Description: Water parameters in the 2 years before spawning of F0 (08.02.2016-06.03.2018) and during larval and juvenile phase of F1: Larval period until 17.05.2018 (48 dph, 900 dd) and 01.06.2018 (63 dph, ~900 dd) for warm and cold life condition respectively, for the juveniles until 28.09.2018 (180 dph, ~4000 dd) and 12.02.2019 (319 dph, ~5100 dd) for warm and cold conditioned fish respectively. Means ± s.e. over all replicate tanks per condition. Temperature (Temp.), pH (free scale), salinity, oxygen and total alkalinity (TA) were measured weekly in F1 and monthly in F0; sea water (SW) measurements were conducted in 2017 and 2018. Water parameters during larval and early juvenile phase of F0: Larval period until (45 dph, 900 dd, 06.12.2013), early juveniles until 1.5 years. Means ± s.e.m. over all measurements per condition (triplicate tanks in larvae, single tanks in juveniles). Temperature (Temp.) and pH (NBS scale) were measured daily. pH (total scale), salinity, phosphate, silicate and total alkalinity (TA) were measured once at the beginning and once at the end of the larval phase and 9 times during juvenile phase; PCO2 was calculated with CO2sys; A–Ambient PCO2, D1000 –ambient + 1000 µatm CO2, L – Larvae, J – Juveniles.

Description: Ongoing climate change is leading to warmer and more acidic oceans. The future distribution of fish within the oceans depends on their capacity to adapt to these new environments. Only few studies have examined the effects of ocean acidification (OA) and warming (OW) on the metabolism of long-lived fish over successive generations. We therefore aimed to investigate the effect of OA on larval and juvenile growth and metabolism on two successive generations of European sea bass (Dicentrarchus labrax L.) as well as the effect of OAW on larval and juvenile growth and metabolism of the second generation. European sea bass is a large economically important fish species with a long generation time. F0 larvae were produced at the aquaculture facility Aquastream (Ploemeur-Lorient, France) and obtained at 2 days post-hatch (dph). From 2 dph F0 larvae were reared in the laboratory in two PCO2 conditions (ambient and Δ1000). Larval rearing was performed in a temperature controlled room and water temperatures were fixed to 19°C in F0. In juveniles and adults, water temperatures of F0 sea bass were adjusted to ambient temperature in the Bay of Brest during summer (up to 19°C), but were kept constant at 15 and 12°C for juveniles and adults, respectively, when ambient temperature decreased below these values. F1 embryos were obtained by artificial reproduction of F0 broodstock fish. Fertilized eggs were incubated at 15°C and at the same PCO2 conditions as respective F0. Division of F1 larvae from egg rearing tanks into experimental tanks took place at 2 dph. F1 larvae were reared in four OAW conditions: two temperatures (cold and warm life condition, C and W) and two PCO2 conditions (ambient and Δ1000). Larval rearing was performed in a temperature controlled room and water temperatures were fixed to 15 and 20°C for C and W larvae, respectively. In juveniles, water temperatures of F1 sea bass were adjusted to ambient temperature in the Bay of Brest during summer (up to 19°C), but were kept constant at 15°C when ambient temperature decreased below these values. F1-W was always 5°C warmer than the F1-C treatment. OAW conditions for F0 and F1 rearing were chosen to follow the predictions of the IPCC for the next 130 years: ΔT = 5°C and ΔPCO2 = 1000 µatm, following RCP 8.5. We analysed larval and juvenile growth in F0 and F1. Larval routine metabolic rates (RMR, in F1), juvenile standard metabolic rates (SMR, in F0 and F1) and juvenile critical oxygen concentrations (PO2crit, in F0 and F1) were obtained on individuals via intermittent flow-respirometry. Measurements were conducted at the rearing conditions of the respective larva or juvenile. Fish were fasted for 3h and 48-72h for larvae and juveniles, respectively. After the respirometry trial, larvae were photographed to measure there body length and frozen until measurement of dry mass. Juveniles body length and wet mass was directly determined with calipers and a balance.

