The influence of temperature on the development of Baltic Sea sprat (Sprattus sprattus) eggs and yolk sac larvae

In spring 2004 and 2005 we performed two sets of experiments with Baltic sprat (Sprattus sprattus balticus Schneider) eggs and larvae from the Bornholm Basin simulating ten different temperature scenarios. The goal of the present study was to analyse and parameterise temperature effects on the duration of developmental stages, on the timing of important ontogenetic transitions, growth during the yolk sac phase as well as on the survival success of eggs and early larval stages. Egg development and hatching showed exponential temperature dependence. No hatching was observed above 14.7 C and hatching success was significantly reduced below 3.4 C. Time to eye pigmentation, as a proxy for mouth gape opening, decreased with increasing temperatures from 17 days post hatch at 3.4 C to 7 days at 13 C whereas the larval yolk sac phase was shortened from 20 to 10 days at 3.8 and 10 C respectively. Maximum survival duration of non-fed larvae was 25 days at 6.8 C. Comparing the experimental results of Baltic sprat with existing information on sprat from the English Channel and North Sea differences were detected in egg development rate, thermal adaptation and in yolk sac depletion rate (YSDR). Sprat eggs from the English Channel showed significantly faster development and the potential to develop at temperatures higher than 14.7 C. North Sea sprat larvae were found to have a lower YSDR compared to larvae from the Baltic Sea. In light of the predictions for global warming, Baltic sprat stocks could experience improved conditions for egg development and survival.