Metal concentration and calcification of bone of white sucker (Catostomus commersoni) in relation to lake pH

The concentrations of 17 elements were determined in the bone of white suckers (Catostomus commersoni) netted from 5 acid (pH range 4.8 to 5.8) and 2 circumneutral (pH=6.2 and 6.3) lakes in south-central Ontario. The bone Ca:P dry weight ratios were similar (2.0:1) for all fish populations except those of George Lake (pH=4.8) which showed a significantly lower Ca:P ratio (1.9:1, P < 0.05). Magnesium was also lower in the bone of these fish and in fish from 2 other acid lakes. Only bone Ba and S concentrations in the 7 fish populations correlated significantly to lake pH (R=?0.9 and R=?0.8, respectively, P < 0.05). Bone Mn concentrations correlated to dissolved lake Mn concentrations (R=0.8, P < 0.05), and was 7 fold greater in the bone of fish from George Lake and 2 fold greater in King Lake (pH=5.0) fish, vs fish from the 2 circumneutral lakes. Bone Zn was significantly greater in white sucker from George Lake, and tended to be higher in this species from King Lake, compared to all other fish populations. Bone concentrations of Fe, Cu, Ni and A1 showed no apparent trends among the 7 fish populations. Cd, Co, Cr, Mo, V and Be were not detected. The occurrence of a reduced Ca:P ratio coincident with the highest concentrations of Mn, Zn and Ba in the bone of fish from the most acidified environment suggests that increased metal concentrations which occur in surface waters coincident with lake acidification may affect bone calcification.     

荷那龙罗非鱼两种胰岛素样生长因子基因(IGF-Ⅰ和IGF-Ⅱ)的克隆、序列分析及组织表达特征

胰岛素样生长因子(insulin-like growth factors,IGFs)在鱼类的生长、发育过程中起重要作用.本研究克隆了荷那龙罗非鱼(Oreochromis hornorum)两种胰岛素样生长因子(IGF)基因,并采用半定量RT-PCR方法检测了两种基因在不同组织中的表达情况.以荷那龙罗非鱼肝脏总RNA为模板,RT-PCR结合3'RACE与5'RACE法扩增IGF- Ⅰ与IGF-Ⅱ的cDNA.扩增片段插入pMD-T载体并测序.序列分析表明:IGF- Ⅰ总长1305 bp;IGF-Ⅱ总长1 091 bp.其推测氨基酸序列都具有胰岛素样生长因子基因的典型特征结构,分别包括信号肽和B、C、A、D、E5个区域,并具有6个保守的半胱氨酸,但它们之间推测氨基酸全序列的同源性较低,为26％.正常生理条件下,两种IGF在所有被检测组织中均有表达.IGF- Ⅰ在肝脏、肌肉和性腺中表达量较高,在肾脏中表达量最低;IGF-Ⅱ在肾、胃、肠、脾、垂体中表达量较高,在肌肉中表达量最低.在所有被检测组织中,IGF-Ⅱ的表达量均高于IGF-Ⅰ的表达量,但二者的表达量只有在肠、脾、胃、肾和垂体中具有显著性差异(P＜0.05).雌雄个体中除脾、胃、肾、垂体外,IGF- Ⅰ在雌性中的其它组织表达均低于雄性,其中雄性个体中肌肉组织IGF- Ⅰ的表达水平显著高于雌性个体(P＜0.05); IGFⅡ在雌雄个体相同组织间的表达水平比较差异均不显著.本研究有助于进一步了解荷那龙罗非鱼的生长调节机制和更好地理解鱼类IGFs的生理功能.     

Pathological and Hormonal Changes in Freshwater Fishes Due to Exposure to Heavy Metals Pollutants

The concentrations of major heavy metals in organs of two cyprinid fish and in water collected from three sections of the Kor River, Iran, were determined using the induction coupled plasma method. The concentrations of heavy metals in tissue of fish from the middle sampling zone were significantly higher (p?<?0.05) than those from the other two sampling zones, whereas no significant differences (p?>?0.05) were detected between the two sexes and species. Estradiol in females and progesterone and testosterone in males from the middle study site were significantly (p?<?0.05) lower than values from the other two sites. Pathological changes in blood cells, liver, and kidneys of fishes were significantly higher in highly polluted areas (middle sampling zone). So heavy metals exposure can effectively decreases estrogenic and androgenic secretion in fish. These results show that industrial activities have polluted the river and that heavy metals exposure can induce pathological changes in fish organs.     

