Optimal growth temperature hypothesis: Why do anchovy flourish and sardine collapse or vice versa under the same ocean regime?

Abstract

The out-of-phase population oscillations between anchovy and sardine have been attributed to climate changes. However, the biological processes causing these species alternations have remained unresolved. Here we propose a simple "optimal growth temperature" hypothesis, in which anchovy and sardine regime shifts are caused by differential optimal temperatures for growth rates during the early life stages. Dome-shaped relationships between growth rate and sea temperature were detected for both Japanese anchovy (Engraulis japonicus) and Japanese sardine (Sardinops melanostictus) larvae based on otolith microstructure analysis. The optimal growth rate for anchovy larvae occurred at 22.0 °C, whereas that for sardine larvae occurred at 16.2 °C. Ambient temperatures have historically fluctuated between these optima, which could lead to contrasting fluctuations in larval growth rates between the two species. This simple mechanism could potentially cause the shifts between the warm anchovy regime and the cool sardine regime in the western North Pacific. Although retrospective analysis suggested synergistic effects of other factors (e.g., trophic interactions and fishing), the optimal growth temperature concept would provide a possible biological mechanism of anchovy and sardine regime shifts.