Do capital breeders like Atlantic herring (Clupea harengus) exhibit sensitive periods of nutritional control on ovary development and fecundity regulation

A laboratory study was undertaken to investigate whether Northeast Atlantic herring (Clupea harengus), i.e., Norwegian spring-spawning herring, exhibit a ''sensitive period'' during the feeding season in which ovary development is particularly susceptible to food availability and (or) energy reserves. Groups of herring received similar amounts of food over the restricted summer - early autumn feeding season but the food availability was varied temporally between groups. The herring, an extreme capital breeder, did not exhibit a sensitive period, as there was no difference in fecundity or ovary maturation between groups. However, individuals that did not reach a Fulton's condition factor (K) above 0.70 during the feeding season were less likely to begin ovary maturation. Those below this threshold showing ovary development began later and had a higher intensity of atresia than fish in better condition. To maximize fecundity, females recruited signifi- cantly more oocytes than they could support through to spawning, thus the oocytes were subsequently down-regulated. Some would have skipped spawning in the coming spawning season; these fish had a very low K. Taken together, this study demonstrates that this capital breeder has developed a suite of reproductive strategies to synchronize the production of the highest number of eggs energetically possible. Resume´ : Nous avons entrepris une etude de laboratoire pour examiner si les harengs (Clupea harengus) du nord-est de l'Atlantique, c'est-a `-dire les harengs norvegiens afraie printaniere, possedent « une periode sensible » durant la saison d'alimentation pendant laquelle le developpement de l'ovaire est particulierement influencepar la disponibilitede la nour- riture et (ou) les reserves energetiques. Des groupes de harengs ont recu des quantites semblables de nourriture pendant la courte saison d'alimentation de l'eteet du debut de l'automne, mais avec des variations temporelles de disponibilitede la nourriture entre les groupes. Le hareng, qui se reproduit de facon tres marqueeapartir de ses reserves, ne possede pas de periode sensible puisqu'il n'y a pas de difference de feconditeni de maturation ovarienne entre les groupes. Cependant, les individus qui n'atteignent pas un facteur de condition de Fulton (K) superieur a ` 0,70 durant la saison d'alimentation sont moins susceptibles de commencer leur maturation ovarienne. Les poissons sous ce seuil qui affichent un developpe- ment ovarien debutent plus tard et subissent un taux plus eleved'atresie que les poissons en meilleure condition. Afin de maximiser leur fecondite ´, les femelles produisent significativement plus d'oocytes qu'elles ne peuvent rendre jusqu'ala fraie; les oocytes sont donc subsequemment reduits par controle descendant. Certains poissons qui ont un K tres faible au- raient omis la fraie durant la saison suivante de reproduction. Dans leur ensemble, nos resultats montrent que ce poisson qui se reproduit apartir de ses reserves a developpeune serie de strategies reproductives afin de synchroniser la produc- tion du plus grand nombre possible d'œufs compte tenu de l'energie disponible. (Traduit par la Redaction)

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