Base neutralizing capacity of sediments from an acidic lake

The base neutralizing capacity (BNC), or alkalinity consumption, of acidic lake sediments may influence the amount of neutralizing agent required to neutralize a lake if the sediment BNC is large relative to the BNC of overlying waters. The extent ofin situ sediment BNC in acidic Bowland Lake (pH 5.0) was inferred by (1) measuring the loss of Ca-45 to acidic sediments from labeled lake water neutralized with CaCO₃, and (2) measuring exchangeable Ca in sediments collected prior to and following neutralization of Bowland Lake with calcite (CaCO₃). The sediment BNC derived from the Ca-45 radiolabeling experiment was 0.01 mg CaCO₃ g^?1 w wt. The mean losses of Ca-45 from the aqueous phase of neutralized and untreated sediment/water mixtures were not significantly different. The mean pH of both neutralized and untreated mixtures decreased to 4.0 during the incubation, possibly because of oxidation of reduced sediments. Sediment BNC estimates derived from literature data for several lakes may be overestimated because of the inclusion of anoxic sediments containing significant amounts of reduced Fe. There was no significant difference in exchangeable Ca between sediments from untreated Bowland Lake and sediments collected 10 m after whole-lake neutralization indicating that little of the supplied alkalinity had been lost to the sediments. Hence,in situ sediment BNC was probably small in Bowland Lake.     

Cladoceran Response to Calcium Decline and the Subsequent Inadvertent Liming of a Softwater Canadian Lake

Lake water calcium (Ca) decline has recently been recognized as a stressor impacting softwater lake districts that have experienced long-term patterns of acid deposition and/or timber harvesting. Declining aqueous Ca levels may impact the survival of aquatic biota, particularly Ca-rich cladoceran taxa such as daphniids. Daphnia pulex are sensitive to laboratory Ca levels below 1.5?mg?l^?1; however, responses of cladoceran communities to Ca decline in natural environments require further study. Dickie Lake (Ontario, Canada) is the site of an inadvertent natural experiment, providing insight into the effects of changing aqueous Ca availability upon cladoceran communities, as the lake has a history of acidification, followed by recent (1990s) Ca additions to the watershed via applications of calcium-rich road dust suppressants. Paleolimnological analyses were used to examine changes in cladoceran community structure (with a focus upon Ca-rich daphniids) from pre-industrial times to present day. Three distinct temporal stages were apparent in Dickie Lake??s daphniid community: 1870?C1950, 1950?C1990, and 1990?Cpresent. The daphniid community of the pre-industrial assemblages was dominated by members of the Daphnia longispina species complex, but shifted in the late 1950s to more acid- and Ca-insensitive members of the D. pulex species complex. During the most recent stage, coincident with dust suppressant applications, both daphniid complexes are well represented. Observed transitions between daphniid species complexes provide further evidence of the influence of Ca availability upon cladoceran community structure, indicating the potential importance of the controlled addition of Ca to freshwater systems (i.e., liming) as a mitigation/recovery strategy as Ca declines continue.     

Metal content of Sphagnum mosses from two Northern Canadian bog ecosystems

Samples of Sphagnum moss were collected from Kinoje Lake, northern Ontario, and Porter Lake, Northwest Territories (N.W.T.), Canada. The samples were analyzed for the elements Cd, Ca, Cr, Cu, Fe, Pb, Mg, Mn, Hg and Zn. On a dry-weight basis, Ca was highest in concentration followed by Mg, Fe and Mn. The other elements were an order of magnitude or more lower in concentration. In general, concentrations were similar to those reported in the literature from Scandinavia. The two Canadian sites were similar in elemental composition except that the Ontario site was higher in Cd and Pb, while the N.W.T. site was higher in Mg and Hg. These differences could be due to a combination of regional geochemical and human activity differences.     

