What does this research mean for the field?

Higher summer temperatures positively affect the early life growth rates of smallmouth bass, while disease outbreaks indirectly increase growth rates by reducing population density. Novelty: ClaimNovelty.INCREMENTAL. Consensus alignment: ConsensusAlignment.NEUTRAL.

What question did this study set out to answer?

To assess how summer water temperature, streamflow, relative abundance, and disease outbreaks drive spatiotemporal variation in early life growth rates of smallmouth bass.

August 30, 2026Ecology Of Freshwater FishOpen Access

The Effect of Temperature, Flow, Density and Disease on Smallmouth Bass ( Micropterus dolomieu ) Early Life Growth Rate

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Authors

RORebecca S. M. O’BrienUniversity of Massachusetts Amherst MSMegan K. SchallPennsylvania State University GSGeoffrey D. SmithUniversity of Georgia

Discussion

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Implication

Longitudinal analysis reveals warming temperatures and disease-driven population drops increase early growth rates in smallmouth bass, highlighting complex density-dependent dynamics.

Key Points

To assess how summer water temperature, streamflow, relative abundance, and disease outbreaks drive spatiotemporal variation in early life growth rates of smallmouth bass.
Analyzed a 36-year dataset of length-at-age records from 54,068 smallmouth bass (Micropterus dolomieu) across 10 river reaches in Pennsylvania, USA.
Estimated annual early life growth rates (mm·year⁻¹) and modeled relationships with summer streamflow, summer temperature, relative abundance, and disease presence.
Summer water temperature had a positive effect on growth rate that varied across river reaches and was significantly stronger in disease-affected zones.
Disease-associated declines in relative abundance triggered density-dependent growth acceleration, with early life growth rates increasing from approximately 85 mm·year⁻¹ to 101 mm·year⁻¹.

Cite This Study

O’Brien et al. (2026) studied this question.

synapsesocial.com/papers/6a93f0e06c1a8fb52e79d5ed https://doi.org/10.1111/eff.70063

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August 30, 2026Ecology Of Freshwater FishOpen Access

The Effect of Temperature, Flow, Density and Disease on Smallmouth Bass ( Micropterus dolomieu ) Early Life Growth Rate

View Full Paper

Ask AI

Bookmark

Authors

RORebecca S. M. O’BrienUniversity of Massachusetts Amherst MSMegan K. SchallPennsylvania State University GSGeoffrey D. SmithUniversity of Georgia

Discussion

Member takes

Implication

Longitudinal analysis reveals warming temperatures and disease-driven population drops increase early growth rates in smallmouth bass, highlighting complex density-dependent dynamics.

Key Points

To assess how summer water temperature, streamflow, relative abundance, and disease outbreaks drive spatiotemporal variation in early life growth rates of smallmouth bass.
Analyzed a 36-year dataset of length-at-age records from 54,068 smallmouth bass (Micropterus dolomieu) across 10 river reaches in Pennsylvania, USA.
Estimated annual early life growth rates (mm·year⁻¹) and modeled relationships with summer streamflow, summer temperature, relative abundance, and disease presence.
Summer water temperature had a positive effect on growth rate that varied across river reaches and was significantly stronger in disease-affected zones.
Disease-associated declines in relative abundance triggered density-dependent growth acceleration, with early life growth rates increasing from approximately 85 mm·year⁻¹ to 101 mm·year⁻¹.

Cite This Study

O’Brien et al. (2026) studied this question.

synapsesocial.com/papers/6a93f0e06c1a8fb52e79d5ed https://doi.org/10.1111/eff.70063

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