Highly structured habitats mitigate size- and growth-selective mortality of post-settlement juvenile fish

Abstract

The role of vegetated habitats such as seagrass and macroalgal beds as nurseries is essential for the survival of larval and juvenile fish, although quantitative evaluation of the contribution of these habitats to nursery function is limited. Moreover, growth–survival relationships of larvae and juveniles associated with vegetated habitats have rarely been examined. To quantitatively and qualitatively evaluate the processes affecting juvenile survival in vegetated habitats, we investigated whether there is a correlation between the degree of selection for bigger and faster-growing fish and mortality rates for three cohorts by birth date of post-settlement black rockfish (Sebastes cheni) in a macroalgal bed. We also analyzed relationships between growth rate and experienced temperature by age class to examine the effects of temperature on growth. The latest cohort, which grew under lower vegetation coverage due to a seasonal increase in water temperature, showed higher mortality with evidence of strong selection for survival of bigger and faster-growing fish. The growth–temperature relationships showed that positive effects of temperature on growth weakened after settlement. Therefore, we suggest that macroalgal coverage has a critical role in controlling the growth–mortality relationship of post-settlement S. cheni. Furthermore, the negative effects of high temperature on juvenile survival through loss of vegetation may be greater than the positive effects on juvenile growth. These findings would contribute to the management of fisheries resources by increasing the understanding of relationships between survival mechanisms in fish early life stages and vegetation phenology of their habitat under the increasing effects of global warming.