Relationship between abundance, growth, egg size and fecundity in a landlocked population of longfin smelt, Spirinchus thaleichthys

Abstract

Sixteen year-classes of longfin smelt, Spirinchus thaleichthys, show a consistent pattern of alternating year-class strength between even (strong) and odd (weak) years. A recent (1989) odd year-class grew as well as, if not better than, the late 1960s odd year-classes. However, fish in the even year-classes (1988 and 1990) were significantly smaller in size then the 1966 and 1968 cohorts. Associated with this reduction in growth of the even year-class fish is a decline in fecundity. Fecundity of the odd year-classes of smelt was also smaller than in the early 1960s. Mean egg diameter and gonadosomatic index were not statistically different between 1988 and 1989 year-classes but the relative fecundity was higher for the 1988 year-class than for 1989, suggesting a higher reproductive investment in the even year-class. Reduction in growth and associated reproductive traits is considered to result from a reduction in the abundance of mysids, a preferred prey species.