Survival of striped bass larvae and yearlings in relation to contaminants and water quality in the upper Chesapeake Bay

Archives of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology
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Abstract

This study was designed to evaluate survival of striped bass yolk-sac larvae and yearlings at three locations in their natural spawning habitat in the upper Chesapeake Bay (Chesapeake and Delaware Canal) using “in-situ” chambers; correlate larval and yearling survival with the presence of 11 water quality parameters, 10 inorganic contaminants and 21 organic contaminants and assess histological effects on yearlings after exposure to habitat water. The cumulative percent survival ranged from 42–59.5% for striped bass larvae after 96 hr of exposure to habitat water during two experiments. Survival in control conditions during these two experiments was 77.5 and 80.5%. Data from previous studies have shown that mortality rates for wild yolk-sac larvae ranged from 7–19% per day. Daily mortality of larvae in the present study was 13–16%; therefore, suspected acutely harmful water quality or contaminant conditions affecting survival were not substantiated. All yearling striped bass survived 10 days of exposure to habitat water. Although habitat water was not acutely toxic, histological examination of surviving yearling striped bass indicated sublethal effects. Telangiectases (lamellar dilations) of the gills was reported for yearlings exposed to habitat water. This pathological change was not found in the controls.

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Publication type Article
Publication Subtype Journal Article
Title Survival of striped bass larvae and yearlings in relation to contaminants and water quality in the upper Chesapeake Bay
Series title Archives of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology
DOI 10.1007/BF01055259
Volume 16
Year Published 1987
Language English
Publisher Springer
Contributing office(s) Leetown Science Center
Description 10 p.
First page 391
Last page 400
Country United States
State Delaware, Maryland
Other Geospatial Upper Chesapeake Bay
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