Predicting Life History Traits of Yellow Perch from Environmental Characteristics of Lakes

Abstract

Sex-specific life history variation was examined among 72 populations of yellow perch Perca flavescens from Ontario, Canada. We sought to determine whether relationships could be applied to other populations to predict parameter values when life history data are not available. Each of the measured traits (early growth rate, maturation size and age, reproductive investment, and maximum size) varied two- to threefold among populations. Relationships were developed to predict standard calculations of life history traits from population-specific data for use in poorly sampled lakes. Associations between life history traits and environmental variables can be used in unsampled lakes. Early growth rate was positively related to lake surface area, while relative density was positively related to total dissolved solids. For both sexes, maximum body size was positively related to lake surface area and negatively related to growing degree-days. Additional variation in female maximum size was explained by a positive relationship with water hardness. Much variation in yellow perch growth could not be accounted for, despite incorporation of the major hypotheses that appear in the literature relating environmental variation to life history. Although explained variation was too low to generate important management policies, the results indicate types of lakes capable of producing large fish and therefore of interest for future study.