Description: Ongoing climate change is leading to warmer and more acidic oceans. The future distribution of fish within the oceans depends on their capacity to adapt to these new environments. Only few studies have examined the effects of ocean acidification (OA) and warming (OW) on the metabolism of long-lived fish over successive generations. We therefore aimed to investigate the effect of OA on larval and juvenile growth and metabolism on two successive generations of European sea bass (Dicentrarchus labrax L.) as well as the effect of OAW on larval and juvenile growth and metabolism of the second generation. European sea bass is a large economically important fish species with a long generation time. F0 larvae were produced at the aquaculture facility Aquastream (Ploemeur-Lorient, France) and obtained at 2 days post-hatch (dph). From 2 dph F0 larvae were reared in the laboratory in two PCO2 conditions (ambient and Δ1000). Larval rearing was performed in a temperature controlled room and water temperatures were fixed to 19°C in F0. In juveniles and adults, water temperatures of F0 sea bass were adjusted to ambient temperature in the Bay of Brest during summer (up to 19°C), but were kept constant at 15 and 12°C for juveniles and adults, respectively, when ambient temperature decreased below these values. F1 embryos were obtained by artificial reproduction of F0 broodstock fish. Fertilized eggs were incubated at 15°C and at the same PCO2 conditions as respective F0. Division of F1 larvae from egg rearing tanks into experimental tanks took place at 2 dph. F1 larvae were reared in four OAW conditions: two temperatures (cold and warm life condition, C and W) and two PCO2 conditions (ambient and Δ1000). Larval rearing was performed in a temperature controlled room and water temperatures were fixed to 15 and 20°C for C and W larvae, respectively. In juveniles, water temperatures of F1 sea bass were adjusted to ambient temperature in the Bay of Brest during summer (up to 19°C), but were kept constant at 15°C when ambient temperature decreased below these values. F1-W was always 5°C warmer than the F1-C treatment. OAW conditions for F0 and F1 rearing were chosen to follow the predictions of the IPCC for the next 130 years: ΔT = 5°C and ΔPCO2 = 1000 µatm, following RCP 8.5. We analysed larval and juvenile growth in F0 and F1. Larval routine metabolic rates (RMR, in F1), juvenile standard metabolic rates (SMR, in F0 and F1) and juvenile critical oxygen concentrations (PO2crit, in F0 and F1) were obtained on individuals via intermittent flow-respirometry. Measurements were conducted at the rearing conditions of the respective larva or juvenile. Fish were fasted for 3h and 48-72h for larvae and juveniles, respectively. After the respirometry trial, larvae were photographed to measure there body length and frozen until measurement of dry mass. Juveniles body length and wet mass was directly determined with calipers and a balance.

Description: Ongoing climate change is leading to warmer and more acidic oceans. The future distribution of fish within the oceans depends on their capacity to adapt to these new environments. Only few studies have examined the effects of ocean acidification (OA) and warming (OW) on the metabolism of long-lived fish over successive generations. We therefore aimed to investigate the effect of OA on larval and juvenile growth and metabolism on two successive generations of European sea bass (Dicentrarchus labrax L.) as well as the effect of OAW on larval and juvenile growth and metabolism of the second generation. European sea bass is a large economically important fish species with a long generation time. F0 larvae were produced at the aquaculture facility Aquastream (Ploemeur-Lorient, France) and obtained at 2 days post-hatch (dph). From 2 dph F0 larvae were reared in the laboratory in two PCO2 conditions (ambient and Δ1000). Larval rearing was performed in a temperature controlled room and water temperatures were fixed to 19°C in F0. In juveniles and adults, water temperatures of F0 sea bass were adjusted to ambient temperature in the Bay of Brest during summer (up to 19°C), but were kept constant at 15 and 12°C for juveniles and adults, respectively, when ambient temperature decreased below these values. F1 embryos were obtained by artificial reproduction of F0 broodstock fish. Fertilized eggs were incubated at 15°C and at the same PCO2 conditions as respective F0. Division of F1 larvae from egg rearing tanks into experimental tanks took place at 2 dph. F1 larvae were reared in four OAW conditions: two temperatures (cold and warm life condition, C and W) and two PCO2 conditions (ambient and Δ1000). Larval rearing was performed in a temperature controlled room and water temperatures were fixed to 15 and 20°C for C and W larvae, respectively. In juveniles, water temperatures of F1 sea bass were adjusted to ambient temperature in the Bay of Brest during summer (up to 19°C), but were kept constant at 15°C when ambient temperature decreased below these values. F1-W was always 5°C warmer than the F1-C treatment. OAW conditions for F0 and F1 rearing were chosen to follow the predictions of the IPCC for the next 130 years: ΔT = 5°C and ΔPCO2 = 1000 µatm, following RCP 8.5. We analysed larval and juvenile growth in F0 and F1. Larval routine metabolic rates (RMR, in F1), juvenile standard metabolic rates (SMR, in F0 and F1) and juvenile critical oxygen concentrations (PO2crit, in F0 and F1) were obtained on individuals via intermittent flow-respirometry. Measurements were conducted at the rearing conditions of the respective larva or juvenile. Fish were fasted for 3h and 48-72h for larvae and juveniles, respectively. After the respirometry trial, larvae were photographed to measure there body length and frozen until measurement of dry mass. Juveniles body length and wet mass was directly determined with calipers and a balance.

