Terrestrial Carbon Additions to Zooplankton Prey Influence Juvenile Estuarine Fish Growth

Johnson, EB; Boys, C; Hitchcock, J; Hadwen, W; Fielder, S; Facey, JA; Mitrovic, SM

Terrestrial Carbon Additions to Zooplankton Prey Influence Juvenile Estuarine Fish Growth

Johnson, EB Boys, C Hitchcock, J

Hadwen, W Fielder, S Facey, JA Mitrovic, SM

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Publisher:: MDPI
Publication Type:: Journal Article
Citation:: Environments - MDPI, 2023, 10, (3)
Issue Date:: 2023-03-01

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Field	Value	Language
dc.contributor.author	Johnson, EB
dc.contributor.author	Boys, C
dc.contributor.author	Hitchcock, J https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0113-6001
dc.contributor.author	Hadwen, W
dc.contributor.author	Fielder, S
dc.contributor.author	Facey, JA
dc.contributor.author	Mitrovic, SM
dc.date.accessioned	2024-01-16T05:53:53Z
dc.date.available	2024-01-16T05:53:53Z
dc.date.issued	2023-03-01
dc.identifier.citation	Environments - MDPI, 2023, 10, (3)
dc.identifier.issn	2076-3298
dc.identifier.issn	2076-3298
dc.identifier.uri	http://hdl.handle.net/10453/174599
dc.description.abstract	Freshwater inflows are linked to the abundance and catch rates of fish in estuaries. The role of terrestrial carbon resources brought into estuaries after inflows may be important, but this is currently not well understood. Therefore, we performed a study examining the effect of terrestrial dissolved organic matter (tDOM) dietary additions on the growth of food-limited juvenile Australian bass (Macquaria novemculeata). Crustaceous zooplankton Artemia franciscana (Artemia) were reared for two days under control conditions (no addition) or with additions of tDOM leachate at dissolved organic carbon (DOC) concentrations of 5 mg/L or 10 mg/L. Artemia were fed to juvenile bass in their treatment tanks over 42 days at feeding rates reduced by 65–75% of ad libitum. Juvenile fish from the 5 mg/L treatment exhibited no statistical difference in weight or standard, fork and total lengths compared to the control treatment. In contrast, the fish in the 10 mg/L tDOM treatment had significant increases (p < 0.05) in all length parameters after 42 days compared to the other treatments. The greater lengths of fish where tDOM is available indicate that tDOM can contribute to improved growth and development in juvenile Australian bass. While stable isotope analysis of fish tissue showed only minor changes toward terrestrial carbon signatures, increased terrestrial resource availability in the juvenile fish diets may have subsidised energetic needs, facilitating the greater utilisation of endogenous resources. Overall, the results indicate that freshwater inflows that deliver terrestrial resources may be important for the growth and development of estuarine fish.
dc.language	English
dc.publisher	MDPI
dc.relation.ispartof	Environments - MDPI
dc.relation.isbasedon	10.3390/environments10030050
dc.rights	info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess
dc.subject.classification	4104 Environmental management
dc.subject.classification	4105 Pollution and contamination
dc.title	Terrestrial Carbon Additions to Zooplankton Prey Influence Juvenile Estuarine Fish Growth
dc.type	Journal Article
utslib.citation.volume	10
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney/Faculty of Science
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney/Faculty of Science/School of Life Sciences
utslib.copyright.status	open_access	*
dc.date.updated	2024-01-16T05:53:51Z
pubs.issue	3
pubs.publication-status	Published
pubs.volume	10
utslib.citation.issue	3

Abstract:

Freshwater inflows are linked to the abundance and catch rates of fish in estuaries. The role of terrestrial carbon resources brought into estuaries after inflows may be important, but this is currently not well understood. Therefore, we performed a study examining the effect of terrestrial dissolved organic matter (tDOM) dietary additions on the growth of food-limited juvenile Australian bass (Macquaria novemculeata). Crustaceous zooplankton Artemia franciscana (Artemia) were reared for two days under control conditions (no addition) or with additions of tDOM leachate at dissolved organic carbon (DOC) concentrations of 5 mg/L or 10 mg/L. Artemia were fed to juvenile bass in their treatment tanks over 42 days at feeding rates reduced by 65–75% of ad libitum. Juvenile fish from the 5 mg/L treatment exhibited no statistical difference in weight or standard, fork and total lengths compared to the control treatment. In contrast, the fish in the 10 mg/L tDOM treatment had significant increases (p < 0.05) in all length parameters after 42 days compared to the other treatments. The greater lengths of fish where tDOM is available indicate that tDOM can contribute to improved growth and development in juvenile Australian bass. While stable isotope analysis of fish tissue showed only minor changes toward terrestrial carbon signatures, increased terrestrial resource availability in the juvenile fish diets may have subsidised energetic needs, facilitating the greater utilisation of endogenous resources. Overall, the results indicate that freshwater inflows that deliver terrestrial resources may be important for the growth and development of estuarine fish.

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http://hdl.handle.net/10453/174599