Trace Elements In Water,Fish and Sediment from Tuskegee Lake,Southeastern Usa

The concentrations of trace elements in water, sediment and fish samples from Tuskegee Lake located in Southeastern United States were investigated in this study. The Lake is utilized both as a source for municipal drinking water, and for recreational fishing. The water quality characteristics over two sampling periods, the speciation of metals in the Lake sediments, the risk to water column contamination and levels of heavy metals in largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides) samples from the Lake were evaluated. The Lake water quality characteristics were mostly below the recommended drinking water standards by the United StatesEnvironmental Protection Agency (US EPA) and the European Union (EU) except for aluminum, iron, manganese and thallium. In addition, the average values of Cr, As, Mn, Zn and Cl^- in the water samples analyzed were higher than the respective reference values for fresh water. To study the speciation of metals in the Lake sediments, ten elements (Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, Mn, Ni, Pb, V, and Zn) in four grain sizes (< 710 μm – 250 μm, < 250 μm – 75 μm, < 75 μm – 53μm, and < 53 μm) were subjected to sequential extractions. Irrespective of grain size, the elements analyzed were distributed in both the non-residual and residual phases except Ni that was found only in the residual fraction. The potential risk to Lake water contamination was highest downstream (Sites 1 and 2) based on the calculated global contamination factors. From the calculated individual contamination factors, Mn and Pb followed by Zn, Cu, Cr, Co and V posed the highest risk to water contamination. Based on this study, the human health risks for heavy metals in fish caught from Tuskegee Lake are low for now, and irrespective of the source of fish, concentrations of metals in muscle tissues were all below the recommended Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) maximum limits for Pb (0.5 mg Kg^-1), Cd (0.5 mg Kg^-1), Cu (30 mg Kg^-1), and Zn (30 mg Kg^-1) in fish.     

Population structure and movements of a threatened butterfly (Lopinga achine) in a fragmented landscape in Sweden

The red-listed butterfly Lopinga achine was studied by mark-recapture methods in southern Sweden for three seasons. We examined movement within and between populations and egg production in relation to age. The majority of the movements were small with mean movements between recaptures of 45-54 m for males and 94-116 m for females. There were few movements between sites, 20 of 996 recaptured males moved and 36 of 391 recaptured females, even though the distance to other sites was in many cases <100 m. The distance moved and the number of females moving between sites increased with increasing age. On average, a female that moves does so after laying two-thirds of its eggs in its natal site. It is therefore important to take account of the proportion of reproductive effort involved in dispersal when estimating colonisation ability. The males did not move more with increasing age. Female behaviour can be seen as a “spread-the-risk” strategy, an adaptation to the successional habitat of L. achine, whose natal site sooner or later will deteriorate. Butterflies like L. achine living in successional habitats may exhibit mobility that is intermediate between butterflies living in ephemeral habitats (very mobile) and in long-lived habitats (sedentary).     

Alternative growth histories in populations of Lake Superior brook trout: Critical support for partial migration

As concerns for losses of migratory species heighten globally, scientists are being challenged to characterize diversity in the migratory behaviors to support scientifically defensible conservation programs. Anecdotal observations of brook trout (Salvelinus fontinalis) inhabiting Lake Superior and its tributaries suggest the occurrence of two forms: a large lake form hypothesized to originate in streams and reside in Lake Superior for significant parts of the year and a small stream form hypothesized to be stream resident. Declines in the lake form are a conservation concern and understanding of the variation in migratory behavior is needed to assist conservation efforts. We used analyses of vertebrae and otoliths to test whether the growth histories of lake and stream caught fish differed as expected for adult and juvenile stages from a migratory population (migration), individuals differing in the age of outmigration to the lake (staggered migration), or a combination of residents and migrants (partial migration). Lake caught fish grew faster and lived longer than stream caught fish and differences in length-at-age were apparent by the end of the first year of life. There was no evidence of individuals abruptly changing growth history in a way that would suggest habitat switches later in life. Growth histories of lake and stream caught brook trout were also similar to those of migrants and residents from other brook trout populations or sub-populations. Our findings support the hypothesis of partial migration as an explanation for the diversity observed in Lake Superior brook trout and demonstrate how analyses of growth histories can help clarify migratory systems in species whose movements are challenging to track.     

