Thermal histories, stress, and metabolic rates of chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) in Lake Ontario: evidence from intra-otolith stable isotope analyses

Abstract

We describe thermal histories for Lake Ontario chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) as determined from otolith δ18O thermometry using computer-controlled micromilling techniques to recover otolith aragonite at subseasonal resolution. We find that during the summer months chinook salmon inhabited epilimnetic waters with temperatures of ~19–20 °C as far back as the late 1980s. Chinook would approach but rarely exceed their reported upper incipient lethal limit of approximately 22 °C, which suggests that these fish were seeking water with temperatures as high as was tolerable while otolith growth occurred. These results contrast with expected midsummer temperatures for this cold-water salmonine. Bioenergetic simulations indicate significant stress imposed upon chinook salmon. We estimate consumption to be up to 20% more and gross conversion efficiency 18% less annually relative to nominal simulations where chinook salmon are modeled nearer their preferred temperature, reinforcing previous inferences that the chinook salmon population may be near the limits of sustainability. We also find a strong negative correlation between δ18O and δ13C values. Therefore, seasonal and ontogenetic variation in δ13C values of chinook salmon otoliths appear to be related to metabolic rate during pelagic residence and may provide an indirect method for evaluating field activity and other aspects of fish life history.