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Nutritional condition and physiology of paternal care in two congeneric species of black bass (Micropterus spp.) relative to stage of offspring development

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Abstract

Parental care requires a complex integration of physiology and behaviour, yet little is known about the physiological and energetic consequences or correlates of these behaviours. Using two species of male black bass (smallmouth bass, Micropterus dolomieu; largemouth bass, M. salmoides) as a model, the focus of this study was to determine the biochemical and hematological indicators of change in nutritional status and potential for chronic stress. This was accomplished by randomly sampling individuals at four stages across parental care. Additionally, a subset of individuals was repeatedly sampled at three brood development stages to track changes in biochemical factors within the individual. Though there were changes in physiological factors across parental care in randomly sampled fish of both species (declines in plasma glucose in largemouth bass; decreases in hematocrit and plasma chloride in smallmouth bass), repeated sampling of individuals was determined to be a more appropriate sampling technique due to natural variability in biochemical factors among individual fish. Repeated sampling of smallmouth bass did not adversely influence physiological metrics or brood abandonment. However, there were higher incidences of nest abandonment in repeatedly sampled largemouth bass. Amongst the repeatedly sampled smallmouth bass, nutritional indicators such as plasma triglyceride levels decreased indicating individual fasting across the majority of parental care. Increases in plasma calcium and magnesium towards the end of care indicated that feeding most likely resumed when the brood was close to independence after ~3 weeks of care. Lastly, several indicators of chronic stress, such as plasma glucose and chloride levels, increased throughout the parental care period. These sublethal stressors are indicative of decreasing body condition associated with prolonged activity and fasting which may have marked impacts on the ability of an individual to continue parental care for the current brood and impact subsequent individual fitness. Further research into the mechanistic relationships between behaviour, physiology, and energetics during the parental care period will provide a better understanding of the decisions by individuals facing multiple trade-offs that ultimately lead to differences in individual fitness.

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Acknowledgements

All procedures used in this study were developed with approvals and guidance from the Canadian Council on Animal Care administered by Carleton University and Queen’s University. Research permits were provided by the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources. We would like to thank all of the individuals who assisted with data collection including Michael Donaldson, Andrew Gingerich, Caleb Hasler, Lisa Thompson, and Ashley Graham. We also thank the staff of the Queen’s University Biology Station for logistic support, and the Fish Ecology and Conservation Physiology Laboratory at Carleton University for providing comments on an early version of this manuscript. Aspects of this research were supported by funds from Carleton University, the Canadian Foundation for Innovation, the Ontario Research Fund, and the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada.

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  1. Fish Ecology and Conservation Physiology Laboratory, Ottawa-Carleton Institute for Biology, Carleton University, 1125 Colonel By Drive, Ottawa, ON, K1S 5B6, Canada

    Kyle C. Hanson & Steven J. Cooke

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  1. Kyle C. Hanson
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Correspondence to Kyle C. Hanson.

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Communicated by H. V. Carey.

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Hanson, K.C., Cooke, S.J. Nutritional condition and physiology of paternal care in two congeneric species of black bass (Micropterus spp.) relative to stage of offspring development. J Comp Physiol B 179, 253–266 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00360-008-0309-1

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