Improved growth in stunted brown trout (Salmo trutta L.) after reliming of Lake Hovvatn,Southern Norway

The chronically acidic Lake Store Hovvatn and the adjoining pond Pollen in southernmost Norway were limed in March 1981. The two locations were stocked with brown trout (Salmo trutta L.) at low and high densities in Hovvatn and Pollen, respectively. After 6 yr of reacidification, the locations were relimed in July 1987. Growth depression during the reacidification process in spite of low fish densities and superabundance of food was observed in Lake Store Hovvatn. Three months after reliming, a substantial growth response was found in trout from Lake Store Hovvatn; Mean annual length increment was 68% higher than that of the preceding year. In Pollen, reliming had no apparent effect on growth. In both populations reliming caused increased swimming activity measured as an increase in CPUE-values. These results show that the growth response to liming depends on population density and food availability. Moreover, the results indicate that the food conversion rate of the trout is negatively affected in acid waters.     

Perceived risk, displacement and refuging in brown bears: positive impacts of ecotourism?

Ecotourism is a rapidly growing industry with unknown impacts on viewed wildlife that may require novel management action. We examined the impact of viewing activities on the behaviour of brown bears (Ursus arctos) in coastal British Columbia.Domination of the best feeding sites and human avoidance by large male bears has consistently been reported. We, however, saw displacement in time rather than space - during the viewing day large males were less active than at other times, while females with cubs tended to be more active.In each year, females with cubs spent similarly high proportions of their time fishing when people were present. In years with large male activity, less time was spent fishing when people were absent. When freed from the potential threat of large male bears, females with cubs showed no measurable impact of controlled human activity.Human presence at a feeding site impacts the behaviour of brown bears, but not as expected. Temporal avoidance of human activity by large males was observed; indications that they departed upon satiation, before the arrival of morning tours, however, suggests that there was little energetic impact. By displacing large males, viewing activities created a temporal refuge, enhancing feeding opportunities for subordinate age/sex classes. With the strong positive relationships between mean female mass and litter size, this may in turn increase population productivity.     

Trace element concentrations in fish from three Adirondack lakes with different pH values

Concentrations of 29 elements were detected in the axial muscle, and 44 elements were detected in the gut contents of white suckers (Catostomus commersoni) and yellow perch (Perca favescens) from three lakes located in the New York State Adirondack Preserve. The study lakes were acidic Darts Lake, variable pH Lake Rondaxe, and circumneutral Moss Lake. For the majority of the elements, there were no clear differences in the muscle concentrations among fish inhabiting the three types of lakes. Two notable exceptions were Hg and Pb. With some exceptions, the highest muscle tissue Pb concentrations were found in fish from the acidic lake. For both species, the Hg was higher in the muscle than in the gut regardless of lake acidity. Other elements potentially toxic to humans (As, Cd, Ga, Pb, Se, and TI) were not accumulated in the muscle relative to the gut.     

Trace element accumulation in the tissues of fish from lakes with different pH values

Two species of fish, omnivorous Catostomus commersoni (white suckers) and carnivorous Perca flavescens (yellow perch) were collected from three natural lakes with different pH ranges (circumneutral, pH 6.5 to 6.8; variable, pH 5.8 to 6.7; and acidic, pH 4.9 to 5.4). The lakes are located in the North Branch of the Big Moose River drainage system in the New York State Adirondack Park Preserve. Concentrations of potentially toxic elements (Al, Cd, Cu, Ph, and Se) were measured by electrothermal atomic absorption spectrophotometry in water, sediment and fish (bone, gill, kidney, liver and muscle) from each lake. The results showed that concentrations of Pb and Cd were significantly higher (P < 0.05) in some of the tissues of the fish collected from the acidic lake. Also, the yellow perch from the acidic take had significantly higher (P<0.05) Se concentrations in their muscle and livers than fish from the other lakes. The concentrations of Al were elevated in the gill tissues of both fish species from the acidic lake relative to fish from the other lakes. Possible mechanisms contributing to these differences in tissue concentration are discussed.     

