Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Life-history Patterns of 25 species from European Freshwater Fish Communities

  • Published:
Environmental Biology of Fishes Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Fish life-history patterns were evaluated in relation to the trilateral continuum model by analyzing data from 25 species inhabiting European freshwaters. Multivariate tests identified a trend between later-maturing fishes with higher fecundity, larger size, and few spawning bouts per year and the opposite suite of traits with small fishes. A second trend contrasted fishes having parental care, smaller eggs, and longer breeding seasons against fishes with the opposite suite of traits. As a result, two extreme life-history patterns could be identified among European freshwater fish species: opportunistic and periodic. Nevertheless, intermediate patterns were also present. A true equilibrium life-history pattern was not represented among 25 fish species from European freshwaters. The high concordance of basic life-history patterns among distantly related taxa is probably caused by some universal trade-offs among life-history variables. As a consequence, only a limited life-history patterns may be recognizable among fish species, independently of the origin of fish communities.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References cited

  • Balon, E.K. 1975. Reproductive guilds of fishes: a proposal and definition. J. Fish. Res. Board Can. 32: 821–864.

    Google Scholar 

  • Balon, E.K., W.T. Momot & H.A. Regier. 1977. Reproductive guilds of percids: results of the paleogeographical history and ecological succession. J. Fish. Res. Board Can. 34: 1910–1921.

    Google Scholar 

  • Baltz, D.M. 1984. Life history variation among female surfperches (Perciformes: Embiotocidae). Env. Biol. Fish. 10: 159–171.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bouchereau, J.L., J.C. Joyeux, J.A. Tomasini & J.P. Quignard. 1989. Cycle sexuel, fécondités et condition de Pomatoschistus microps (Kroyer, 1838) (Gobiidés) dans la lagune de Mauguio. France. Bull. Ecol. 20: 193–202.

    Google Scholar 

  • Boyce, M.S. 1979. Seasonality and patterns of natural selection for life histories. Amer. Nat. 114: 569–583.

    Google Scholar 

  • Casals, F. 1985. Biología y ecología de Leuciscus cephalus (L., 1758) en el riu Matarranya. Ph.D. Thesis, University of Barcelona, Barcelona. 171 pp.

    Google Scholar 

  • Chappaz, R., G. Brun & G. Olivari. 1989. Données nouvelles sur la biologie et l'écologie d'un poisson Cyprinidé peu étudié Chondrostoma toxostoma (Vallot, 1836). Comparison avec Chondrostoma nasus (L., 1766). C. R. Acad. Sci. Paris 309(3): 181–186.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cohen, D. 1967. Optimizing reproduction in a randomly varying environment when a correlation may exist between the conditions at the time a choice has to be made and the subsequent outcome. J. Theor. Biol. 16: 1–14.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cowx, I.G. 1990. The reproductive tactics of roach, Rutilus rutilus (L.) and dace, Leuciscus leuciscus (L.) populations in the rivers Exe and Culm, England. Pol. Arch. Hydrobiol. 37: 193–208.

    Google Scholar 

  • Crivelli, A.J. 1981. The biology of the common carp, Cyprinus carpio L. in the Camargue, southern France. J. Fish Biol. 18: 271–290.

    Google Scholar 

  • Crivelli, A.J. & D. Mestre. 1988. Life history traits od pumpkinseed, Lepomis gibbosus, introduced into the Camargue, a Mediterranean wetland. Arch. Hydrobiol. 111: 449–466.

    Google Scholar 

  • Fernández-Delgado, C. 1989. Life-history patterns of the mosquito-fish, Gambusia affinis, in the estuary of the Guadalquivir River of south-west Spain. Fresh. Biol. 22: 395–404.

    Google Scholar 

  • Fernández-Delgado, C. 1990. Life history patterns of the common carp, Cyprinus carpio, in the estuary of the Guadalquivir River in south-west Spain. Hydrobiologia 206: 19–28.

    Google Scholar 

  • Fernández-Delgado, C. & M. Herrera. 1995. Age structure, growth and reproduction of Leuciscus pyrenaicus in an intermittent stream in the Guadalquivir River basin, southern Spain. J. Fish Biol. 46: 371–380.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hellawell, J.M. 1971. The autoecology of the chub, Squalius cephalus (L.) of the River Lugg and Afon Llynfi. II. Reproduction. Fresh. Biol. 1: 135–148.

    Google Scholar 

  • Herrera, M. & C. Fernández-Delgado. 1994. The age, growth and reproduction of Chondrostoma polylepis willkommi in a periodic stream in the Guadalquivir River basin (southern Spain). J. Fish Biol. 44: 11–22.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kawasaki, T. 1980. Fundamental relations among the selections of life history in the marine teleosts. Bull. Japan. Soc. Sci. Fish. 46: 289–293.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kawasaki, T. 1983. Why do some pelagic fishes have wide fluctuations in their numbers? Biological basis of fluctuation from the viewpoint of evolutionary ecology. FAO Fish Rep. 291(1): 1065–1080.

    Google Scholar 

  • L'Abée-Lund, J.H. & K. Hindar. 1990. Interpopulation variation in reproductive traits of anadromous female brown trout, Salmo trutta L. J. Fish Biol. 37: 755–763.

    Google Scholar 

  • Legendre, P. & M.J. Fortin. 1989. Spatial pattern and ecological analysis. Vegetatio 80: 107–138.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lehtonen, H., S. Hansson & H. Winkler. 1996. Biology and exploitation of pikeperch, Stizostedion lucioperca (L.), in the Baltic Sea area. Ann. Zool. Fennici 33: 525–535.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lelek, A. 1980. Threatened freshwater fishes of Europe. Council of Europe, Strasbourg. 269 pp.

    Google Scholar 

  • Libosvársky, J. 1979. Gonad weight and egg numbers in chub, Leuciscus cephalus, from the Rokytná Stream. Folia Zoologica 28: 35–42.

    Google Scholar 

  • Libosvársky, J., D.W. Saeed & M. Němcová. 1985. Fecundity of roach, Rutilus rutilus, in a newly built reservoir. Folia Zoologica 34: 357–372.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lobón-Cerviá, J. & B. Elvira. 1981. Edad, crecimiento y reproducción de la boga de río (Chondrostoma polylepis polylepis Stein, 1865) en el embalse de Pinilla (Río Lozoya). Bol. Inst. Espa. Oceano 6(317): 200–213.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lobón-Cerviá, J. & C. Fernández-Delgado. 1984. On the biology of the barbel (Barbus barbus bocagei) in the Jarama River. Folia Zoologica 33: 371–384.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lobón-Cerviá, J., C. Montañ és & A. de Sostoa. 1986. Reproductive ecology and growth of a population of brown trout (Salmo trutta L.) in an aquifer-fed stream of Old Castille (Spain). Hydrobiologia 135: 81–94.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lobón-Cerviá, J. & A. Zabala. 1984. Observations on the reproduction of Cobitis paludicola de Buen, 1930 in the Jarama River. Cybium 8: 63–68.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lobón-Cerviá, J., C. Montañés & A. de Sostoa. 1991. Influence of environment upon the life history of gudgeon, Gobio gobio (L.): a recent and successful colonizer of the Iberian Peninsula. J. Fish Biol. 39: 295–300.

    Google Scholar 

  • Mackay, I. & K.H. Mann. 1969. Fecundity of two cyprinid fishes in the River Thames, Reading, England. J. Fish. Res. Board Can. 26: 2795–2805.

    Google Scholar 

  • Mahon, R. 1984. Divergent structure in fish taxocenes of north temperate streams. Can. J. Fish. Aquat. Sci. 41: 330–350.

    Google Scholar 

  • Mann, R.H.K. 1973. Observations on the age, growth, reproduction and food of the roach Rutilus rutilus (L.) in two rivers in southern England. J. Fish Biol. 5: 707–736.

    Google Scholar 

  • Mann, R.H.K. 1976. Observation of the age, growth, reproduction and food of the pike, Esox lucius (L.), in two rivers in southern England. J. Fish Biol. 8: 179–197.

    Google Scholar 

  • Mann, R.H.K. 1978. Observations on the biology of the perch, Perca fluviatilis, in the River Stour, Dorset. Fresh. Biol. 8: 229–239.

    Google Scholar 

  • Mann, R.H.K. 1980. The growth and reproductive strategy of the gudgeon, Gobio gobio (L.), in two hard-water fishes in southern England. J. Fish Biol. 17: 163–176.

    Google Scholar 

  • Mann, R.H.K. & C.A. Mills. 1985. Variations in the sizes of gonads, eggs and larvae of the dace, Leuciscus leuciscus. Env. Biol. Fish. 13: 277–287.

    Google Scholar 

  • Mantel, N.A. 1967. The detection of disease clustering and a generalized regression approach. Cancer Research 27: 209–220.

    Google Scholar 

  • Mills, C.A. & A. Eloranta. 1985. The biology of Phoxinus phoxinus (L.) and other littoral zone fishes in Lake Konnevsi, central Finland. Ann. Zool. Fennici 22: 1–12.

    Google Scholar 

  • Neophitou, C. 1988. Autoecology of chub, Leuciscus cephalus (L.), in a Greek stream, and the use of the pharyngeal bone in fish predator-prey studies. Aquaculture and Fisheries Management 19: 179–190.

