Electrical guidance efficiency of downstream-migrating juvenile Sea Lamprey decreases with increasing water velocity

Transactions of the American Fisheries Society
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Abstract

We tested the efficacy of a vertically oriented field of pulsed direct current (VEPDC) created by an array of vertical electrodes for guiding downstream-moving juvenile Sea Lampreys Petromyzon marinus to a bypass channel in an artificial flume at water velocities of 10–50 cm/s. Sea Lampreys were more likely to be captured in the bypass channel than in other sections of the flume regardless of electric field status (on or off) or water velocity. Additionally, Sea Lampreys were more likely to be captured in the bypass channel when the VEPDC was active; however, an interaction between the effects of VEPDC and water velocity was observed, as the likelihood of capture decreased with increases in water velocity. The distribution of Sea Lampreys shifted from right to left across the width of the flume toward the bypass channel when the VEPDC was active at water velocities less than 25 cm/s. The VEPDC appeared to have no effect on Sea Lamprey distribution in the flume at water velocities greater than 25 cm/s. We also conducted separate tests to determine the threshold at which Sea Lampreys would become paralyzed. Individuals were paralyzed at a mean power density of 37.0 µW/cm3. Future research should investigate the ability of juvenile Sea Lampreys to detect electric fields and their specific behavioral responses to electric field characteristics so as to optimize the use of this technology as a nonphysical guidance tool across variable water velocities.

Publication type Article
Publication Subtype Journal Article
Title Electrical guidance efficiency of downstream-migrating juvenile Sea Lamprey decreases with increasing water velocity
Series title Transactions of the American Fisheries Society
DOI 10.1080/00028487.2016.1256834
Volume 146
Issue 2
Year Published 2017
Language English
Publisher American Fisheries Society
Contributing office(s) Great Lakes Science Center
Description 9 p.
First page 299
Last page 307
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