Description: European sea bass (Dicentrarchus labrax) is a large, economically important fish species with a long generation time whose long-term resilience to ocean acidification (OA) and warming (OW) is not clear. We incubated sea bass from Brittany (France) for two generations (〉5 years in total) under ambient and predicted OA conditions (PCO2: 650 and 1700 µatm) crossed with ambient and predicted ocean OW conditions in F1 (temperature: 15-18°C and 20-23°C) to investigate the effects of climate change on larval and juvenile growth and metabolic rate. We found that in F1, OA as single stressor at ambient temperature did not affect larval or juvenile growth and OW increased developmental time and growth rates, but OAW decreased larval size at metamorphosis. Larval routine and juvenile standard metabolic rates were significantly lower in cold compared to warm conditioned fish and also lower in F0 compared to F1 fish. We did not find any effect of OA as a single stressor on metabolic rates. Juvenile PO2crit was not affected by OA or OAW in both generations. We discuss the potential underlying mechanisms resulting in the resilience of F0 and F1 larvae and juveniles to OA and in the beneficial effects of OW on F1 larval growth and metabolic rate, but on the other hand in the vulnerability of F1, but not F0 larvae to OAW. With regard to the ecological perspective, we conclude that recruitment of larvae and early juveniles to nursery areas might decrease under OAW conditions but individuals reaching juvenile phase might benefit from increased performance at higher temperatures.

Description: Highlights: • Juvenile fish somatic-, biochemical- and otolith-based condition indices are compared. • RNA/DNA, otolith increments, and somatic condition explained 〉 70% growth variability. • Response times of proxies differ after food deprivation and re-feeding. • RNA/DNA most rapid response, otolith increments explain length but not mass growth. • Caution suggested if condition indices are applied to fish in patchy prey environments. Abstract: Reliable estimates of short- and longer-term in situ growth and condition of organisms are critical if one hopes to understand how the environment regulates survival. This study reports the first comparison of somatic- (K), biochemical- (RNA–DNA ratio, RD) and otolith- (increment widths, OIW) based indices of condition of a young juvenile fish. Measurements were made on European sprat (Sprattus sprattus) that had i) known differences in somatic growth rate caused by providing different, constant prey ration levels, ii) been fed ad libitum at 7, 11, 15, 18 and 22 °C, and iii) been deprived of prey for either 4, 8 or 12 days and re-fed for 8 days. All three proxies explained significant amounts (70 to 90%) of the variability in measured growth rate. In fish experiencing a change in their feeding level and concomitant change in mass-at-length (K), RD tracked changes in both length and mass while OIW only tracked changes in length. Values of OIW and RD were highest at 18 °C suggesting that this is the optimal temperature for growth in these juveniles. During food deprivation, RD and OIW rapidly decreased and reached their lowest values within ~ 4 days. Upon re-feeding, RD increased most rapidly, K was most variable and the response time in OIW was slowest (two-times slower than RD). These patterns reflected preferential allocation of food energy to restore body mass in recently re-fed fish prior to fish increasing both mass and length. These results indicate that the sensitivity and applicability of growth proxies depend on the recent feeding history, that proxies have different response times, and that caution be taken when inferring growth and condition in early life stages of fishes that forage in patchy prey environments.

