title: Effects of Columbia River water on early life-stages of white sturgeon (Acipenser transmontanus).
abstract: The white sturgeon (Acipenser transmontanus) population that resides in the Columbia River in British Columbia (BC), Canada, has suffered recruitment failures for more than three decades. During the summers of 2008 and 2009, studies were performed to determine whether exposure to water downstream of a metal smelter in Trail, BC affected survival or growth of early life-stages of white sturgeon through 60+ days post-fertilization (dpf). In both years, there were no significant differences in survival of fish that were exposed to water from downstream compared to water from upstream of the smelter. At 20-21dpf, average mortality was 2.4 percent and 12 percent in upstream water for 2008 and 2009, respectively, which was similar to the average mortality of 3.8 percent and 7.2 percent in downstream water for 2008 and 2009, respectively. Relatively great mortality after 20-21dpf complicated analysis of the subchronic exposure, but use of a survival analysis indicated that the average fish died at 25-29dpf, regardless of whether the water to which they were exposed came from upstream or downstream of the smelter. In addition, measured concentrations of metals in river water were less than the threshold for adverse effects on early life stages of white sturgeon. Based upon these analyses, it is not likely that current concentrations of metals in the Columbia River in southern BC are adversely affecting survival of early life stages of white sturgeon larvae.
authors: Toxicology Centre, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK, Canada.
authors: Amber R
authors: AR
authors: Tompsett
authors: Toxicology Centre, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK, Canada.
authors: David W
authors: DW
authors: Vardy
authors: Toxicology Centre, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK, Canada.
authors: Eric
authors: E
authors: Higley
authors: Toxicology Centre, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK, Canada.
authors: Jon A
authors: JA
authors: Doering
authors: Toxicology Centre, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK, Canada.
authors: Marcie
authors: M
authors: Allan
authors: Toxicology Centre, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK, Canada.
authors: Karsten
authors: K
authors: Liber
authors: Toxicology Centre, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK, Canada; Department of Veterinary Biomedical Sciences, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK, Canada; Department of Biology and Chemistry, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, Special Administrative Region, PR China.
authors: John P
authors: JP
authors: Giesy
authors: Toxicology Centre, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK, Canada; School of the Environment and Sustainability, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK, Canada. Electronic address: markus.hecker@usask.ca.
authors: Markus
authors: M
authors: Hecker
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D049628:Body Size / Q000187:drug effects; D002170:Canada; D005399:Fishes / Q000502:physiology*; D008670:Metals / Q000032:analysis / Q000633:toxicity*; D045483:Rivers / Q000737:chemistry*; D016019:Survival Analysis; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000032:analysis / Q000633:toxicity*
chemical_list: D008670:Metals; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical
keywords: Metals; Recruitment failure; Subchronic toxicity testing; Survival