In situ reproduction, abundance, and growth of young-of-year and adult largemouth bass in a population exposed to polychlorinated biphenyls.
We conducted a two-year field study (2000-2001) in the Housatonic River, Massachusetts (USA) to determine if we could detect in situ population-level effects on largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides) exposed to elevated levels of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs). Calculated whole-body PCB concentrations in adult bass in 2002 averaged 121 mg/kg (range = 34-556 mg/kg). Polychlorinated biphenyl concentrations in young-of-year (YOY) composites in 2000 and 2002 averaged 28 mg/kg (range = 21-41 mg/kg) and 19 mg/kg (range = 16-24 mg/kg), respectively. Laboratory studies of fish have reported PCB toxicity at exposure levels below and within the range of those found in the Housatonic River. We evaluated five field-derived metrics: reproductive activity, relative abundance of YOY, YOY growth rates, adult growth, and adult condition to determine whether we could detect effects of PCBs in the largemouth bass population. These computed metrics, when compared with data sets assembled for numerous largemouth bass populations in North America, provided no evidence of population-level impairment. Results of this study suggest that PCB tissue concentrations associated with effects in laboratory studies do not necessarily translate to detectable effects on largemouth bass populations in their natural environment.
Reiser
Dudley W
DW
R2 Resource Consultants, 15250 Northeast 95th Street, Redmond, Washington 98052, USA. dreiser@r2usa.com
Greenberg
Emily S
ES
Helser
Thomas E
TE
Branton
Margaret
M
Jenkins
Kenneth D
KD
D000818:Animals; D001492:Bass / Q000502:physiology*; D001824:Body Constitution; D001835:Body Weight; D004781:Environmental Exposure; D004785:Environmental Pollutants / Q000266:history / Q000633:toxicity*; D005843:Geography; D006128:Growth / Q000187:drug effects*; D049673:History, 20th Century; D049674:History, 21st Century; D008404:Massachusetts; D008954:Models, Biological; D011078:Polychlorinated Biphenyls / Q000266:history / Q000633:toxicity*; D011157:Population Dynamics; D012098:Reproduction / Q000187:drug effects*; D045483:Rivers; D014018:Tissue Distribution
D004785:Environmental Pollutants; D011078:Polychlorinated Biphenyls