Description: Peruvian anchovy (Engraulis ringens) represents the largest single-species fishery worldwide. Knowledge on how temperature and prey availability influences growth and age estimation during marine fish early life stages is critical for predicting bottom-up processes impacting stock productivity under changing environmental conditions. We reared Peruvian anchovy larvae at two temperatures (14.5 and 18.5 °C) and prey concentrations [high (HF), and low (LF)] from 6 to 30 days post-hatch (dph) to measure growth rate and examine daily deposition of otolith increments. Peruvian anchovy larvae grew faster at 18.5 °C compared to 14.5 °C. Larvae reared at low prey concentration (18.5-LF) and low temperature (14.5-HF) grew 61 and 35% slower, respectively, than those at high prey and warm temperature (18.5-HF). Age and growth rates of larvae were well depicted in the otolith microstructure of well-fed larvae at 18.5 °C. However, larvae reared at 18.5-LF or 14.5-HF, had only 55 and 49% of the expected number of daily otolith increments. Our results suggest caution when attempting to explore how ocean processes regulate small pelagic stocks, the productivity of which are largely driven by changes in the survival and growth of young larvae.

Description: Understanding the drivers behind fluctuations in fish populations remains a key objective in fishery science. Our predictive capacity to explain these fluctuations is still relatively low, due to the amalgam of interacting bottom-up and top-down factors, which vary across time and space among and within populations. Gaining a mechanistic understanding of these recruitment drivers requires a holistic approach, combining field, experimental and modelling efforts. Here, we use the Western Baltic Spring-Spawning (WBSS) herring (Clupea harengus) to exemplify the power of this holistic approach and the high complexity of the recruitment drivers (and their interactions). Since the early 2000s, low recruitment levels have promoted intense research on this stock. Our literature synthesis suggests that the major drivers are habitat compression of the spawning beds (due to eutrophication and coastal modification mainly) and warming, which indirectly leads to changes in spawning phenology, prey abundance and predation pressure. Other factors include increased intensity of extreme climate events and new predators in the system. Four main knowledge gaps were identified related to life-cycle migration and habitat use, population structure and demographics, life-stage specific impact of multi-stressors, and predator–prey interactions. Specific research topics within these areas are proposed, as well as the priority to support a sustainable management of the stock. Given that the Baltic Sea is severely impacted by warming, eutrophication and altered precipitation, WBSS herring could be a harbinger of potential effects of changing environmental drivers to the recruitment of small pelagic fishes in other coastal areas in the world.

Description: Ocean alkalinity enhancement (OAE) stands as a promising carbon dioxide removal technology. Yet, this solution to climate change entails shifts in water chemistry with unknown consequences for marine fish that are critical to ecosystem health and food security. With a laboratory and mesocosm experiment, we show that early life stages of fish can be resistant to OAE. We examined metabolic rate, swimming behavior, growth and survival in Atlantic herring (Clupea harengus) and other temperate coastal fish species. Neither direct physiological nor indirect food web-mediated impacts of OAE were apparent. This was despite non-CO2-equilibrated OAE (ΔTA = +600 µmol kg-1) that induces strong perturbations (ΔpH = +0.7, pCO2 = 75 µatm) compared to alternative deployment scenarios. Whilst our results give cause for optimism regarding the large-scale application of OAE, other life history stages (embryos) and habitats (open ocean) may prove more vulnerable. Still, our study across ecological scales (organism to community) and exposure times (short- to long-term) suggests that some fish populations, including key fisheries species, may be resilient to the carbonate chemistry changes under OAE.

Description: When organisms are unable to feed ad libitum they may be more susceptible to negative effects of environmental stressors such as ocean acidification and warming (OAW). We reared sea bass (Dicentrarchus labrax) at 15 or 20 °C and at ambient or high Pco2 (650 versus 1750 μatm Pco2; pH = 8.1 or 7.6) at ad libitum feeding and observed no discernible effect of Pco2 on the size-at-age of juveniles after 277 (20 °C) and 367 (15 °C) days. Feeding trials were then conducted including a restricted ration (25% ad libitum). At 15 °C, growth rate increased with ration but was unaffected by Pco2. At 20 °C, acidification and warming acted antagonistically and low feeding level enhanced Pco2 effects. Differences in growth were not merely a consequence of lower food intake but also linked to changes in digestive efficiency. The specific activity of digestive enzymes (amylase, trypsin, phosphatase alkaline and aminopeptidase N) at 20 °C was lower at the higher Pco2 level. Our study highlights the importance of incorporating restricted feeding into experimental designs examining OAW and suggests that ad libitum feeding used in the majority of the studies to date may not have been suitable to detect impacts of ecological significance.