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Seeking out appropriate habitat or food resources is one of the key reasons why animals move. Despite the benefits of movement, some individuals in a population remain resident or express alternative movement phenotypes. Movement, however, is energetically costly and can result in resources being diverted away from growth and reproduction. The presence of multiple movement phenotypes within populations suggests that each can have commensurate levels of performance depending on the underlying environmental conditions. Here we explore the context‐dependent costs and benefits of upstream and downstream juvenile dispersal in a large river system. We expect that if the energetic costs of moving (upstream against a current or downstream with a current) exceed any benefits to growth, then residents (who do not move) will have faster growth. Alternatively, movement costs may be offset if individuals move to more favourable environments, resulting in dispersers benefiting with faster growth. We used biological information naturally archived in the otoliths of a potamodromous fish, golden perch Macquaria ambigua, to quantify how movement phenotypes affect growth across individuals exposed to spatiotemporally varying environmental conditions. We found that juvenile growth differed considerably among dispersal phenotypes (resident, upstream, downstream, stocked): in general, surviving wild‐spawned downstream and upstream dispersers and hatchery‐stocked fish all grew faster than individuals that remained resident within their natal reach. Further, juvenile growth was sensitive to local environmental conditions and had carryover effects from an individual's natal‐year. Juvenile growth of all dispersal phenotypes was higher in years with below average natal‐year summer discharge (when fish are ~2–3 months old), likely because of increased concentrations of food resources. In contrast, the effects of natal‐year spring discharge (around the time individuals were spawned) were dependent on dispersal direction, with positive effects for downstream dispersers and upstream dispersers, and negative effects for resident individuals. Our results suggest that an individual's growth can benefit from early‐life movement, although the magnitude of this effect depends on local environmental conditions and the direction travelled. Our study reinforces the importance of heterogeneous and connected riverscapes that foster a diversity of individual growth responses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Variations in the size and shape of the eye have been observed in many species of fish. As eye size is positively related to visual acuity, larger eyes should favour foraging and detection of predators. However, few studies have examined the variation in eye morphology in relation to the complexity of lake conditions, including environmental perturbation and spatial variation in predation and competition. Such tests are especially important as the degrading of the visual climate is expected due to climate change, where browning, turbidity and variations in structural complexity should set different demands for visual acuity of foraging fish under predation risk. In this study, we tested the variation of the eye size among 667 individuals of an aquatic predator perch, Perca fluviatilis, from littoral and pelagic habitats of 14 lakes. We used Secchi depth to assess the effects of the visual climate of our lake systems, as fish foraging is highly related to visual conditions, and studied eye size variation in relation to the contribution of the pelagic resources to an individual's diet and the risk of predation. Secchi depth, the pelagic contribution to the diet and the percentage of piscivores had significant effects on eye size. These variable outcomes suggest that the lake environment in terms of visual climate, predation landscape and diet are major factors of eye size variation in this generalist predator. As many fish species trade off foraging against predation risk, future studies will show whether the complexity of intra‐ and interspecific interactions contribute to the variation in eye size in freshwater fish. Read the free Plain Language Summary for this article on the Journal blog. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The ability of fish to sustain environmental perturbations during fragile early‐life stages can be of vital importance for populations and species facing rapid global environmental change. One of the potential challenges for aquatic organisms, including teleost fish, is rising concentration of dissolved organic carbon (DOC) in freshwater environments, known as brownification, which causes a cascade of changes including a decreased visibility and pH. Conversely, humic substances are increasingly recognised for their potential antimicrobial and immunostimulant properties. The questions remain whether exposure to humic waters high in DOC during the development causes significant perturbation, and to what extent genetic and parental factors may maintain optimal development in such a possibly challenging environment.To address these questions, we generated pure and hybrid (inter‐population) crosses of Eurasian perch (Perca fluviatilis) originating from clear‐water and humic lakes. Fertilised eggs from each cross were exposed to natural humic and clear‐water lake water. Intra‐chorionic space diameter (embryo diameter) and hatching success were recorded.Perch embryos successfully developed even in a small volume of water (5 mL) and majority hatched (70%) by 13 day post‐fertilisation. Embryo diameter was influenced by the interaction between cross type and treatment where embryos with maternal clear‐water origin were smaller than embryos of humic water origin in both clear‐water and humic water treatments. The probability of hatching was not related to female size, but rather to embryo diameter at the eyed stage and the interaction between cross type and treatment, resulting in pure clear‐water crosses hatching earlier and at higher numbers.Our study shows that effects of humic water are not uniformally negative in perch and discloses population‐dependent responses to humic water exposure during development. Our experimental design also illustrates the utility of multi‐well plates for conducting complex high‐throughput experiments beyond traditional model species and opens new possibilities for testing perch genotype–environment associations in early‐life traits.Taken together, results of this study add to the growing evidence that humic substances may have complex effects on fish during early life, motivating further investigations on their role in shaping natural phenotypes and potential use in the applied sector. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Whether foraging sunbird pollinators hover or perch, the type of perch used, and the direction of flower probing are generally thought to be determined by matching shapes of decurved bird bills and curved flower tubes, as well as inflorescence architecture. However, few studies have objectively quantified aspects of sunbird foraging behaviour to test predictions based on adaptive trait matching. I investigated sunbird foraging in a population of Pelargonium fulgidum, a species with slightly upcurved flowers borne on upward-oriented peduncles, which grows along the west coast of South Africa. Long-range photographs revealed that Cinyris chalybeus, a sunbird species with a slightly decurved bill, hovers or perches during foraging, and uses both the inflorescence and alternative vegetation structures as perch. Contrary to previous suggestions, both male and female sunbirds probe flowers from either of two alternative directions (sternotribic versus nototribic) in more or less equal proportions, and frequently display flexibility in both foraging behaviour and flower probing direction. Predominant or complete sternotribic and nototribic flower probing were explained by hovering versus use of an inflorescence perch respectively, whereas use of an alternative perch resulted in similar proportions of each mode of flower probing. The number of flowers per visited inflorescence and number and proportion of probed flowers did not vary with foraging behaviour or flower probing direction. Although certain foraging behaviours resulted in predictable flower probing directions, variation in foraging behaviour and the presence of many alternative perches provided by vegetation surrounding P. fulgidum plants resulted in variability in flower probing direction that appears not to affect foraging efficiency. Relatively weak reciprocal curvature of flower tube and sunbird bill, resulting in easy access to nectar from multiple feeding directions, likely facilitates flexible foraging. This study shows that environmental context may facilitate more complex foraging behaviour than that predicted by adaptive trait matching. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Animal personalities are differences in behaviour among individuals of the same species that are consistent over time and contexts. The integration of animal personality into conservation actions is hampered by limited understanding of personality traits in non‐model organisms. We estimated repeatabilities and correlations between behaviours in Nannoperca vittata (western pygmy perch), a threatened freshwater fish species endemic to south‐western Australia, and, for comparative purposes, in Poecilia reticulata (guppy), a species frequently used in personality research. Each fish was measured four times for each of seven behavioural variables, presumed to reflect five underlying personality traits. Track length (TL) was used as a measure of activity; time spent in a risky zone (RZ) and time to emergence (ET) for boldness; latency to approach a novel object (LA) and time spent close to the object (TS) for exploration; time spent close to a mirror (CV) for sociability and number of attacks at the mirror (AT) for aggression. Four behavioural variables (TL, RZ, ET and CV) were significantly repeatable in N. vittata and also in P. reticulata. There was a lack of concordance in phenotypic and among‐individual correlations between variables in both species, emphasising the importance of partitioning trait covariances to infer behavioural syndromes. Significant among‐individual correlations were found between activity, boldness and sociability variables in N. vittata, consistent with a proactive‐reactive personality axis, but not in P. reticulata. Personality variation should be considered in conservation actions for N. vittata, particularly with respect to unintended consequences of domestication selection in captive breeding and release. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The presence of microplastics (MP) in the organs of five fish species caught in the freshwater reservoirs of northern Poland was evaluated. Gills, liver, and digestive tracts of several commercial fish species such as common perch, silver Prussian carp, roach, and rainbow trout were tested to assess MP uptake due to their high population size as well as they play significant role as biomonitors. Since the mentioned species are gladly consumed they can be considered as a source of MP for humans. MP items were identified in all fish species. The highest contribution of MP was observed in predatory fish such as rainbow trout and perch. None of the correlations between MP abundance and fish body size. The number of items per individual fish ranged from 1 to 12, with an average of 1.78. Among the investigated MP shapes two types were found: fibers (56 %) and particles (44 %). MP were observed in different organs, such as the gills (50 %), liver (11 %), and digestive tract (39 %). The most dominant color observed was blue (58 %). The dominant size range was 1–5 mm (42 %), and 0.1–0.5 mm (42 %) respectively. The FT-IR characterization revealed the presence of polymers predominantly containing polyethylene, polypropylene, polyacrylic acid, cellophane, and polystyrene. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As one of the world's most regulated river basins, the semi-arid Murray–Darling Basin (MDB) in south-eastern Australia is considered at high ecological risk, with substantial declines in native fish populations already identified and climate change threats looming. This places great importance on the collection and use of data to document population trends over large spatial extents, inform management decisions, and provide baselines from which change can be measured. We used two medium-term data sets (10 MDB basin-wide fish surveys from 2004–2022) covering the 23 catchments and 68 sub-catchments of the MDB to investigate trends in the distribution of common riverine species at the entire basin scale. Fifteen native species were analysed for changes in their contemporary range, and whilst short-term changes were identified, all species showed no significant continuous trend over the study period. We further analysed the native species extent relative to their historic records, with bony herring and golden perch occurring in 78% and 68% of their historic river kilometres, respectively, whereas southern pygmy perch, northern river blackfish, silver perch, mountain galaxias, and freshwater catfish were all estimated to occur in less than 10% of their historic extent. Six established non-native species were also analysed and were very consistent in extent over the years, suggesting that they are near the available limits of expansion of their invasion. We provide effect sizes for the spatial extent index which can be used as baselines for future studies, especially those aiming to monitor changes in the spatial extent and population status of native species, or changes in the spatial extent of new or existing non-native species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Growth is one of the most direct and common ways fish respond to climate change, as fish growth is intimately linked to the temperature of the environment. Observational studies on the effect of shifts in temperature on fish growth are scarce for freshwater fish, and particularly lacking for lake populations. Here, changes in growth rate of bream (Abramis brama), perch (Perca fluviatilis), pikeperch (Sander lucioperca), and roach (Rutilus rutilus) over three decades were studied and compared with changes in temperature in the two largest lakes of western Europe: Lake IJsselmeer and Lake Markermeer in the Netherlands. In the autumnal survey catches of bream, perch, and roach, the mean length of YOY increased significantly between 1992 and 2021 in both lakes, but for YOY pikeperch, no temporal changes were found. In a length‐stratified dataset of age groups of bream, roach, and perch, the relationship between length and age differed significantly between time periods. In the more recent time periods, indications for higher growth rates across multiple ages were found. Temperature during the growth season increased in the same decades and showed significant correlations with the YOY mean length, for bream, perch, and roach in both lakes, and for pikeperch in Lake Markermeer. These results point toward consistent temperature‐induced increases in growth over the age groups for bream, roach, and perch. These increases were found despite the simultaneous process of de‐eutrophication in this water system and its potential negative effect on food production. For pikeperch, it is hypothesized that the absence of temporal increase in YOY growth rate is related to its necessary switch to piscivory and subsequent food limitation; the lower thermal range of its main prey smelt, Osmerus eperlanus, is hypothesized to have inhibited food availability for YOY pikeperch and its opportunity to achieve higher growth rates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two forms of gigantism are differentiated in fish, Brobdingnagian and Goliathan gigantism, the former applying to populations whose individuals are all larger than is typical for the taxon, the latter to single individuals within a population. While Brobdingnagian gigantism is largely explained by various ecological and evolutionary rules, Goliathan gigantism is not. A mechanistic hypothesis is proposed which explains Goliathan gigantism in terms of the reduction of oxygen requirements of individual fish via moving to cooler temperatures and/or acquiring larger, more energy‐dense prey, which enable them to get bigger, and, in the process, sometimes generate bimodal size distributions that may qualify as gradual forms between Goliathan and Brobdingnagian gigantism. This mechanism, which relies on the manner in which their gill surface area grows, is more likely to operate in fish that can get big in the first place than in fish that remain small. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The loss of biodiversity and biotic homogenization are on the rise in ecosystems around the world as a result of species invasions, habitat degradation, and the effects of climate change. In the Sacramento–San Joaquin Delta, nonnative species make up the majority of the fish community, and declines in native species have been well documented; however, little is known about whether these trends have resulted in biotic homogenization. In this study, we used data from a long-term beach seine survey to analyze regional beta diversity trends of nearshore fish assemblages in the Delta from 1995 to 2019. Overall, we found no evidence of regional biotic homogenization occurring over the study period. Regional beta diversity increased moderately over time and was significantly influenced by the high interannual variability of freshwater inflow. These beta diversity patterns were driven by the non-native Mississippi Silverside that has proliferated in the system in recent years, but also by a handful of native fish species such as the Sacramento Sucker, Tule Perch, and Splittail. Overall, our results offer a contrast to other highly invaded ecosystems around the world and suggest that despite the near extinction of some native fish species, there remain pockets of suitable habitat in the Delta that may play a key role in the conservation of remnant native fish diversity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Day and nighttime autumn fish abundance and biomass were studied in the pelagic and littoral zones of Lake Sauka in Latvia. Both pelagic methods (hydroacoustics and trawling) revealed significantly higher fish abundance and biomass during the day than at night, especially in deeper zones (below 3 m). Roach (Rutilus rutilus) and Eurasian perch (Perca fluviatilis) dominated the trawl catches during the day, while roach and ruffe dominated at night. Fish smaller than 14 cm