Abstract
AbstractIndividual measurements of annual, or within‐season growth were determined from tag‐recapturedArctic charr and examined in relation to summer sea surface temperatures and within‐season capture timing in theUngava andLabrador regions of EasternCanada. Differences between two years of growth (2010–2011) were significant forUngavaBayArctic charr, with growth being higher in the warmer year. Growth ofLabradorArctic charr did not vary significantly among years (1982–1985). Regional comparisons demonstrated thatUngavaArctic charr had significantly higher annual growth rates and experienced warmer temperatures thanLabradorArctic charr. The higher annual growth ofUngavaBayArctic charr was attributed to the high sea surface temperatures experienced in 2010–2011 and the localised differences in nearshore productivity as compared toLabrador. Within‐season growth rates ofLabradorArctic charr peaked inJune, declined towardsAugust and were negatively correlated with the length of time spent at sea and mean experienced sea surface temperatures. A quadratic model relating growth rate to temperature best explained the pattern of within‐season growth. Collectively, results suggest that increases in water temperature may have profound consequences for Arctic charr growth in theCanadian sub‐Arctic, depending on the responses of local marine productivity to those same temperature increases.
Published Version
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