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Evidence from data storage tags for the presence of lunar and semilunar behavioral cycles in spawning Atlantic cod

January 1, 2015

Understanding the environmental processes determining the timing and success of reproduction is of critical importance to developing effective management strategies of marine fishes. Unfortunately it has proven difficult to comprehensively study the reproductive behavior of broadcast-spawning fishes. The use of electronic data storage tags (DSTs) has the potential to provide insights into the behavior of fishes. These tags allow for data collection over relatively large spatial and temporal scales that can be correlated to predicted environmental conditions and ultimately be used to refine predictions of year class strength. In this paper we present data retrieved from DSTs demonstrating that events putatively identified as Atlantic cod spawning behavior is tied to a lunar cycle with a pronounced semi-lunar cycle within it. Peak activity occurs around the full and new moon with no evidence of relationship with day/night cycles.

Publication Year 2015
Title Evidence from data storage tags for the presence of lunar and semilunar behavioral cycles in spawning Atlantic cod
DOI 10.1007/s10641-015-0396-2
Authors Timothy B. Grabowski, Bruce J. McAdam, Vilhjalmur Thorsteinsson, Gudrún Marteinsdóttir
Publication Type Article
Publication Subtype Journal Article
Series Title Environmental Biology of Fishes
Index ID 70173681
Record Source USGS Publications Warehouse
USGS Organization Coop Res Unit Atlanta