strongly dominated in both the trawl catches and hydroacoustic observations. Our hydroacoustic sampling found inhomogeneous pelagic distributions of fish aggregated in big shoals during the day. In the littoral zone, which was sampled by beach seining, both the abundance and biomass were significantly higher at night than during the day. Roach, bleak, and European perch usually dominated in beach seine catches during the day and at night. The daytime pelagic biomass found by hydroacoustics was 62 kg/ha and it decreased to approximately 11 kg/ha at night. The littoral biomass found by beach seining was diurnally opposite, 4 kg/ha during the day and 37 kg/ha at night. It is obvious that diurnal horizontal migrations between pelagic and littoral zones, and shoaling behavior during the daytime are common patterns in the shallow Lake Sauka during the autumn. The study of the spatial distribution of fish is extremely important for the establishment of an appropriate monitoring plan for the purposes of the Water Framework Directive with regard to the morphometry of the lake, the geographical location, and the sampling period of the year. This study also shows that the combination of completely non‐invasive hydroacoustic and other methods that are invasive (trawls, beach seines) but not as destructive as gillnets, which are normally used for scientific fish monitoring in Europe, could be a future way forward for fish monitoring. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: Biotic interchanges between Africa, India, and Eurasia are central to explaining the present‐day distribution and diversity of freshwater organisms across these landmasses. Synbranchiformes is a diverse and species‐rich clade of freshwater acanthomorph fishes found on all southern continents except Antarctica, and include eel‐ and perch‐like, air‐breathing and non‐air‐breathing fishes. Lacking a comprehensive and resolved phylogeny of the entire clade, contemporary interpretations of synbranchiform biogeography invoke scenarios as disparate as Gondwanan vicariance and pan‐global rafting to explain their modern‐day distribution. Here, we study their biogeographic history of continental dispersal events and test whether these are associated with increases in lineage diversification. Location: Asia, India, Africa freshwater habitats. Taxon: Synbranchiformes (gouramis, snakeheads, swamp eels, and relatives). Methods: We used nearly 1000 ultra‐conserved elements (UCEs) and Sanger‐sequenced genes to infer a phylogeny with representatives of all major synbranchiform lineages and nearly two‐thirds of its known species diversity. Incorporating fossil calibrations, we inferred a time‐calibrated phylogeny to which we apply Bayesian methods of ancestral area reconstruction and test for diversification rate shifts. Results: Analyses of UCE data provide a resolved phylogeny for major synbranchiform lineages. Divergence times support a most recent common ancestor of the entire clade approximately 79.2 million years ago. We infer significant increases in lineage diversification in both the spiny eels (Mastacembelidae) and the genus Betta (Osphronemidae). Main Conclusions: Our results reject the hypothesis of Gondwanan vicariance explaining synbranchiform biogeography. Instead, our analyses reconstruct a southeast Asian origin of the entire clade and independent dispersal events to other continents by snakeheads, anabantids, and spiny eels, with no signal of elevated lineage diversification occurring after these invasions. Higher lineage diversification rates in spiny eels pre‐date their arrival to Africa, while the high diversification rates observed in Betta were initiated prior to the flooding of insular Sundaland in southeast Asia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We conducted an acoustic telemetry study of native golden perch (Macquaria ambigua) to examine movement behaviour in areas affected by methane seeps and hypoxia in the intermittent Condamine River, Murray‐Darling Basin (MDB), Australia.Fish were collected during periods of no flow and hypoxia (dissolved oxygen [DO] <1 mg/L). Despite these conditions, 38 of 43 fish tagged with acoustic transmitters were detected for >3 months post‐tagging in the study reach and 27 fish were being detected after 14 months. During periods of elevated river flow and relatively high DO, 30 fish moved away from their original tagging locations, with three undertaking movements (>7 km) outside the study reach and not returning.Generalised additive mixed models showed a significant increase in the probability of movement as soon as flow commenced and when water temperatures exceeded 19°C. As flows receded, most fish that had moved exhibited accurate homing behaviour to their original tagging location.The patterns of movement and site fidelity exhibited by golden perch correspond with previous studies of the species in intermittent rivers not affected by methane seeps and severe hypoxia, suggesting that the methane seeps and hypoxia did not inhibit fish movement nor render the affected habitats unsuitable for habitation.Golden perch can survive and remain active in water with much lower DO (<1 mg/L) than previously described for large‐bodied native fishes in the MDB. However, fish condition in the study reach was slightly lower than other regions of the MDB, providing preliminary evidence that fish residing in habitats affected by chronic hypoxia and methane seepage may experience sub‐lethal stress.Our results demonstrate the importance of field‐based data on the behavioural and physiological responses of fish to chronic hypoxia and methane exposure to guide appropriate management responses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Non-neoplastic thyroid hyperplasia is common in terrestrial animals, secondary to nutritional imbalances or other goitrogenic compounds. Thyroid hyperplasia is relatively common in teleost fish; however, malignant thyroid neoplasia is rarely reported. We diagnosed cases of thyroid neoplasia in a population of jade perch (Scortum barcoo). The 3,000 affected fish had grossly apparent, bilateral pharyngeal swellings. Histologic examination confirmed proliferative thyroid lesions ranging from hyperplasia to well-differentiated follicular cell carcinoma. In addition, the younger population of animals on the farm also had bacterial septicemia and mild Dactylogyrus sp. gill infections. Feed analysis revealed a severe deficiency of iodine and vitamin C in the homemade fish diet used on the farm. The concentrations of other minerals, such as zinc, were also on the lower end of the recommended requirements for freshwater fish. The farm was using surface water in its recirculating aquaculture system. We recommended a switch to a commercial aquaculture diet, as well as to use well water rather than surface water to avoid any contaminants, and to treat the younger fish with an antibiotic for bacterial septicemia. Our case provides evidence of progression from nutritional-associated thyroid hyperplasia to neoplasia in farmed teleost fish. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Widespread persistent contaminants are a global environmental problem. In the Baltic Sea, wildlife contamination was first noticed in the 1960s, prompting the Swedish Environmental Protection Agency to establish a comprehensive Swedish National Monitoring Programme for Contaminants in Marine Biota (MCoM) in 1978 run by the Swedish Museum of Natural History. Eight species have been analysed, four fish species (Atlantic herring, Atlantic cod, European perch, viviparous eelpout), one bivalve species (blue mussel), and egg from three bird species (common guillemot, common tern, Eurasian oystercatcher). Here, we present a dataset containing MCoM data from its start until 2021. It includes 36 sets of time-series, each analysed for more than 100 contaminants. The longest time-series is for common guillemot and starts in 1968. We describe the structure of MCoM including historic changes to the number of stations, sample treatment, analytical methods, instruments, and laboratories. The MCoM data is available at the Bolin Centre repository and on GitHub through our R package mcomDb. The latter will be updated yearly with new MCoM records. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The St. Lawrence River is an important North American waterway that is subject to anthropogenic pressures including intensive urbanization, and agricultural development. Pesticides are widely used for agricultural activities in fields surrounding the yellow perch (Perca flavescens) habitat in Lake St. Pierre (Quebec, Canada), a fluvial lake of the river where the perch population has collapsed. Clothianidin and chlorantraniliprole were two of the most detected insecticides in surface waters near perch spawning areas. The objectives of the present study were to evaluate the transcriptional and biochemical effects of these two pesticides on juvenile yellow perch exposed for 28d to environmental doses of each compound alone and in a mixture under laboratory/aquaria conditions. Hepatic mRNA-sequencing revealed an effect of chlorantraniliprole alone (37 genes) and combined with clothianidin (251 genes), but no effects of clothianidin alone were observed in perch. Dysregulated genes were mostly related to circadian rhythms and to Ca2+ signaling, the latter effect has been previously associated with chlorantraniliprole mode of action in insects. Moreover, chronic exposure to clothianidin increased the activity of acetylcholinesterase in the brain of exposed fish, suggesting a potential non-target effect of this insecticide. Further analyses of three clock genes by qRT-PCR suggested that part of the observed effects of chlorantraniliprole on the circadian gene regulation of juvenile perch could be the result of time-of-day of sacrifice. These results provide insight into biological effects of insecticides in juvenile perch and highlight the importance of considering the circadian rhythm in experimental design and results analyses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is well established that non‐native fish can become invasive and outcompete and displace native fish populations. However, little research has explored the potential benefits that non‐native fish may provide to native fish populations. To address this information gap, we examined how the availability of non‐native perch (Perca fluviatilis) as prey could benefit populations of the endemic longfin eel (Anguilla dieffenbachii) and the native shortfin eel (Anguilla australis) in two neighbouring open‐water wetlands in the Rakatu‐Redcliff wetland complex in the Southland region of Aotearoa New Zealand. The Redcliff wetland fish community comprised native fish only, while the Rakatu wetland comprised native fish and non‐native perch. We compared the size, condition, population density, population size structure and diet of eels in these wetlands. While eels were not necessarily larger or better conditioned in Rakatu wetland, their population density was three times higher than the Redcliff wetland, with young‐of‐the‐year perch comprising ca. 40% of their diet. Furthermore, juvenile eel density was four times lower in Redcliff wetland, suggesting that cannibalism may occur at this site to support the existing eel population. Based on our findings, we suggest that freshwater managers consider the predator–prey dynamics of both native and non‐native fish before removing non‐native species, to avoid unintended negative consequences for native predatory fish species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The phenomenon of sexual dimorphism in climbing perch, which shows that female fish grow faster than males, underlies the development of mono-sex culture. Female mono-sex culture is more applicable for farmers by crossing neo-male fish with normal females. The timing of sexual differentiation in climbing perch is still unknown. It is very useful in sex reversal procedures to produce neo-male climbing perch. This study revealed the time and status of climbing perch sexual differentiation. Ten samples of climbing perch from the spawning of five pairs of parents were taken from the nursery pond at 10–29 days post-hatching (dph). Samples were prepared through a histology preparation procedure. Observations of the structure and characteristics of the gonads were carried out using a light microscope and analyzed histologically. The results indicated that gonad samples aged 10, 11, 12, 13, 15, and 16 dph showed primordial germ cells surrounded by somatic tissue forming genital ridges and mitotic division. Meanwhile, the gonads begin to differentiate as ovaries found at 18 dph with the presence of oogonia and ovarian cavities. Gonads aged 20–21 dph increasingly showed single oogonia cells (size 20–37.5 µm), germ cell cysts, genital ridges, oocytes undergoing the vitellogenesis process, perinucleolar oocytes, and the formation of the ovarian cavity. Sex differentiation of climbing perch was predicted from 18–21 dph. This conclusion underlies that the sex reversal procedure in climbing perch must be carried out before 18 dph. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We have studied the regularities that determine the preservation and/or change in statistically significant differences when switching from comparing the average values of plastic traits of juvenile fish to comparing the average values of their indices. An algorithm for evaluating the factors determining the variability of plastic traits and their indices in allometry has been proposed. We identified and parametrized three cases of variability: (a) statistically significant differences are absent between the values of plastic traits and their indices, (b) significant differences disappear when switching from comparing features to comparing their indices, and (c) significant differences in both cases remain. Case (b) is associated with different initial length of juveniles and different hatching time; case (c) is determined by different growth rates in the compared groups. The approach was tested on the selection of fingerlings of the Perca fluviatilus L. perch from two water bodies of the Staritsky district of Tver oblast. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Understanding the impact of anthropogenic threats, such as light pollution, on biodiversity is necessary to establish effective guidelines to protect diminishing wildlife. In this study, we examined the effect of artificial light at night (ALAN) on the roosting behaviour of Chimney Swifts Chaetura pelagica, a highly threatened migratory bird species that lives commensally with humans, where it often breeds and roosts in artificial structures such as chimneys. Although Chimney Swifts are known to use time of sunset in combination with temperature, wind and season to coordinate roost entry, we predicted that high ALAN exposure would override these natural cues and lead to a delayed entry compared with sites with less light pollution. To test this, we examined the effects of ALAN on the start and end times of entry to 21 roosting sites located along a light pollution gradient in New Jersey and the New York Metropolitan area. We found that ALAN was a significant predictor of roosting entry time, with birds entering later in sites with more light pollution. While Chimney Swifts initiated roosting earlier in the summer months compared with the autumn, this effect was absent in areas with high light pollution. These findings highlight the need to determine the causes and consequences of light pollution effects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We investigated 14 antibiotic residues in 8 marketed freshwater fish species from southeast China and estimated the associated health risks to local consumers. The antibiotic residues were determined by UPLC-MS/MS. Our findings revealed widespread distribution of quinolones (QNs), tetracyclines (TCs), and chloramphenicols (CAPs) in the freshwater fish. Notably, the average concentrations of enrofloxacin and ciprofloxacin reached levels as high as 62.5 μg/kg wet weight (ww) and 11.7 μg/kg ww, respectively, and detection frequencies were 68.7% for enrofloxacin and 31.6% for ciprofloxacin. Additionally, we detected chloramphenicol, a prohibited antibiotic, in samples with a detection frequency of 0.76%. Among the fish species, the mean concentration of total antibiotic residues was highest in bluntnose black bream (263.3 μg/kg), followed by English perch (52.4 μg/kg), crucian carp (46.3 μg/kg), black carp (28.6 μg/kg), yellowcheek carp (21.0 μg/kg), grass carp (15.3 μg/kg), bighead carp (3.78 μg/kg), and mandarin fish (3.69 μg/kg). We estimated the daily intake values of these antibiotic residues which were lower than the acceptable daily intake values and hazard indexes were much less than 1. It indicates that there is very low direct health risk to consumers. Despite that, investigation on the chronic impact, such as antibiotic-resistant bacteria, gut microbiota disruption, and allergic reactions, is urgently needed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fish communities of streams and rivers might be substantially subsidized by terrestrial insects that fall into the water. Although such animal‐mediated fluxes are increasingly recognized, little is known about how anthropogenic perturbations may influence the strength of such exchanges. Intense land use, such as lignite mining, may impact a river ecosystem due to the flocculation of iron (III) oxides, thus altering food web dynamics. We compared sections of the Spree River in North‐East Germany that were greatly influenced by iron oxides with sections located downstream of a dam where passive remediation technologies are applied. Compared to locations downstream of the dam, the abundance of benthic macroinvertebrates at locations of high iron concentrations upstream of the dam was significantly reduced. Similarly, catch per unit effort of all fish was significantly higher in locations downstream of the dam compared to locations upstream of the dam, and the condition of juvenile and adult piscivorous pike Esox lucius was significantly lower in sections of high iron concentrations. Using an estimate of short‐term (i.e., metabarcoding of the gut content) as well as longer‐term (i.e., hydrogen stable isotopes) resource use, we could demonstrate that the three most abundant fish species, perch Perca fluviatilis, roach Rutilus rutilus, and bleak Alburnus alburnus, received higher contributions of terrestrial insects to their diet at locations of high iron concentration. In summary, lotic food webs upstream and downstream of the dam greatly differed in the overall structure with respect to the energy available for the highest tropic levels and the contribution of terrestrial insects to the diet of omnivorous fish. Therefore, human‐induced environmental perturbations, such as river damming and mining activities, represent strong pressures that can alter the flow of energy between aquatic and terrestrial systems, indicating a broad impact on the landscape level. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