Metabolic changes in the snake head fish Channa punctatus chronically exposed to endosulfan

The chronic toxic effects of a commonly used pesticide endosulfan on the carbohydrate metabolism of the fresh water telcost fish Channa punctatus were investigated. The fish were exposed to a sub-lethal concentration (0.2 μg l^?1) for 15, 30, and 60 days. The levels of glucose, total plasma proteins, lactic acid and haemoglobin in the blood, glycogen and lactic acid contents of liver and muscles were also measured. Alterations in the activities of hexokinase, lactate dehydrogenase and pyruvate dehydrogenase in the glycolytic pathway, and succinate dehydrogenase in the citric acid cycle were examined in the liver, kidney, intestine, brain, gills and muscles. The results showed that 30 and 60 days of exposure produced more significant changes in different parameters in comparison to 15 days. There was a decrease in blood glucose and total plasma proteins but lactic acid and haemoglobin levels were higher in endosulfan exposed fish than in control fish. Glycogen and lactic acid contents of the liver and muscles were depleted. The activity of hexokinase in liver, kidney and intestine was inhibited after 60 days of exposure but in muscles the enzyme activity was elevated. Glucose-6-phosphatasc was inhibited in all the tissues. Lactate dehydrogenase, pyruvate dehydrogenase and succinate dehydrogenase activities decreased in the liver, kidney, brain and gills after 30 and 60 days of exposure. In the muscles, the activities of lactate dehydrogenase and pyruvate dehydrogenase were elevated while succinate dehydrogenase was inhibited. The study showed that formation of glycogen and its breakdown were impaired in the liver. In the muscles, the rate of glycolysis increased probably due to pesticide induced muscular excitment.     

Natural acidification of lakes and rivers in Japan: The ecosystem of Lake Usoriko (ph 3.4–3.8)

Most of the acid lakes and rivers in Japan have been influenced by acid waters of volcanic origin. Acidophilic and acidotolerant organisms are observed in these natural acid lakes and rivers, each of which has its own ecosystem and history. Lake Usoriko (pH 3.4–3.8) is a lake which.has been acidified by strongly acid water containing sulfuric acid and hydrochloric acid. The ecosystem of Lake Usoriko consists of aquatic vascular plants, aquatic bryophytes (Drepanocladus fluitans, etc.), algae, fish (Tribolodon hakonensis), insects, Zooplankton, fungi and bacteria. The paleosediment distributed along Lake Usoriko's northern shore is partly silicified and it contains fossils of a moss (Drepanocladus fluitans) and diatoms such as Pinnularia braunii var. amphicephala which are also distributed in the present lake. ¹⁴C dating of the specimens in the paleosediment, shoots of D. fluitans and the wood and cones of Picea glehnii gave values in the range 11500–34000y B.P. This record shows how long Lake Usoriko has been an acid lake.     

