Oxygen and Substrate on the Development of Metabolic Phenotypes in age-0 Lake Sturgeon, Acipenser fulvescens: Implications for Overwintering Survival

The impact of early rearing environment on phenotypic development in teleosts has been reasonably well-documented but only recently has attention been paid to sturgeon raised for conservation purposes. In the present study, we hypothesised that rearing environment will result in development of distinct metabolic phenotypes in age-0 Lake Sturgeon and these phenotypes will drive differential survival rates during a simulated overwintering event. Lake Sturgeon gametes were fertilised and raised in one of three different environments; 16 °C and 100 % dissolved oxygen (DO); 14 °C and 100 % DO and 16 °C and 80 % DO each with or without substrate, and we measured standard metabolic rate, forced maximum metabolic rate, metabolic scope, energy density , hepatosomatic index, Fulton’s condition factor, and enzyme activities associated with ATP production. Our results suggest that subtle changes in abiotic environments during early life history result in the development of distinct metabolic phenotypes during the first year of life. These have important implications for survival of age-0 Lake Sturgeon when stocked in the fall of their first year.The accepted manuscript in pdf format is listed with the files at the bottom of this page. The presentation of the authors' names and (or) special characters in the title of the manuscript may differ slightly between what is listed on this page and what is listed in the pdf file of the accepted manuscript; that in the pdf file of the accepted manuscript is what was submitted by the author