One of the negative impacts of non-native invasive species on trophic interactions in an invaded ecosystem occurs via increased interspecific competition for food resources between the invader and local species of the same food niche. In freshwaters, there are usually several fish species that feed on similar food resources. Ponto-Caspian gobies are amongst the most successful and widespread invaders colonising European waterways. They have a wide food niche and an opportunistic feeding strategy, with a focus on benthic invertebrates and piscivory occurring occasionally mainly in the case of large individuals. Competition with native percids for food resources is predicted on the basis of high dietary overlap. However, studies published so far provide no unequivocal answer. In order to resolve this question, we conducted a comparative taxonomic analysis of gut content, with an emphasis on chironomids and amphipods, of the invasive monkey goby (Neogobius fluviatilis), racer goby (Babka gymnotrachelus) and the native Eurasian perch (Perca fluviatilis) occurring sympatrically in a large lowland European river, the Bug River in Poland. We found that each species forages in slightly different habitats, as indicated by the different composition of prey species in the gut content. This suggests feeding niche partitioning between the studied species facilitating their co-existence and reduction or avoidance of competition for food resources. Resource partitioning regarding prey types and foraging habitats is a mechanism for permitting the co-existence of closely-related alien gobies with similar food preferences in the invaded waters and co-occurrence with local species. This mechanism can contribute to their invasion success, as observed in European waters during the recent decades. We also demonstrate that precise prey identification to the lowest possible taxon is crucial to reveal the dietary overlap between co-occurring fish species and to predict the impact of alien invaders on native species through interspecific competition, as well as to recommend such an approach in studies upon fish foraging strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present work is the first comprehensive study of fungus‐like stramenopilous organisms (Oomycota) diversity in Lithuanian fish farms aimed at proper identification of saprolegniasis pathogens, which is important for water quality control, monitoring infection levels and choosing more effective treatments for this disease in aquaculture. Pathogenic to fish, Saprolegnia and other potentially pathogenic water moulds were isolated from adult fish, their eggs, fry and from water samples. All detected isolates were examined morphologically and confirmed by sequence‐based molecular methods. A total of eight species belonging to the genera Saprolegnia, Achlya, Newbya and Pythium were identified. Four species (S. parasitica, S. ferax, S. australis and S. diclina) were found to be the main causative agents of saprolegniasis in Lithuania. S. parasitica and S. ferax dominated both in hatcheries and open fishponds, accounting for 66.2% of all isolates. S. parasitica was isolated from all farmed salmonid fish species as well as from the skin of Cyprinus carpio, Carassius carassius and Perca fluviatilis. S. australis was isolated from water and once from the skin of Oncorhynchus mykiss, and S. diclina was detected only once on the skin of Salmo salar fish. In addition, Achlya ambisexualis, Saprolegnia anisospora and Newbia oligocantha isolated during this study are noted as a possible source of saprolegniasis. The results of this study are relevant for assessing the risk of potential outbreaks of saprolegniasis or other saprolegnia‐like infection in Lithuanian freshwater aquaculture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A helminthological survey of three fish species (Perca fluviatilis, Stizostedion lucioperca and Esox lucius) from the lower section of the Dniprovske Reservoir (also known as Zaporizhzhia) revealed the presence of the dioctophymatid nematode Eustrongylides excisus (third stage larvae). The study was conducted in 2020 and 2021. It was found that the total prevalence of infection was more than 40%. The nematode was found in the liver, abdomen and muscles. Significant tissue lesions were observed in some fish specimens. They were visually accompanied by mechanical damage, oedema and inflammation. The intensity of infection in P. fluviatilis and S. lucioperca was 14.18 ± 0.81 and 12.69 ± 0.73, respectively. In turn, the intensity of infection in E. lucius had the lowest value 2.40 ± 0.41. The abdomen and muscles of P. fluviatilis and S. lucioperca were affected more than the liver. No statistically significant differences were found between the intensity of infection of the abdomen and muscles in P. fluviatilis. Furthermore, the musculature of S. lucioperca was more heavily infected than the abdomen. In E. lucius, nematodes were found only in the abdominal cavity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Basic information on the ecology and behaviour of many aquatic insects is lacking because of the absence of studies. Here, we investigated whether demographic aspects such as survival, sex ratio, and population size are different between sexes and individuals of different ages of Teinopodagrion oscillans, a damselfly species endemic to the Andean region, living in a protected area. We also recorded the behaviour of this species and the area frequented by the adults near the water. Survival, recapture, and lifespan (14.1 ± 0.59 days) were similar for both sexes and all age groups. Mature males were larger, while the distance from the water where animals perched was similar for all individuals. Weather variations affected the demography of this population in a significant way. Individuals perch on any available support (≤0.1–12 m high) and show high fidelity to their perch site, with mature males making short flights from the perch to intercept other individuals and to hunt prey. The tandem position was formed on macrophytes, and females lay eggs by submersion of their abdomen. Our results provide crucial information for short- and long-term conservation decisions of the biodiversity in ecosystems of the Andean region. The demography and behaviour of Teinopodagrion oscillans was studied in a protected area in the Andean region of Colombia. Adult damselflies were individually marked, and using their recapture histories, we estimated survival, longevity, sex ratio, and population size using Cormack-Jolly-Seber models. Other aspects of their behaviour were recorded. Survival, recapture, and lifespan (14.1 ± 0.59 days) were similar for both sexes and all age groups. Mature males were larger, and the distance from the water was similar for all individuals. The most supported model was the time-dependent model for survival and recapture. This suggests that weather variations affect the demography of this population in a significant way. Individuals exhibited high fidelity to their site perch, perching with open wings near water on a variety of perches. Mature males make short flights from the perch to intercept conspecific and interspecific males and to hunt prey. The tandem position was formed on macrophytes, and then the pair flew away. Oviposition lasted for 11.23 min on average, with the females ovipositing by abdomen submersion. Our results offer insights into the demographic characteristics and behaviour of this species, providing crucial information for the short- and long-term, from the demography of one species to the conservation of ecosystems of the Andean region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The size and shape variability of three bones of river perch from two adjacent reservoirs in the upper reaches of the Techa River (the Southern Urals, Russia), the Techa storage reservoir cascade of liquid radioactive technogenic wastes (contaminated for over 50 years), and Lake Irtyash (control) has been studied using geometric morphometrics methods. Perch bones in adjacent populations differ in shape; however, they are similar in growth rates. The range of sex variability of the bone shape is on average 5.4 times less than the intergroup differences of the perch population. With age, the frontal bone growth rates slow down, the praeoperculum growth rates do not change, and the cleithrum increases. Sexual dimorphism in bone sizes of older fish and a low level of sex differences in the shape of the frontal bone and praeoperculum in the Techa cascade population has been revealed. These data characterize a high degree of phenotypic plasticity of the perch and adaptive restructuring of its morphogenesis associated with the local environment of technogenic reservoirs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The trophic niche of aquatic generalist predators is influenced by ontogeny, habitat characteristics, availability and type of prey, and competitive interactions. Many interrelated lake characteristics influence the