Allis shad adopts an efficient spawning tactic to optimise offspring survival

The potential effects of global warming on the allis shad population were tested by combining a time series of spawning acts with expected thermal survival rates for embryos and larvae until 14 days post hatching. The yearly mean survival of spawn for each reproductive season was calculated and an index of reproductive efficiency based on this survival rate was proposed. The randomness of the spawning tactics was evaluated by shuffling the spawn acts time series. This approach was applied to the Gironde-Garonne-Dordogne (south-west France) population, which recently collapsed. The yearly mean thermal survival of spawn is slightly variable at approximately 55% over 2003–2012 despite fluctuating temperatures. An especially low survival (35%) was recorded for the last season (2013). For eight of the 11 reproductive seasons, the index of reproductive efficiency was high (> 80%) and largely above indices obtained by a random spawning tactic. Therefore shad are able to adopt an efficient spawning tactic to anticipate favourable thermal conditions for survival of their offspring. However, thermal behavioural rules still need to be expanded to understand the failures in their reproduction efficiency.