Daily, repeating fluctuations in embryonic incubation temperature alter metabolism and growth of Lake whitefish (Coregonus clupeaformis)

Lake whitefish (Coregonus clupeaformis) utilize overwintering embryonic development (up to 180 days), and such stenothermic, cold-water embryos may be particularly susceptible to thermal shifts. We incubated whitefish embryos in temperature treatments that were constant temperature (2.0 ± 0.1 °C, 5.0 ± 0.1 °C, and 8.0 ± 0.1 °C; mean ± SD) or variable temperature (VT, mean = 5.0 ± 0.3 °C). In the VT, a daily 2 °C temperature change followed a continuous pattern throughout development: 2-4-6-8-6-4-2 °C. Hatchling survival proportion from fertilization to hatch was significantly impacted by incubation temperature (P < 0.001): 2 °C (0.88 ± 0.01) and 5 °C (0.91 ± 0.01) showed higher survival than both the VT (0.83 ± 0.02) and 8 °C groups (0.15 ± 0.06), which were statistically distinct from each other. Time to hatch (dpf) was significantly different across all treatments (P < 0.001): 8 °C (68 ± 2 dpf), VT (111 ± 4 dpf), 5 °C (116 ± 4 dpf), 2 °C (170 ± 3 dpf). Likewise, hatchling yolk-free dry mass (mg) and total body length (mm) were significantly different across all treatments (P < 0.001): 8 °C (0.66 ± 0.08 mg; 11.1 ± 0.08 mm), VT (0.97 ± 0.06 mg; 11.7 ± 0.05 mm), 5 °C (1.07 ± 0.03 mg; 12.0 ± 0.02 mm), 2 °C (1.36 ± 0.04 mg; 12.8 ± 0.05 mm). Oxygen consumption rate (V̇o₂) was significantly affected by the interaction between treatment and measurement temperature (P < 0.001). Hatchling VT whitefish showed mean V̇o₂ that was higher compared to the 2 °C group measured at 2 °C, and lower compared to the 2 °C and 5 °C group measured at 8 °C. This study demonstrates that the VT incubation treatment produced fewer (increased mortality), smaller embryos that hatched earlier than 2 °C and 5 °C embryos. The plasticity of V̇o₂ for this stenothermic-incubating fish species under variable incubation conditions reveals a metabolic cost to cycling thermal incubation conditions.