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Title: Physiological and toxicological effects of long-term exposure to acid, aluminum, and low calcium on adult brook trout (Salvelinus fontinalis) and rainbow trout (Salmo gairdneri)

Thesis/Dissertation ·
OSTI ID:5900315

Although the toxic effects of these three parameters were highly interactive, survival and growth of adult brook trout were reduced at elevated aluminum concentrations. Only 40 ug/L aluminum was necessary to produce similar responses in rainbow trout. Neither species was sensitive to pH alone in the range 4.5-6.5 except at very low calcium concentrations. Reductions in fecundity were observed, but only as a result of decreased growth. Progeny spawned from brook trout that had been exposed to 0.5 mg/L calcium were more sensitive to continued exposure to acid, aluminum and low calcium than were progeny of control fish. Physiologically, brook and rainbow trout responded similarly to sublethal acid, aluminum and low calcium stress. All fish exposed to depressed pH showed reductions in plasma sodium, but in most cases they were able to maintain normal plasma osmolality. But those fish stressed most severely displayed an entire suite of disturbances, including decreased survival, growth and feeding, as well as abnormal vitellogenesis and ionoregulatory failure.

Research Organization:
Wyoming Univ., Laramie (USA)
OSTI ID:
5900315
Resource Relation:
Other Information: Thesis (Ph. D.)
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English