availability of prey and may thereby impact foraging niches and the trajectory of ontogenetic niche shifts. Our work uses Eurasian perch (Perca fluviatilis) as a model species to examine the correlation of multiple lake and fish community characteristics with the size‐dependency of perch populations' realised trophic niche. We used carbon and nitrogen stable isotopes to correlate the changes in perch trophic position across a gradient of total lengths in seven gravel pit lakes that differed in lake morphology, habitat heterogeneity, productivity, structural complexity, and fish community composition. Perch populations in lakes with more shallow‐water habitat reached a higher trophic position at smaller sizes than perch in deeper lakes. However, the changes in trophic position with increasing size were less pronounced compared to perch from deeper lakes. Large individuals from the latter perch populations ultimately achieved higher mean trophic positions compared to fish from shallow lakes. Perch in lakes with more shallow‐water habitat may, therefore, achieve lower rates of piscivory because of higher relative availability of macroinvertebrates or greater competition with zooplanktivores. Our results suggest that large, piscivorous perch are more likely to develop in deeper lakes, and that these changes in perch trophic position across ontogeny are more strongly related to the depth of lakes than to the type of structured habitat in the littoral zone. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In an experimental assessment of the stamina of fish the perch was shown to be almost twice as strong as the roach in terms of swimming power. In the early stages, interspecific differences are weakly expressed, but, with an increase in body size and weight, differentiation increases significantly. The rapid growth rate of burst swimming speed of the perch provides the ability to feed on more mobile objects. With age, the diet of fish is diverged to a large extent, roach feeding mainly on sedentary animals and plant food compared to perch almost completely switching to feeding on fish and benthic invertebrates. This allows for the potential competitive tensions in the cohabiting species to be reduced. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) are critical for reproduction and thermal adaptation. Year-round variability in the expression of fads2 (fatty acid desaturase 2) in the liver of European perch (Perca fluviatilis) in a boreal lake was tested in relation to individual variation in size, sex, and maturity, together with stable isotopes values as well as fatty acids (FA) content in different tissues and prey items. ARA and DHA primary production was restricted to the summer months, however, perch required larger amounts of these PUFA during winter, as their ARA and DHA muscle content was higher compared to summer. The expression of fads2 in perch liver increased during winter and was higher in mature females. Mature females stored DHA in their gonads already in late summer and autumn, long before the upcoming spring spawning period in May. Lower δ13CDHA values in the gonads in September suggest that these females actively synthesized DHA as part of this reproductive investment. Lower δ13CARA values in the liver of all individuals during winter suggest that perch were synthesizing essential FA to help cope with over-wintering conditions. Perch seem able to modulate its biosynthesis of physiologically required PUFA in situations of stress (fasting or cold temperatures) or in situations of high energetic demand (gonadal development). Biosynthesis of physiologically required PUFA may be an important part of survival and reproduction in aquatic food webs with long cold periods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Globally, fish are frequently introduced beyond their native range. Some, like Ponto-Caspian gobies, are becoming invasive, achieving high colonization rates and constituting frequent prey for native predators. However, little is known about the effectiveness of antipredator behaviors of the invaders, which may shape their role in the invaded community and contribute to the invasion success. We compared antipredator behaviors of invasive gobies and native fish species after their detection by the predator, when the danger becomes direct. We studied 2 fish pairs, each consisting of an invasive and native species co-occurring in the environment and belonging to the same prey guild: (1) the racer goby Babka gymnotrachelus versus European bullhead Cottus gobio , (2) the monkey goby Neogobius fluviatilis versus gudgeon Gobio gobio , facing a naïve predator (the Eurasian perch Perca fluviatilis). We analyzed behaviors of single prey individuals (escaping, staying in shelter, and activity) and single predators (activity, searching, following, capturing, and latency to prey consumption). In the predator presence, the bullhead was less active and more often managed to escape after capture than the racer goby. The gudgeon escaped before the capture more often than the monkey goby. The predator succeeded later with the bullhead compared to racer goby, whereas no differences in ingestion time occurred between the gudgeon and monkey goby. The results suggest that, in terms of hunting effort of native predators, the invasive gobies are equivalent to or more profitable prey than their native analogs, which can facilitate the integration of the gobies into local food webs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses a harmful wildlife tourism practice observed at Lake Naivasha in Kenya, where African Fish-Eagles are artificially fed fish stuffed with polystyrene during boat tours, posing a risk of poisoning and environmental pollution. Topics include the negative impact of artificial feeding on wildlife health, the potential consequences of polystyrene ingestion, and the need for research, education, and intervention to address such malpractices in wildlife tourism.

Climbing perch Anabas testudineus is a freshwater fish that has economic value and has been cultivated in Indonesia. However, the fish farmers face problems with high-quality larvae supply because the breeding technology for this species is not well developed. Sperm and oocyte storage technology is important information in fish breeding. Therefore, this research aims to determine the best storage temperature using the dry storage method. Six levels of storage temperatures were tested in this study, namely: 29°C (room temperature as a control), 8°C, 4°C, 0°C, - 4°C, and -8°C. The oocytes are stored at the treatment temperature for 120 minutes, where every 30 minutes the quality of the oocytes is analyzed based on fertilization and hatchability parameters. The results showed that storage temperature had a significant effect on fertility (P<0.05) but had no significant effect on hatchability or the normality of larvae (P>0.05). The highest percentage of fertility was obtained in treatment B (8°C) at 30 minutes, with a value of 50.33%; this value was significantly different with other treatments. The highest hatchability percentage value was also obtained in treatment B (8°C) at 30 minutes, with a value of 12%. This value was significantly different in treatments E (-4°C) and F (-8°C), but not significantly different with treatments A (29°C), C (4°C), and D (0°C) (P > 0.05). The direct observations on the normality of the hatched larvae showed that all larvae had a normal morphology. In general, fertility and hatchability rate decrease with decreasing temperatures. Therefore, it is concluded that climbing perch fish eggs stored using the dry method can only be stored for less than 30 minutes, where the recommended temperature was 8°C. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study was to perform a morphometric analysis of Prussian carp individuals collected from the Moara Domnească pond in Ilfov County, Romania. This was accompanied by a physico-chemical characterization of the water, which was sampled from the same location. Consequently, we analyzed a total of 60 Prussian carp individuals that were caught in April (N = 32) and May 2023 (N = 28). For the Carassius gibelio in the study site, we provided, for the first time, data on the weight–length relationships (WLRs), the Fulton K condition factor and the biometric features, including the total length (TL), standard length (SL), head length (HL), snout length (SNL), body depth (BD), girth and ratios for the TL/HL, as well for the TL/BD and TL/SL. A negative growth type was estimated for both the samples of C. gibelio. Based on other studies and fishing reports, besides C. gibelio, there are another 11 species that belong to the Cypriniformes order, and there are two teleost members of the Perciformes order (Lepomis gibbosus and Perca fluviatilis)—these were also associated with this habitat. Water samples were collected from 12 sampling points (SP), which were subjected to physico-chemical characterizations that consisted of an assessment of the turbidity (T), pH, electrical conductivity (EC), chloride (Cl−), total hardness (TH), oxygen regime parameters, phosphate phosphorus (P-PO43−), nitrate nitrogen (N-NO3−), nitrite nitrogen (N-NO2−) and ammonium nitrogen (N-NH4+) levels. In addition, considering their characteristics (high toxicity, non-biodegradability, long-range atmospheric transport and bioaccumulation potential), a