Otolith chemistry indicates recent worsened Baltic cod condition is linked to hypoxia exposure.

ABSTRACT: Deoxygenation worldwide is increasing in aquatic systems with implications for organisms' biology, communities and ecosystems. Eastern Baltic cod has experienced a strong decline in mean body condition (i.e. weight at a specific length) over the past 20 years with effects on the fishery relying on this resource. The decrease in cod condition has been tentatively linked in the literature to increased hypoxic areas potentially affecting habitat range, but also to benthic prey and/or cod physiology directly. To date, no studies have been performed to test these mechanisms. Using otolith trace element microchemistry and hypoxia-responding metrics based on manganese (Mn) and magnesium (Mg), we investigated the relationship between fish body condition at capture and exposure to hypoxia. Cod indi

SUBMITTER: Limburg KE 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6936021 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature