Effects of Salinity on Survival, Growth, and Nutritional Condition of Juvenile Striped Bass; Possible Environmental Factors Effecting Their Distribution in Southeastern Estuaries
Juvenile stages of striped bass (Morone saxatilis) depend on estuarine productivity for rapid growth and estuarine habitat diversity for predator protection. The distribution of juvenile striped bass within estuaries may be influenced by salinity. The potential influence of salinity on the suitability of estuaries as nursery areas was investigated in laboratory experiments using four age groups 67- and 91-d post hatch (25 C) and 112- and 133-d (28 C) post hatch of juvenile striped bass reared for 14 days at three different salinities (0, 5, and 10 ppt) representing conditions encountered...