Elevated temperature and deposited sediment jointly affect early life history traits in southernmost Arctic char populations

Abstract

The combination of global warming and local stressors can have dramatic consequences on freshwater biota. Sediment deposition is an important pressure that can affect benthic species and benthic ontogenetic stages (eggs and larvae) habitat quality. However, knowledge on the effects of sediment in a warming context is lacking. We used a common garden approach to examine the effects of combined exposure to elevated temperature and deposited sediment on early life history traits in offspring of four wild Arctic char (Salvelinus alpinus) populations, originating from geographically isolated lakes at the southern edge of the species range. We report interactive effects of temperature and sediment, with higher temperature exacerbating the negative effects of sediments on the duration of the incubation period and on the body size – yolk expenditure trade-off during development. Our results highlight that reevaluating the impacts of sediment on organisms under the lens of global warming and at the scale of several wild populations is needed to improve our understanding of how vulnerable species can respond to environmental changes.