Population consequences of climate change through effects on functional traits of lentic brown trout in the sub-Arctic

Climate-induced plasticity in functional traits has received recent attention due to the immense importance phenotypic variation plays in population level responses. Here, we explore the effect of different climate-change scenarios on lentic populations of a freshwater ectotherm, the brown trout (Salmo trutta L.), through climate effects on functional traits. We first parameterize models of climate variables on growth, spawning probability and fecundity. The models are utilized to inform a dynamic age-structured projection matrix, enabling long-term population viability projections under climate and population density variation. Ambient temperature and winter conditions had a substantial effect on population growth rate. In general, warmer summer temperatures resulted in faster growth rates for young fish but ended in smaller size at age as fish got older. Increasing summer temperatures also induced maturation at younger age and smaller size. In addition, we found effects of first-year growth on later growth trajectories for a fish, indicating that environmental conditions experienced the first year will also influence size at age later in life. At the population level, increasing temperatures average (up to 4 degrees C increase in areas with mean summer temperature at approximately 12 degrees C) resulted in a positive effect on population growth rate (i.e. smaller but more fish) during climate simulations including increasing and more variable temperatures.

Automated summary

The study explores the impact of climate change on freshwater ectotherm habitats, finding that warmer summer temperatures result in faster growth but smaller size for young fish, and induce earlier maturation at a smaller size. The study also reveals the importance of first-year growth on later growth trajectories for fish, and shows that increasing temperatures have a positive effect on population growth rate.