number of organochlorine pollutants (OCPs) were identified. The total hardness values presented a very significant correlation with conductivity (r = 0.5974 ***) and with pH (r = 0.5854 ***). The results allowed for the water samples to be placed into the quality classes established by legislation, and they were also discussed in relation to the fishes' requirements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The current conservation status of Percichthys trucha (Creole perch) is Least Concern, although the population trend is considered to be decreasing. We conducted an extensive survey of parasite fauna in this species over two decades in its distribution range in Argentina. Fish were collected using gill and trawl nets. Parasites were collected, identified, and counted to calculate prevalence and mean intensity. The present work reports the parasite species infecting P. trucha, using data from our own survey and from previously published records. This information enables us to evaluate infection and distribution patterns, assess the role of P. trucha as host, determine the specificity of the parasites, and evaluate the threat represented by introduced, invasive parasites. The data set consists of a total of 453 host-parasite-locality records, of which only 15 are exclusively bibliographic. We found 44 parasite taxa: 19 digeneans, 4 monogeneans, 5 cestodes, 8 nematodes, 4 acanthocephalans, 3 crustaceans, and 1 mollusk. The most represented families were Diplostomidae, Heterophyidae, and Dactylogyridae. This study increases the number of parasite species known from 25 to 44. It can be concluded that this parasite fauna is characterized by high diversity, particularly of digeneans, and most of the parasites reproduce within this host, a pattern which is related to the top position of this fish species in the trophic webs. Six parasite species (Allocreadium patagonicum, Homalometron papilliferum, Acanthostomoides apophalliformis, Duplaccessorius andinus, Pseudodelphys limnicola, and Hysterothylacium patagonense) exhibit high host specificity (only matures in Creole perches) and are widely distributed, which could now be considered as "biogeographical core helminth fauna." Some P. trucha populations are affected by the invasion of alien fishes like Cyprinus carpio and pathogenic parasites like Lernaea cyprinacea and Schizocotyle acheilognathi. Our findings emphasize the need for further research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, the levels of nine heavy metals in the organs and tissues of six commercially important fish species from the Barguzin River (Eastern Cisbaikalia, Russia), bream Abramis brama, roach Rutilus rutilus, crucian carp Carassius carassius, common carp Cyprinus carpio, perch Perca fluviatilis and northern pike Esox lucius, were investigated. The distribution of HMs in the fish organs and tissues was unequal and was determined by both their physiological functions and routes of entry. The study also characterized the environmental habitats, including water and sediments, and conducted an assessment of potential risks to human health associated with fish consumption. The results showed that the levels of Fe, Zn, Cu, Ni, Cd, Pb, Cr and Hg in the muscle tissue of fish from the Barguzin River were generally low and did not exceed the maximum allowable concentrations established in Russia and worldwide. However, Mn levels in a number of samples exceeded the corresponding maximum allowable concentrations, which may be attributed to its elevated presence in the habitat. The calculated fish condition factor K showed good health status of fish from the Barguzin River. The highest Metal Pollution Index values were recorded for northern pike scales (5.9), which, however, corresponded to a low level of contamination. The other metal pollution index values for fish organs and tissues were all below five, indicating either no or very low contamination. Risk to human health was assessed using target hazard quotients and hazard index. None of these indices, both for each fish species studied and for each of the nine heavy metals, exceeded one. This indicated that consumption of the fish species studied did not pose an excessive risk of non-carcinogenic health effects to humans. The data on the content of nine heavy metals in the main commercially caught fish species from the Barguzin River indicated a low level of tissue and organ contamination by heavy metals and the absence of health risks to humans associated with their consumption as food. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents long-term data on the occurrence of parasites of commercially valuable fish species, the common zander (Sander lucioperca (Linnaeus, 1758)) and the perch (Perca fluviatilis Linnaeus, 1758). The parasitofauna of perch fish was characterized by low species diversity, dominated by Nematoda. The component parasitic community was formed of host specific and euryxenic species with direct and complex development cycles. Species of epizootic and/or epidemiological significance common to perch and zander included Apophallus donicus Skrjabin & Lindtrop, 1919, Anisakis schupakovi Mosgovoi, 1951; Eustrongylides excisus Jägerskiöld, 1909; Corynosoma strumosum Rudolphi, 1802; Achteres percarum Nordmann, 1932; Argulus sp., and Piscicola geometra Linnaeus, 1761. The dynamics of infection of fish with most parasites showed seasonal variability. The larvae of the nematode E. excisus and the crustacean A. percarum caused a pathological response in the body of their host, whereas other species were asymptomatic parasites. The changes revealed in the occurrence and intensity of infection are due to the biological characteristics of the parasites and their hosts, as well as the means of transmission of the invasion. The annual presence and low levels of parasite infestation suggest stability of parasite-host relationships in perch fish. However, the presence of pathogens of invasive diseases indicates the maintenance of natural foci of parasitosis in the Volga-Caspian fishery subarea. Parasitic diseases being at the subclinical level suggest that the parasitological state of perch fish is satisfactory.

Simple Summary: This study concerns evaluation of the possible negative effects of power plants as one of the most important objects generating environmental pollution in aquatic ecosystems. We attempted to research the intraspecific genetic diversity of a naturally distributed fish species, Eurasian perch, based on a comparison of its mitochondrial DNA sequences. To distinguish naturally occurring mutagenesis from DNA changes caused by thermal or chemical pollution, the molecular data representing patterns of perch populations inhabiting hydro-systems profoundly affected by power plants and non-affected perch populations were collected and analysed. The obtained results indicate that most genetic differences among perch populations representing a large geographic area that encompasses territories from the Baltic Sea to Ukraine could be explained by historical and ongoing natural processes instead of pollution from power plants. The intraspecific genetic diversity of freshwater fish inhabiting hydro-systems of the macrogeographic area spreading from the Black to Baltic Seas requires comprehensive investigation from fundamental and practical perspectives. The current study focused on the involvement of the mtDNA ATP6 region in the adaptability and microevolution of Perca fluviatilis within phylogeographic and anthropogenic contexts. We sequenced a 627 bp fragment encompassing the ATP6 region and used it for genetic analysis of 193 perch caught in Latvia, Lithuania, Belarus, and Ukraine, representing natural and anthropogenically impacted populations. We evaluated patterns of intraspecific genetic diversity in the ATP6 region and phylogeographic trends within the studied area compared with previously established D-loop trends. Evaluation of ATP6 coding sequence variability revealed that among 13 newly detected haplotypes, only two were caused by non-synonymous substitutions of amino acids of the protein. PCoA revealed three genetic groups (I–III) based on the ATP6 region that encompassed four previously described genetic groups established based on the mtDNA D-loop. The two mtDNA regions (D-loop and ATP6) have microevolved at least partially independently. Prolonged anthropogenic impacts may generate new point mutations at the ATP6 locus, but this phenomenon could be mainly concealed by natural selection and reparation processes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Perch access and age during access to perches may impact laying hen welfare. Our study aimed to determine the effects of early or late access to perches on behavioral measures of anxiety (AB: attention bias test) and fearfulness (TI: tonic immobility test) in laying hens. Pullets were housed in pens with or without access to perches until 17 weeks of age, at which point perch access either continued or was removed until 37 weeks of age, resulting in four treatments: continuous perch access (CP: 0–37 weeks), early perch access (EP: 0–17 weeks), late perch access (LP: 17–37 weeks), no perch access (NP). AB was performed at 21 and 37 weeks of age, and TI was performed at 20, 25, and 37 weeks of age. CP hens showed reduced anxiety and fearfulness, benefiting animal welfare, while NP hens showed increased