Relationships between boron concentrations and trout in the Firehole River, Wyoming: historical information and preliminary results of a field study.
The Firehole River (FHR) in Yellowstone National Park (YNP) is a world-renowned recreational fishery that predominantly includes rainbow trout (RBT, Oncorhynchus mykiss) and brown trout (BNT, Salmo trutta). The trout populations apparently are closed to immigration and have been self-sustaining since 1955. Inputs from hot springs and geysers increase the temperature and mineral content of the water, including elevating the boron (B) concentrations to a maximum of approximately 1 mg B/L. Both RBT and BNT reside in warm-water reaches, except when the water is extremely warm (> or = approximately 25 degrees C) during midsummer. They spawn in late fall and early winter, with documented spawning of BNT in the cold-water reach upstream from the Upper Geyser Basin and of RBT in the Lower Geyser Basin reach, where water temperatures presumably are the warmest; however, successful recruitment of RBT in waters containing approximately 1 mg B/L has not been demonstrated conclusively. Thus, we began investigating the relationships among temperature, B concentrations, other water-quality parameters, and the distribution and reproduction of trout in the FHR in spring 1997. However, atypical high water flows and concomitant lower than historical temperatures and B concentrations during summer 1997 preclude conclusions about avoidance of high B concentrations.
Meyer
J S
JS
Department of Zoology and Physiology, University of Wyoming, Laramie 82071-3166, USA.
Boelter
A M
AM
Woodward
D F
DF
Goldstein
J N
JN
Farag
A M
AM
Hubert
W A
WA
D000818:Animals; D001522:Behavior, Animal; D001895:Boron / Q000032:analysis; D004781:Environmental Exposure; D005260:Female; D005618:Fresh Water; D008297:Male; D017686:Oncorhynchus mykiss / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D013696:Temperature; D014131:Trace Elements / Q000032:analysis; D014337:Trout / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D014959:Wyoming
D014131:Trace Elements; D001895:Boron