US EPA

6471515 

Journal Article 

BEHAVIORAL RESPONSES OF NORTHERN PIKE, YELLOW PERCH AND BLUEGILL TO OXYGEN CONCENTRATIONS UNDER SIMULATED WINTERKELL CONDITIONS 

Petrosky, BRM 

1973 

NORTHERN PIKE (ESOX LUCIUS), YELLOW PERCH (PERCA FLAVESCENS), AND BLUEGILL (LEPOMIS MACROCHIRUS) WERE EXPOSED TO SUCCESSIVELY LOWER O2 CONCENTRATIONS 4.0, 2.0, 1.0, 0.5 AND 0.25 MG/1) EACH DAY FOR 5 DAYS IN AQUARIA SEALED ABOVE WITH SIMULATED 'ICE'. WATER TEMPERATURE VARIED FROM 2.5-4.0C, AND LIGHT INTENSITY AND PHOTOPERIOD SIMULATED CONDITIONS IN AN ICE-COVERED LAKE. GILL VENTILATION RATES INCREASED IN RESPONSE TO LOWERED O2, DOUBLING FOR BLUEGILL AND YELLOW PERCH BUT QUADRUPLING FOR NORTHERN PIKE. MAXIMUM VENTILATION RATES OCCURRED AT 0.5 MG/1 D.O. (DISSOLVED OXYGEN) FOR NORTHERN PIKE AND YELLOW PERCH AND AT 1.0 MG/1 D.O. FOR BLUEGILL. LOCOMOTORY ACTIVITY WAS GREATEST AT 0.25 MG/1 D.O. FOR NORTHERN PIKE BUT AT 0.5 MG/1 D.O. FOR YELLOW PERCH AND BLUEGILL. NORTHERN PIKE AND YELLOW PERCH BEGAN TO MOVE TOWARD THE ICE AT 0.5 MG/1 D.O. AT 1.0 MG/1 D.O., BLUEGILL KEPT SINKING TO THE BOTTOM OF THE AQUARIA; THEY CONTINUALLY MADE FORAYS UPWARD ONLY TO SINK AGAIN. NORTHERN PIKE AND YELLOW PERCH NOSED AT THE UNDER SURFACE AT THE ICE AT THE LOWEST O2 CONCENTRATIONS WHILE BLUEGILL SELDOM DID. THE FISH NEVER AGGREGATED MORE THAN 10% OF THE TIME EVEN AT THE LOWEST CONCENTRATIONS OF DISSOLVED O2. ALMOST ALL NORTHERN PIKE AND YELLOW PERCH WERE STILL ALIVE AT 0.25 MG/1 D.O. WHILE ALL BLUEGILL WERE DEAD. EVIDENTLY NORTHERN PIKE ARE BEST ADAPTED FOR SURVIVAL IN WINTERKILL LAKES AND BLUEGILL THE LEAST. THE UPWARD MOVEMENT TAKES THE FISH TO THE HIGHEST O2 AVAILABLE IN THE IMMEDIATE VICINITY. DETECTION OF AN O2 GRADIENT IS NOT A REQUIREMENT OF THIS RESPONSE BECAUSE IN THE AQUARIA THE FISH MOVE TO THE ICE AT LOW O2 CONCENTRATIONS IN ABSENCE OF A GRADIENT. HIGH FREE CO2 AND DISSOLVED H2S ARE ALSO NOT NECESSARY TO STIMULATE OR ORIENT THE UPWARD MOVEMENT. INCREASED LOCOMOTORY ACTIVITY, COUPLED TO REDUCED ACTIVITY WHEN RESPIRATORY DISTRESS IS ALLEVIATED, ALSO PROVIDES AN EFFECTIVE MECHANISM FOR LOCATING HIGHER O2.--COPYRIGHT 1973, BIOLOGICAL ABSTRACTS, INC. 

; PIKES; FISH PHYSIOLOGY; ENVIRONMENTAL EFFECTS; FISH; COLD REGIONS; FISH BEHAVIOR; OXYGEN; YELLOW PERCH; PERCHES; SUNFICHES; WINTER KILLING; FISHKILL; MORBIDITY; FISH MANAGEMENT; WATER POLLUTION EFFECTS; BLUEGILL; ESOX-LUCIUS; LEPOMIS-MACROCHIRUS; PERCA-FLAVESCENS/