Mortality of brook trout, mottled sculpins, and slimy sculpins during acidic episodes

Technical Report · Fri Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1993

OSTI ID:5201372

Gagen, C J; Sharpe, W E; Carline, R F

Brook trout Salvelinus fontinalis, mottled sculpins Cottus bairdi, and slimy sculpins Cottus cognatus occur in many Pennsylvania streams that have depressed pH and elevated aluminum concentrations during episodes of high stream discharge (acidic episodes). The authors performed 20-d in situ cage exposures with these species to determine their relative sensitivities to field conditions. They also exposed fish in the laboratory to synthetic soft water, without added Al, to elevate possible effects of Al on sodium flux rates and pH toxicity. Exposures were in five streams; two with high pH (<5.60) and low Al concentrations (<80 micrograms/liter) and three with low pH and high Al levels. Exposures were during two low-discharge fall periods, when pH tends to be seasonally higher and Al concentrations lower, and two relatively high-discharge spring seasons, when lower pH and higher Al concentrations are typical. Few fish died (generally <10%) in the two streams that had higher pH and lower Al concentrations, whereas mortalities typically exceeded 20% and were as high as 100% during spring exposures in the streams with lower pH and elevated Al concentrations.

• Research Organization: Pennsylvania State Univ., University Park, PA (United States). Environmental Resources Research Inst.
• OSTI ID: 5201372
• Report Number(s): PB-94-135043/XAB; CNN: EPA-R-814566-01-2
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
540320 -- Environment
Aquatic-- Chemicals Monitoring &amp; Transport-- (1990-)
560300* -- Chemicals Metabolism &amp; Toxicology
63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
ACIDIFICATION
ANIMALS
AQUATIC ORGANISMS
FISHES
MORTALITY
SEASONAL VARIATIONS
TOXICITY
TROUT
VARIATIONS
VERTEBRATES