Importance of Food Supply to Nutritional State of Larval Striped Bass in the Potomac River Estuary

Abstract

Abstract Surveys of larval striped bass Morone saxatilis and zooplankton in the Potomac River upper estuary were made in 1981. In addition to distribution and abundance, nutritional state of larvae was assessed by morphometric, histologic, and two biochemical techniques: RNA:DNA ratio and fatty acid composition and concentration. All four techniques gave evidence of poor nutritional state early in the season but not later. Analyses of distribution indicated a significant correlation among nutritional indices and copepod and cladoceran densities.