Effect of Temperature and Size on Development, Mortality, and Survival Rates of the Pelagic Early Life History Stages of Marine Fish

Abstract

This paper presents a comprehensive summary of development, mortality, and survival rates of fish eggs, yolk-sac larvae, and postlavae in relation to temperature and size. The general temperature- and, where applicable, size-dependent models explained 30–81% of the variance in vital rates. Daily development and mortality rates generally increased with increasing temperature. Temperature had an equal but opposite effect on stage-specific cumulative mortality rates of eggs and yolk-sac larvae. Stage-specific (length-dependent) cumulative mortality rates of postlarval fish were independent of temperature due to equal effects of temperature on daily growth and daily mortality rates. Size had no significant effect on daily or cumulative mortality rates of egg and yolk-sac stages. Daily mortality rates of postlarval fish were significantly influenced by mean size (i.e. length). The compensation of temperature effects between stages and/or vital rates may reduce the impact of environmental uncertainty on survival rates. It is suggested that the general temperature- and/or size-dependent relationships described in this study can serve as basic frameworks to assess whether there are significant effects resulting from species/stock-specific characteristics or environmental factors on the vital rates of the early life history stages of fish.