3.0 RESULTS
A total of 3,488 individuals were sampled and measured for length,
weight, gonad maturation, and fecundity over the study period (Table 1).
Infected individuals had an overall lower fecundity than non-infected
individuals (glmmPQL, estimate = -1.08 ± 0.08, d.f. = 3416, t=-13.92,P < 0.001; Figure 2).
Reproductive investment at maturity (relative weight of gonads at stage
IV) in non-infected E. sardella increased significantly from 2005
to 2015 (glm, estimate = 0.14 ± 0.01, d.f. = 1, t = 9.59, P< 0.001; Figure 3).
To test whether LM50 (the length at which the
probability of maturing is 0.5) varied over time, we fitted two models,
one with and one without a quadratic term for year. The model with
quadratic term was retained as final model due to lower residual
deviance (null deviance = 12.48; residual deviance with quadratic term =
0.97; residual deviance without quadratic term = 2.09) and lower AIC
value (AIC, with quadratic term = 13.01; without quadratic term =
18.71). LM50 decreased significantly over time (lm,
year: estimate = -150 ± 52.5, d.f. = 1, t = -2.86, P = 0.02;
year^2: estimate = 0.04 ± 0.01, d.f. = 1, t = 2.85, P = 0.02;
Figure 4).