Development and intercalibration of methods in nordic freshwater fish monitoring

The awareness of the effects of transboundary pollution has increased the necessity to use comparable methods and to initiate joint studies between countries in environmental monitoring. In freshwater fish monitoring a number of different methods have been used, strongly reducing the possibilities to comparative assessments between countries. In 1990, a workshop on freshwater fish sampling was initiated in order to develop and intercalibrate methods used in freshwater fish studies in the Nordic countries. During a three year period, a new type of multi-mesh gillnet to be used for fish monitoring in Norway, Finland and Sweden have been developed. Comparative studies and gillnet-selectivity assessments show that these new multi-mesh gillnets better describe the actual population structure of European perch (Perca fluviatilis), roach (Rutilus rutilus) and Arctic char (Salvelinus alpinus) than do the traditional gillnet series used in the Nordic countries. Ageing of fish is central in most environmental studies, however, the comparability of analyses performed at different laboratories may be low. Comparative age analyses between the three countries have been performed for a number of fish species. The results of ageing E. perch, whitefish (Coregonus sp.) and roach indicate that differences between laboratories can be reduced by intercalibration. In the future, the workgroup will be focused on a further development of joint methods within studies of freshwater fish and on joint intemordic assessments on species distribution, abundance and life history characteristics in relation to airborne pollutants and liming.     

Acid deposition from the Russian Kola Peninsula: Are sensitive fish populations in north-eastern Finnish Lapland affected?

Sulphur emissions from Russian Kola Peninsula smelters are known to cause surface water acidification in the border areas between Norway and Russia. The sulphur deposition is also high in the eastern part of Finnish Lapland. In 1990, a monitoring programme was started to survey the effects of acid deposition on sensitive fish populations in north-eastern Finnish Lapland. Altogether 103 sites in three areas were electrofished and autumn water samples were taken. Besides the brown trout (Salmo trutta), special attention was paid to the occurrence of minnow (Phoxinus phoxinus) since it is a common species in small waters and is highly sensitive to acidification. During the first three years of monitoring no signs of acidification were recorded. The alkalinity values of brooks generally exceeded 0.1 mmol/1. Brown trout, minnow and burbot (Lota lota) were caught frequently in the study sites. Later the study was focused on the uninhabited Vätsäri area which is receiving the highest sulphur deposition in Finnish Lapland. The alkalinity values of the sampled brooks were in most cases below 0.05 mmol/1, indicating a decreased buffer capacity. However, the electrofishing of the brooks showed no acid-induced damage. The lowest alkalinity values were detected from a group of small upland ponds. In four such ponds the alkalinity was zero or negative. No minnows were caught from these four ponds apart from one, where the minnows were exceptionally large. The results show that the waters near the eastern border of northern Finnish Lapland are threatened by acidification. No damage to fish populations subject to fishing was observed. The absence of minnows in some small waters is possibly the first sign of acid-induced fish population damage.     

Residues of diflubenzuron and two of its metabolites in a forest ecosystem after control of the pine looper moth,Bupalus piniarius L

Diflubenzuron, 1-(4-chlorophenyl)-3-(2,6-difluorobenzoyl)urea was used to control the pine looper population in about 1160 ha of Scots pine stand in eastern Finland in summer 1984. The control measure was effective, resulting in the collapse of the population in the treated area. Residues of diflubenzuron and two of its metabolites, 4-chloroaniline and 4-chlorophenylurea, were determined in water, pine needles, litter, humus, boleti and other wild mushrooms, bilberry (Vaccinium myrtillus L.) and cowberry (Vaccinium vitis-idaea L.) samples taken from this area. In water samples taken from the treated area diflubenzuron was still detected at concentrations of 0.1 μg litre^?1 2 months after application. No diflubenzuron was detected in this area the following year, nor outside the treated area. Neither metabolite was detected at any time. The sum of diflubenzuron and its metabolites in the litter layer was, on average, 0.7mg kg^?1 both 1 week and 1 month after the application. The next year, however, it had increased to 1.4 mg kg^?1. Diflubenzuron and its metabolites were not detected in the humus layer. The amount of diflubenzuron residues in the pine needles was, on average, 3.0 mg kg ^?1 1 day after the application, but in 2 months the level had decreased to 0.2-0.3 mg kg ^?1 or was not detectable. The following year the sum of diflubenzuron and its metabolites in two pine-needle samples was 0.3 and 1.6 mg kg ^?1. The sum of diflubenzuron and its metabolites in wild mushrooms was, on average, 0.07 mg kg ^?1 1 week after the application, but the following year no residues were detected. No residues were found in the boletus samples. The residues of diflubenzuron and its two metabolites in bilberries totalled, on average, 0.2 mg kg ^?1 1 day after the application, and 6 μg kg ^?1 the following year. The sum of diflubenzuron and metabolites in cowberries was, on average, 0.2 mg kg ^?1 1 month after application.     

Importance of maternal size on the reproductive success of perch,Perca fluviatilis,in small forest lakes: implications for fisheries management

Abstract Abundance, sex ratio and size structure of perch, Perca fluviatilis L., populations were studied in two forest lakes. The influence of maternal size on the amount and quality of eggs and larvae was investigated, and the effect of the spawning stock’s length structure on population egg and fry production was evaluated. The importance of large females was essential for the reproduction of perch. Large perch spawned more and bigger eggs that had higher hatching percentage resulting in considerably higher fry production. Larvae of large females were heavier and survived longer with bare yolk sac reserves. The relation between egg dry weight and female length differed between the study lakes suggesting varying maternal influence in different environments. Decrease in the share of large individuals in a perch population can substantially reduce the amount and quality of larvae produced. The results can be applied to improve the sustainability of perch fisheries.     

