Early life stage brook trout (Salvelinus fontinalis) experiment to determine the effects of pH, calcium and aluminum in low conductivity water

Conference · Sun Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1984

OSTI ID:5015033

Ingersoll, C G; La Point, T W; Bergman, H L; Breck, J

Recruitment failure has been suggested as a mechanism leading to loss of fish populations in acidified streams and lakes. Numerous laboratory studies have investigated the effects of pH, aluminum, and calcium, alone or in combination, on early life stages of fish; however, the exposures in these experiments have been of relatively short duration. The objective of the present study was to determine the chronic effects of elevated aluminum concentrations as a function of pH and calcium level on hatching success and subsequent fry survival of brook trout. Brook trout eyed eggs (25 per chamber) were exposed to a replicated matrix of four levels each of pH and calcium and five levels of aluminum totaling 64 different combinations in a 40-day test. The levels of pH, aluminum, and calcium were chosen to represent the chemistry of sensitive lakes and streams in eastern Canada, the northeastern United States, and Scandinavia. We exposed fish to higher aluminum concentrations at lower pH levels, based on the observation that in acidified natural waters, dissolved inorganic aluminum increases as pH decreases (e.g., Shofield 1982). The results presented are based on nominal pH, aluminum, and calcium levels. 9 refs., 12 figs., 4 tabs.

• Research Organization: Wyoming Univ., Laramie (USA). Fish Physiology and Toxicology Lab.; Oak Ridge National Lab., TN (USA)
• DOE Contract Number: AC05-84OR21400
• OSTI ID: 5015033
• Report Number(s): CONF-8408184-1; ON: DE86013409
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

520200* -- Environment
Aquatic-- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport-- (-1989)
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
560305 -- Chemicals Metabolism & Toxicology-- Vertebrates-- (-1987)
63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
ALKALINE EARTH METALS
ALUMINIUM
ANIMALS
AQUATIC ORGANISMS
CALCIUM
ELECTRIC CONDUCTIVITY
ELECTRICAL PROPERTIES
ELEMENTS
FISHES
METALS
PH VALUE
PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
PHYSIOLOGY
TOXICITY
TROUT
VERTEBRATES