The Behavior of Fundulus heteroclitus on the Salt Marshes of New Jersey
1920; University of Chicago Press; Volume: 54; Issue: 635 Linguagem: Inglês
10.1086/279787
ISSN1537-5323
Autores Tópico(s)Water Quality and Resources Studies
Resumo1. Field studies of Fundulus heteroclitus were made throughout one entire year on the salt marshes of New Jersey. 2. Spring migration begins in March and is probably caused by several factors, including the higher temperature of the inland water; currents due to high tides and rainfall; the need for food available in fresh water; greater metabolic activity due to gonad development which demands a greater oxygen supply. 3. Summer activities consist in spawning, feeding, lazy movements from the marshes to the brackish water and back again. 4. In the autumn, migration is less constant and the larger fish are less numerous. 5. In the winter, migration ceases entirely as the marsh pools are scumming with ice. Some landlocked individuals burrow into the mud of permanent pools, coming out occasionally as the sun warms the water. Many fish are killed by the cold as they remain in temporary pools with bottoms composed of caked mud and grass offering no shelter. 6. The majority of Fundulus heteroclitus return to salt water in the winter, probably remaining near the mouths of rivers until spring.
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