Effects of eutrophication on fish and fisheries in Finnish lakes: a survey based on random sampling

Abstract The effects of eutrophication on fish and fisheries in Finnish lakes were determined by an extensive lake survey conducted in 1995 and 1996. The study lakes (873) were chosen by stratified random sampling from all Finnish lakes with a surface area ≥ 0.04km² (29,515 lakes in all). The chemical parameters of the lake water were determined for water samples taken in autumn 1995. Information on the fish stocks of the study lakes was collected by means of a postal questionnaire sent to local fishing authorities and lake owners. The results show that the fish community structure is cyprinid dominated, reflecting eutrophication in 2100 lakes (7% of all the target lakes). Strong fouling of the fishing gear, as well as a great abundance of unwanted species in the catch of passive gears, were considered to be a continuous problem in more than 10% of the lakes. Roach, Rutilus rutilus (L.), and bream, Abramis brama (L.), were the most common species to have increased in abundance in the study lakes, whereas burbot, Lota lota (L.), and vendace, Coregonus albula (L.), decreased, especially in highly eutrophic lakes. High total phosphorus and cyprinid dominance in lakes were found mainly in the most intensive agricultural regions in the western and southern parts of Finland.     

Perch production in forest lakes: the contribution of abiotic and biotic factors

Horppila J, Olin M, Vinni M, Estlander S, Nurminen L, Rask M, Ruuhijärvi J, Lehtonen H. Perch production in forest lakes: the contribution of abiotic and biotic factors.
Ecology of Freshwater Fish 2010: 19: 257–266. © 2010 John Wiley & Sons A/S Abstract – The biomass, growth and production of perch (Perca fluviatilis (L.)) in five humic forest lakes in southern Finland were estimated and the abiotic and biotic factors contributing to the between‐lake differences were explored. The average perch biomass in the study lakes varied from 13.1 to 45.6 kg·ha^?1 and annual production from 6.0 to 16.5 kg·ha^?1. The highest biomass and production were found in Lake Majajärvi with highest water colour and nutrient concentration. Variability in fish density rather than in individual growth rate seemed to be the main factor behind the between‐lake differences in perch production. No dependence of perch production on water transparency was found, because transparency had a stronger effect on individual growth than on fish density. The length increment of perch in their second year increased significantly with water transparency but at older ages no such dependence was found. At age of 4 years, the growth rate of perch decreased with perch density, indicating intraspecific competition for benthic food resources. At age of 7 years, the growth rate increased with increasing roach (Rutilus rutilus (L.)) abundance, suggesting that roach served as a resource for piscivorous perch. The effects of predatory top‐down control on perch populations were probably obscured due to the variable size and water quality of the study lakes.     

Dielectric spectroscopy of Scots pine

Dielectric properties of Scots pine (42 trees) were compared with density, moisture content (MC), and resin acid content (RAC) (of heartwood). The samples were measured in frozen, green, conditioned and non-conditioned dry moisture states to evaluate the potential of dielectric spectroscopy in determining the wood characteristics at different stages of wood processing. Heartwood and sapwood parts of each sample were measured separately, and through-transmission measurement was conducted in longitudinal and tangential direction at frequencies from 1 MHz to 1 GHz. The MC and density correlated significantly with the dielectric parameters in both measurement directions but especially in longitudinal direction. The RAC of the heartwood correlated significantly with tanδ and ε″/(ε′ ? 1) of the green samples measured in the tangential direction at frequencies above 200 MHz. The correlation at 1 GHz was ?0.56 for green samples, ?0.66 for conditioned samples and ?0.61 for non-conditioned samples (P < 0.001, for all). The study suggests that the extractives also affect radio-frequency dielectric responses, which might be used for extractive analyses of pine heartwood.     

The effect of brown-rot decay on water adsorption and chemical composition of Scots pine heartwood

? The effect of brown-rot (Coniophora puteana) decay on the water adsorption capacity and concentration of extractives of Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) heartwood were studied by comparing corresponding properties of decayed and undecayed wood samples.

? The samples derived from 39 felled trees having a large between-tree variation in the extractive concentrations, and subsequently in the mass loss in the decay test. The water adsorption capacity, expressed as equilibrium moisture content (EMC), was measured at a high relative humidity (RH ～100%, 21 °C).

? In contrast to the widely held belief, the water adsorption capacity of brow-rotted heartwood appeared to be significantly higher than that of undecayed heartwood.

? The chemical composition of heartwood was changed radically by the fungus: the concentration of stilbenes, resin acids and free fatty acids decreased, while the concentration of soluble sugars increased as a result of decay. In addition, fungal sugars were found in the decayed samples. The concentration of total phenolics increased, which obviously reflected chemical changes in cell wall constituents other than extractives.

? As a conclusion, the information concerning the hygroscopicity of brown-rotted wood might be valuable e.g. when carrying out repairs on buildings damaged by advanced decay.

     

Non-lethal infection parameters in mice separate sheep Type II Toxoplasma gondii isolates by virulence

The zoonotic protozoan parasite Toxoplasma gondii can infect all warm-blooded animals, but virulence of isolates has previously been characterised mainly by the ability to kill mice after experimental infections. In the present study, 15 Type II strains of T. gondii, isolated from five adult sheep, six sheep abortions, two pigs, one cat and one fox were examined for their virulence to young mice by less dramatic parameters. Clinical disease of inoculated mice, directly evidenced by reduced weight gain, was correlated to increase in serum level of haptoglobin and level of specific antibodies. Although Type II T. gondii strains are non-virulent to mice by lethality studies, significant differences in mouse virulence were observed between the strains of T. gondii isolated either from adult sheep or from sheep abortions. It was not possible to characterise strains isolated from sheep abortions as being more or less virulent than strains isolated from adult slaughter sheep.