Effect of photoperiod intensity on cisco (Coregonus artedi) egg development

Presenter's Name(s)

Taylor R. StewartFollow

Conference Year

January 2019

Abstract

Cisco in the Laurentian Great Lakes exhibit boom-or-bust population dynamics and may be particularly vulnerable to climate change. Cisco spawn in the fall and eggs develop over the winter with hatching occurring soon after ice-out. Water temperature and ice cover, however, are changing in the Great Lakes. Such changes may influence the quantity and quality of light penetration to the lake bed and thus may potentially impact the phenology and development rate of cisco eggs via photosensitive organs (e.g.,retina and pineal organ). Developmental response of cisco eggs to changing winter light regimes may impact life history characteristics, and thus synchrony with spring algae and zooplankton blooms. We conducted a pilot laboratory experiment to test the effect of photoperiod on egg development and hatching of cisco at 2-3°C over the 2016-2017 winter. Fertilized eggs were exposed to three light treatments: continuous and seasonal diel photoperiod of high-intensity white (full-spectrum) light and continuous darkness. We hypothesized that exposure to continuous light accelerates development resulting in earlier hatching, larger larvae, and smaller yolk-sac area at hatch than eggs incubated under a diel light cycle or no light.

Primary Faculty Mentor Name

Jason D Stockwell

Faculty/Staff Collaborators

Mark R Vinson

Status

Graduate

Student College

College of Arts and Sciences

Program/Major

Biology

Primary Research Category

Biological Sciences

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Effect of photoperiod intensity on cisco (Coregonus artedi) egg development

Cisco in the Laurentian Great Lakes exhibit boom-or-bust population dynamics and may be particularly vulnerable to climate change. Cisco spawn in the fall and eggs develop over the winter with hatching occurring soon after ice-out. Water temperature and ice cover, however, are changing in the Great Lakes. Such changes may influence the quantity and quality of light penetration to the lake bed and thus may potentially impact the phenology and development rate of cisco eggs via photosensitive organs (e.g.,retina and pineal organ). Developmental response of cisco eggs to changing winter light regimes may impact life history characteristics, and thus synchrony with spring algae and zooplankton blooms. We conducted a pilot laboratory experiment to test the effect of photoperiod on egg development and hatching of cisco at 2-3°C over the 2016-2017 winter. Fertilized eggs were exposed to three light treatments: continuous and seasonal diel photoperiod of high-intensity white (full-spectrum) light and continuous darkness. We hypothesized that exposure to continuous light accelerates development resulting in earlier hatching, larger larvae, and smaller yolk-sac area at hatch than eggs incubated under a diel light cycle or no light.