Assessing Habitat Quality of Mount Hope Bay and Narragansett Bay Using Growth, RNA:DNA, and Feeding Habits of Caged Juvenile Winter Flounder (Pseudopleuronectes americanus Walbaum)

摘要: Abstract Somatic growth rates, RNA:DNA, and feeding habits of juvenile Pseudopleuronectes americanus (Winter Flounder) were used to asses small-scale spatio-temporal variations in the habitat quality Mount Hope Bay Narragan-sett Bay, RI. Three successive caging experiments (14–16 d each) conducted with flounder (initial size = 25–35 mm total length) June July 2003 shallow water habitats (<1 m) Spar Island, Common Fence Point, Hog Island; first two sites located latter Narragansett Bay. The average rate ranged between 0.51 0.95 d−1 was inversely related increased incidences hypoxic conditions (i.e., amount time dissolved oxygen ≤ 4.0 mg L−1). a surrogate measure condition, corroborated somatic trends, therefore exhibited similar variability. In contrast growth, however, temperature most important factor affecting ...