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Growth and Age Distribution of a River-Dwelling and a Lake-Dwelling Population of Anadromous Arctic Char at the Same Latitude in Norway

1994; Wiley; Volume: 123; Issue: 3 Linguagem: Inglês

10.1577/1548-8659(1994)123 2.3.co;2

1548-8659

Arne J. Jensen,

Fish Biology and Ecology Studies

Two populations of anadromous Arctic char Salvelinus alpinus at the same latitude (67°N) in Norway were studied from 1975 to 1989. River Beiarelva Arctic char stay for the entire freshwater portion of their lives in the main river in running water. The Saltdal Arctic char mainly spawn, and the young stay until smoltification, in a lake that drains to the River Saltdalselva. The river-dwelling Arctic char grow better and smoltify at a lower age and at a smaller size than the lake-dwelling fish. They also reach maturity at a lower age, but at the same size as the lake-dwelling Arctic char. In both rivers, Atlantic salmon Salmo salar and anadromous brown trout Salmo trutta are the predominant fish species. The study demonstrated that anadromous Arctic char may exist sympatrically with Atlantic salmon and brown trout in running water. In the watershed where a lake is available, most of the Arctic char stay in the fake in spite of the better growth and lower smolting age that they might attain in running water.