    Google Scholar 

  • Nikolsky, G.V. 1963. The Ecology of Fishes. Academic Press, London. 352 pp.

    Google Scholar 

  • Paine, M.D. 1990. Life history tactics of darters (Percidae: Etheostomatiini) and their relationship with body size, reproductive behavior, latitude and rarity. J. Fish Biol. 37: 473–488.

    Google Scholar 

  • Papageorgiou, N.K. 1979. The length weight relationship, age, growth and reproduction of the roach Rutilus rutilus (L.) in Lake Volvi. J. Fish Biol. 14: 529–538.

    Google Scholar 

  • Pianka, E.R. 1970. On r-and K-selection. Amer. Nat. 104: 592–597.

    Google Scholar 

  • Rincón, P.A. & J. Lobón-Cerviá. 1989. Reproductive and growth strategies of the red roach, Rutilus arcasii (Steindachner, 1866), in two contrasting tributaries of the River Duero, Spain. J. Fish Biol. 34: 687–705.

    Google Scholar 

  • Rogers, S.I. 1989. Periodic variations in fecundity and egg size of the common goby, Pomatoschistus microps. J. Mar. Biol. Ass. U.K. 69: 535–543.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sokal, R.R. 1979. Testing statistical significance of geographic variation patterns. Systematic Zoology 28: 227–231.

    Google Scholar 

  • Treasurer, J.W. 1990. The annual reroductive cycle of pike, Esox lucius L., in two Scottish lakes. J. Fish Biol. 36: 29–36.

    Google Scholar 

  • Vargas, M.J. & A. de Sostoa. 1997. Life-history pattern of the Iberian toothcarp Aphanius iberus (Pisces, Cyprinodontidae) from a Mediterranean estuary, the Ebro Delta (Spain). Netherlands J. Zool. 47: 143–160.

    Google Scholar 

  • Vila-Gispert, A. 1996. Estratègies reproductives de les espècies íctiques de les famílies Centrarchidae i Ciprinidae a l'Estany de Banyoles. Ph.D. Thesis, University of Girona, Girona. 289 pp.

    Google Scholar 

  • Vila-Gispert, A. & R. Moreno-Amich. 1998. Periodic abundance and depth distribution of Blennius fluviatilis and introduced Lepomis gibbosus, in Lake Banyoles (Catalonia, Spain). Hydrobiologia 386: 95–101.

    Google Scholar 

  • Vila-Gispert, A. & R. Moreno-Amich. 2000. Fecundity and spawning mode of thrre introduced fish species in Lake Banyoles (Catalunya, Spain) in comparison with other localities. Aquat. Sci. 61: 154–166.

    Google Scholar 

  • Viñolas, D. 1986. Biologia i ecologia de Blennius fluviatilis (Asso, 1801) en el riu Matarranya. Ph.D. Thesis, University of Barcelona, Barcelona. 231 pp.

    Google Scholar 

  • Vøllestad, L.A. & J.H. L'Abée-Lund. 1987. Reproductive biology of stream-spawning roach, Rutilus rutilus. Env. Biol. Fish. 18: 219–227.

    Google Scholar 

  • Vøllestad, L.A. & J.H. L'Abée-Lund. 1990. Geographic variation in life-history strategy of female roach, Rutilus rutilus (L.). J. Fish Biol. 37: 853–864.

    Google Scholar 

  • Winemiller, K.O. 1989. Patterns of variation in life-history among South American fishes in periodic environments. Oecologia 81: 225–241.

    Google Scholar 

  • Winemiller, K.O. & K.A. Rose. 1992. Patterns of lifehistory diversification in North American fishes: implications for population regulation. Can. J. Fish. Aquat. Sci. 49: 2196–2218.

    Google Scholar 

  • Wootton, R.J. 1984. Introduction: strategies and tactics in fish reproduction. pp. 1–12. In: G.W. Poots & R.J. Wootton (ed.) Fish Reproduction: Strategies and Tactics, Academic Press, New York.

    Google Scholar 

  • Wright, R.M. & E.A. Schoesmith. 1988. The reproductive success of pike, Esox lucius: aspects of fecundity, egg density and survival. J. Fish Biol. 33: 623–636.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Aquatic Ecology and Department of Environmental Sciences, University of Girona, Campus de Montilivi, 17071, Girona, Spain

    Anna Vila-Gispert & Ramon Moreno-Amich

Authors
  1. Anna Vila-Gispert
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Ramon Moreno-Amich
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Vila-Gispert, A., Moreno-Amich, R. Life-history Patterns of 25 species from European Freshwater Fish Communities. Environmental Biology of Fishes 65, 387–400 (2002). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1021181022360

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1021181022360

Search

Navigation