1. Climate vulnerability for a desert fish: integrating hydrologic exposures, adaptive capacity, and growth potential
- Author
-
Benjamin, Joseph R., Dunham, Jason B., Anlauf-Dunn, Kara J., and Eliason, Erika
- Subjects
Adaptation (Physiology) -- Research ,Climatic changes -- Environmental aspects ,Rainbow trout -- Environmental aspects -- Physiological aspects ,Animal development -- Environmental aspects ,Earth sciences - Abstract
Climate vulnerability can be evaluated by multiple organismal responses. We developed a climate vulnerability framework focused on growth potential of redband trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss newberri). We employed a bioenergetics model to evaluate spatial variability in growth potential in relation to constraints on body size imposed by stream flow, physiological responses linked to variable thermal regimes, and variation in physiological adaptive capacity inferred from field respirometry. Results indicate that maximum size (g) of redband trout increases with stream discharge. Growth potential is strongly linked to body size, with smaller individuals performing better relative to larger fish in cooler thermal regimes. Annual patterns of growth varied among sites and were related to body size and physiological adaptive capacity. Putatively cold-adapted fish were more likely to exhibit bimodal growth with peaks in spring and autumn, whereas warm-adapted fish exhibit a summer peak in growth potential. These findings offer insights into how climate vulnerability of stream-living fish can be conditioned on both stream flow and thermal regimes, and the potential for physiological adaptive capacity to influence vulnerability. Key words: bioenergetics, northern Great Basin, Oregon, Oncorhynchus mykiss newberri, redband trout, thermal adaptation, Introduction The effects of climate change on streams include warming temperatures and altered discharge, both of which influence sensitive coldwater species, such as salmonid fishes (Jonsson and Jonsson 2009; Kovach [...]
- Published
- 2023
- Full Text
- View/download PDF