Development of zooplankton in relation to lime treatment in two acidified lakes

Zooplankton has been studied in Lakes Östra Nedsjön and Ömmern (1974–94), two acidified lakes in South-Western Sweden. The former lake was first limed in 1971–73, and secondly in 1982. The first liming increased the pH-level from ca. 5.3 to 6, and the second one from ca. 5.8 to 7–7.5. The pH-value in Lake Ömmern was about 6.1 in 1973, but decreased to 5.3 in 1981, when liming raised the value to 6.5–7. After the first liming in Lake Ö. Nedsjön, the rotatorians represented in average 1% of the total volume of zooplankton. Among the copepods, which made up ca. 22% of the volume, Cyclops was frequent, and both Eudiaptomus gracilis and Heterocope appendiculata were recorded. After the second liming on the other hand the rotatorians increased to in average 28% of the total volume, while the volume of copepods was only ca. 6%. Heterocope disappeared, and Eudiaptomus and Cyclops, usually favoured by liming, were rare. Consequently the supply of larger forms of crustaceans, suitable as fish food was severely reduced. In Lake Ömmern the effects of acidification within the zooplankton were moderate. The species richness was about the same as in unacidified lakes. After liming the development of zooplankton was similar to that in most other limed lakes, i. e. increased frequency of rotatorians, cladocerans and Cyclops spp. In Lake Ö. Nedsjön, however, the small zooplankton volumes and the elimination of copepods was in contrast to the zooplankton development in other limed lakes and in unacidified ones.     

Effect of sublethal concentrations of mercury on the composition of liver,muscles and ovary of Notopterus notopterus

The present investigation was undertaken to evaluate the effect of sublethal concentrations (0.088 and 0.044 mg 1^?1, i.e., 1/5th and 1/10th fraction of 96 h LC₅₀) of mercuric chloride on Ca, inorganic phosphate, water content, ash, glycogen, Fe, total protein, lipid contents and vitamin A, C, D, and E of liver, muscles and ovary of the freshwater fish Notopterus notopterus exposed for 30 days. The results obtained indicate that Ca, inorganic phosphate, water, ash, glycogen, Fe, total protein contents and vitamin D decreased significantly or insignificantly in these tissues of the Hg exposed fishes. However, lipid content increased in liver and muscles, but decreased in the ovaries. Vitamin A and D increased in the liver but decreased in the muscles and ovaries. Moreover, vitamin E increased in all the tissues of the fish exposed to 0.088 mg 1^?1 and decreased in the fish exposed to 0.044 mg 1^?1 of Hg concentrations.     

不同地表覆被下南四湖表层底泥营养元素分布特征

对南四湖水生植被区、农田居民地、养殖区、自然水面的29个采样点表层底泥TN、TP和TOC的含量进行分析,揭示了不同地表覆被下表层底泥中营养元素的分布特征,通过对底泥和上层覆水所含营养元素进行相关分析,探讨了营养元素的可能来源。利用有机指数,对底泥有机污染进行了分析。结果表明:南四湖养殖区和农田居民地已经出现富营养化现象,水生植被区和自然水面还尚未受到富营养化威胁。表层底泥的TN主要来自内源有机氮,TP主要来自外源无机磷。     

Gossypol and gossypolone enantiomers in tissues of rainbow trout fed low and high levels of dietary cottonseed meal

Gossypol is an antifertilizing agent in males and females. However, gossypol and its metabolite, gossypolone, have also gained interest because of their anticarcinogenic activities. This paper examines for the first time both enantiomers of tissue gossypol and gossypolone in mature rainbow trout fed two diets containing low (15%) and high (60%) levels of cottonseed meal (CM) for 9 months. The gossypol concentration was highest in liver followed by kidney, intestine, testis, blood plasma, stomach, and muscle. Gossypol was detected in muscles of fish fed low- and high-CM diets (0.31 +/- 0.03 and 1.95 +/- 0.59 microg of total gossypol/g, wet basis, respectively). The (+)-gossypol enantiomer was predominantly retained in all tissues. The ratio of (-)- to total gossypol ranged from 30 to 44% in fish fed the high-CM diet and from 23 to 30% in fish fed the low-CM diet except for muscle tissue (44%). Higher gossypolone concentrations were found in intestine than in liver. Gossypolone, however, was not detected in blood plasma, muscle, and testis of fish fed the low-CM diet. The ratio of gossypolone to gossypol was highest in muscle (1.75), followed by intestine (1.59), stomach (1.50), kidney (0.43), liver (0.34), testis (0.28), and blood plasma (0.27). This study indicated that the retention of the (-)-gossypol enantiomer is dependent on dietary concentrations and that the oxidative conversion of gossypol to gossypolone occurs more actively in the digestive tract and muscle than in other tissues in rainbow trout.