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Egg-size evolution in aquatic environments: does oxygen availability constrain size?

Sigurd Einum1, Andrew P Hendry, Ian A Fleming

  • 1Norwegian Institute for Nature Research, Tungasletta 2, NO-7485 Trondheim, Norway. sigurd.einum@ninatrd.ninaniku.no

Proceedings. Biological Sciences
|December 24, 2002
PubMed
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Contrary to expectations, large fish eggs had higher survival in low oxygen conditions. This challenges the idea that larger eggs struggle to get enough oxygen during aquatic incubation.

Area of Science:

  • Aquatic ecology
  • Evolutionary biology
  • Reproductive strategies

Background:

  • A prevailing hypothesis suggests selection against large eggs in aquatic environments due to oxygen limitations.
  • This is based on the assumption that larger eggs have greater difficulty obtaining sufficient oxygen for development.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To experimentally test the hypothesis that large eggs face disadvantages in oxygen-poor aquatic environments.
  • To investigate the relationship between egg size, oxygen availability, and survival rates in fish.

Main Methods:

  • Experiments were conducted using brown trout (Salmo trutta) eggs exposed to varying dissolved oxygen levels (high: 14 mg l(-1), low: 2.3 mg l(-1)).
  • Egg survival rates were recorded and analyzed in relation to egg size and oxygen concentration.

Related Experiment Videos

  • Oxygen consumption rates relative to egg mass were measured using Atlantic salmon (S. salar) eggs.

    • Main Results:

    • At high oxygen levels, brown trout egg survival was high and not influenced by egg size.
    • At low oxygen levels, overall survival decreased, but large eggs exhibited higher survival than small eggs.
    • Oxygen consumption increases with egg mass at a slower rate (allometric constant = 0.44) than surface area available for diffusion.

    Conclusions:

    • Low oxygen levels in aquatic environments can select for larger eggs, contradicting conventional hypotheses.
    • The assumption that oxygen consumption scales faster than surface area with egg size is likely incorrect.
    • Findings may explain the positive correlation between adult body size and egg size in fish species that cluster their eggs.