anxiety and fearfulness. LP hens required around 16 weeks to adapt to the addition of perches in their environment, indicated by increased anxiety and fearfulness at 20 weeks of age that dissipated by week 37 of age. Removing perches in the EP pens resulted in increased fear and anxiety, which also disappeared by week 37 of age. Perch access benefits animal welfare, and removing or preventing access should be avoided. Perches can enhance laying hen welfare, but their effectiveness might be age-dependent. We investigated early and late perch access effects on anxiety and fear in pullets through attention bias (AB) and tonic immobility (TI) tests. Pullets (n = 728) were raised with or without multi-level perches: CP (continuous perch access: 0–37 weeks), EP (early perch access: 0–17 weeks), LP (late perch access: 17–37 weeks), and NP (no perch access). AB was conducted in weeks 21 and 37 (n = 84/week), and TI was performed in weeks 20, 25, and 37 (n = 112/week). CP hens fed quicker than EP, LP, and NP in AB at weeks 21 and 37 (p ≤ 0.05). CP and NP feeding latencies were stable, while EP and LP fed faster at week 37 (p ≤ 0.05). CP had the shortest TI at week 20 (p < 0.05). CP and LP had the shortest TI in weeks 25 and 37 (all p ≤ 0.05). Unlike NP, CP reduced anxiety and fear. Adding perches during laying (LP) raised anxiety at week 21, adapting by week 37, and removing pre-laying perches (EP) worsened fear at weeks 20 and 25 and anxiety at week 21, recovering by week 37. Adding or removing perches prior to the lay phase increased fear and anxiety, an effect that disappeared by week 37 of age. Our study indicates that continuous perch access benefits animal welfare compared to no perch access at all. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Diet plasticity is often studied in Eurasian perch (Perca fluviatilis), a species commonly described as having generalist populations composed of specialised individuals. Perch diet was examined using gut content analysis (GCA) and stable isotope analysis (SIA), and individual specialisation was calculated in two study lakes within 2 years. Mostly only one diet category was present in the perch stomach, with more variation in the diet in the Most lake compared to the Milada lake between 2013 and 2014. The calculated degree of individual specialisation indicated higher specialisation in the Most lake. Interestingly, despite the different or almost uniform diet composition between the years, the total niche width (based on SIA) of the population remained similar in both lakes. This suggests that the overall variation in the sources utilised by the entire population remained consistent between the years. GCA mostly indicated zooplankton as the prevailing food source, whereas SIA indicated significant utilisation of YOY fish earlier that year, an information that was completely missed by the GCA of fish caught in September. The differences between GCA and SIA results could be attributed to the different time intervals reflected by the methods, but possibly to the conversion of the diet into the body tissues that is reflected by SIA and may depend on the diet's nutritional values rather than the proportion of different prey consumed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Space‐for‐time approaches are often used to indicate current or future changes over time. A European gillnet standard facilitates spatial‐scale comparisons of fish communities in European lakes. Fish size was generally lower and densities higher in warmer lakes, but less is known about trends over decadal time scales. We analysed the size of European perch (Perca fluviatilis L.) in 2121 Swedish lakes sampled during 1996–2021. The aim was to test whether size changed over time, and whether trends were similar in southern and northern regions. We analysed mean length and occurrence or relative abundance of size classes from the smallest (<100 mm) to the largest individuals (≥350 mm), and length at 1 and 5 years. The large data set was used to find general trends over time within regions, and within‐lake trends were tested for 40 time‐series lakes. The mean length of perch decreased in the southern and increased in the northern region. The proportion of the smallest perch increased in the southern, but not in the northern region. The most general trend was an increasing occurrence and proportion of the largest‐sized perch in both regions in the large dataset. The average trends in the southern region of the large dataset also appeared as predominant trends within time‐series lakes, although opposite trends occurred within some lakes in each region. This study also revealed that perch size at age 1 often increased within lakes over time, while more variable trends were found for size at age 5. The duration of the growth season has generally increased during the time frame of the present study, while other changes may differ between lakes in the same region. We recommend more studies based on time series of fish monitoring, including studies on possible reasons for the increased occurrence of very large perch in Swedish lakes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bythotrephes longimanus is a predatory zooplankton native to Eurasia known for its large caudal spine. This species can decrease Daphnia abundance and may decrease growth rates of native planktivorous fish including yellow perch (Perca flavescens). Bythotrephes was first documented in Oneida Lake, USA in 2019 and reached high densities in 2020 and 2021. This recent invasion created an opportunity to investigate at what length yellow perch feed on Bythotrephes, if age‐0 yellow perch select for Bythotrephes, and if yellow perch first‐year growth decreased. We found Bythotrephes in the stomachs of 23% (2020) and 35% (2021) of age‐1 and older yellow perch caught from June through September and 54% of the age‐0 yellow perch caught from June through October (2021). Age‐0 yellow perch started feeding on Bythotrephes at 27 mm and selected for Bythotrephes from June 24 through the autumn of 2021. Bythotrephes accounted for 54% of age‐0 diets by dry weight over the summer and fall. We used the extensive water quality and biological monitoring data from Oneida Lake to develop a multivariate linear regression model for age‐0 yellow perch October length from 1993 to 2021. Significant variables included were age‐0 yellow perch abundance (negative effect) and temperature, Daphnia biomass, and Bythotrephes presence, all positive effects. Contrary to our expectations, Bythotrephes were selected by age‐0 yellow perch from end of June through October, and contributed a substantial proportion of ingested mass by age‐0 perch, without negatively affecting age‐0 yellow perch growth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Florida Scrub-Jay (Aphelocoma coerulescens) and the Southeastern American Kestrel (Falco sparverius paulus) are imperiled species of conservation concern that occur sympatrically in Florida scrub habitat. Despite their overlap in scrub habitat, little information is available about agonistic encounters between these species. During concurrent bird research projects in Ocala National Forest, we opportunistically noted 18 interactions where the two species came within 10 m of each other. These primarily consisted of one species simply displacing the other from a perch without pursuit, and both species initiated these interactions. We found no evidence that Southeastern American Kestrels pose a threat to Florida Scrub-Jays, especially given their small size relative to the scrub-jay and their predominantly invertebrate diet. More fine-scale observations are needed to understand potential benefits that the species might accrue through their coexistence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Fish protein supplementation may maintain muscle strength and prevent sarcopenia as it contains a complex array of macro- and micronutrients essential for building the skeletal muscle. Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate the influence of perch essence (PE) supplementation on muscle mass and muscle function of through human and cell model. Methods: The open label clinical trial was conducted to assess the therapeutic effect of PE on muscle mass improvement. The mouse skeletal muscle cell (C2C12) model of muscle atrophy was analyzed for cell viability. Results: Our results showed PE contained abundant branched chain amino acid, taurine, hydroxyproline and collagen. After one month of supplementation with PE in our human model, there was a significant increase in muscle mass in the whole body and all parts of the body, with an increase of 1.55 % in the whole body, 1.79% in the trunk, 1.64% in the arms and 1.38% in the legs. The percentage of subcutaneous fat in the trunk, arms and legs also decreased significantly by 2.49%, 3.21% and 3.40% respectively. PE supplementation also improves muscle grip strength, especially with the dominant hand. The cell model results demonstrated that PE could effectively prevent skeletal muscle cell from death induced by dexamethasone. Conclusion: This study suggests that the branched chain amino acids, taurine, hydroxyproline and collagen in PE have the potential to serve as a good source of dietary supplements for the improvement of skeletal muscle mass and strength through cell protection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]