An organism’s phenotypic characteristics can be altered by environmental variation experienced during embryonic development, potentially leading to changes that persist into adulthood. Increasing global temperatures are a current concern that may be particularly acute for species already threatened or endangered, such as the white sturgeon, Acipenser transmontanus. Given the limited information on the effects of embryonic temperatures on subsequent physiological parameters such as thermal tolerance and growth in this species, the effects of global climate change on the future of white sturgeon populations are uncertain. To investigate carryover effects resulting from early rearing temperatures, white sturgeon embryos were incubated at different environmental temperatures (T_e­) of 12, 15, and 18 °C until hatch, after which fish were reared at a common 15 °C for 80 days post-hatch (dph). Individuals from each temperature treatment were tested for thermal tolerance using the critical thermal maximum method (CT_max) at regular intervals from 13 to 80 dph, which bridged the time from the start of exogenous feeding through the transition into early juveniles. In addition, body length measures were taken to determine the effects of embryonic T_e­ on growth through these life stages. We found that embryonic T_e­ affected both thermal tolerance and growth; fish that developed at 18 °C had the lowest thermal tolerance, while those that developed at 12 °C grew largest over the observation period. This research represents a window into a critical period of development during which organisms are particularly vulnerable to climatic variation. The results can inform environmental managers on the best strategies to help conserve current white sturgeon populations across their range.

The data is an MS Excel file.