skip to main content
OSTI.GOV title logo U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

Title: Population-level effects of multiple stresses on fish and shellfish. Environmental Sciences Division Publication No. 1967

Technical Report ·
OSTI ID:6608563

Because the cumulative effects of many stresses may cause the collapse of a population even when the effects of each stress alone may appear insignificant, it is important to (1) document the effects of multiple stresses on fish and shellfish population, (2) provide an overview of experimental data concerning the effects of multiple stresses on fish and shellfish, and (3) evaluate existing methods of quantifying responses to multiple stresses. Stress refers to the environmental forces acting on an individual or population through changes in rates of survival, growth, or reproduction. The classification of stresses, population responses, and the terminology for interactions among stresses are discussed. A brief review of case histories for natural populations indicated that catastrophic changes in community structure and function can be induced by multiple stresses. In particular, fishing pressure can be a powerful agent reducing the capacity of populations to respond to stress. An overview of experimental studies that evaluated acute and chronic effects of two or more stresses on fish and fish populations highlights the need for studies that examine sublethal responses (i.e., growth and reproduction) to chronic exposures. Some of the theoretical approaches to multiple stresses on fish and fish populations are surveyed, including discussions of quantal responses, response surface analysis, dose-response theory for multiple toxic factors, and certain ecological theories that may aid in an understanding of the effect of multiple stresses on fish populations. Studies are needed that provide greater insight into the physiological mechanisms affected by the toxicant and reflected by the population responses of survival, growth, and reproduction.

Research Organization:
Oak Ridge National Lab., TN (USA)
DOE Contract Number:
W-7405-ENG-26
OSTI ID:
6608563
Report Number(s):
ORNL/TM-8317; ON: DE83004235
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English