Energetic Cost of Ichthyophonus Infection in Juvenile Pacific Herring
Author Information
Author(s): Johanna J. Vollenweider, Jake L. Gregg, Ron A. Heintz, Paul K. Hershberger
Primary Institution: Auke Bay Laboratories, Alaska Fisheries Science Center, National Marine Fisheries Service, NOAA
Hypothesis
How does Ichthyophonus infection affect the energetic costs in juvenile Pacific herring under different conditions?
Conclusion
Ichthyophonus infection significantly reduces the energy content of juvenile Pacific herring, especially in colder temperatures.
Supporting Evidence
- Infected herring showed a 30% reduction in total energy content after 52 days compared to controls.
- Fasting prior to infection resulted in higher mortality rates in juvenile herring.
- Temperature influenced the lethality of Ichthyophonus infection, with higher mortality in ambient temperatures.
Takeaway
When young herring get sick from a parasite, they use up a lot of their energy, making it hard for them to grow and survive, especially in cold water.
Methodology
The study involved measuring the energetic condition of juvenile herring infected with Ichthyophonus under various feeding and temperature conditions.
Potential Biases
Potential handling mortality may have influenced results, particularly in the early days of the experiment.
Limitations
Not all fish in the infected treatments contracted ichthyophoniasis, leading to disproportionate sample sizes.
Participant Demographics
Juvenile Pacific herring (Clupea pallasii) from the southern Strait of Georgia.
Statistical Information
P-Value
p<0.001
Statistical Significance
p<0.05
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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