WESTON Ref No 262 NortluQJlem NmuruJist Vol 6 Nu 3

MORSE~ DH 1966 The context of songs jn the yellow warbler Wilson Bu1Jetfn 78444-455

MORS~ DH 1989 AmcJican Watblers An Ecological and Behavioral Pershy spcctive Harvard University Press Cambridge MA

NOLAN V Jr 1978 The ecology and behavior of the prdiTie warbler Drndroica diriolor Ornithological monogmphs No 26 American Ornishythologists Union

PYLE P SNG HOWELLRP YUNICKand DF DESANTE 1987ldenli shyfication guide to North AmdJcan Passermes Slate Creek Pres~ Bolinas CA

RAVELING DG and DW WARNER ]978 Geogr~phjc vuialion of [he yellow warblers killed at a TV tower Auk 9573-79

SEALY SO KA HOBSON and JV BRISKIE 1989 Responses ofyel1ow warblers to experimental intraspecific brood purasilism Journal of Field

Ornithology 60224-229 SPECTOR DA 1991 The singing behaviour of yellow warblers fkh~iour

11729middot52 SPECrOR DA 1992 Wood-warhler song systems Current Ornithology

9 199-238 SPECTOR DAbull LK McKIM and DE KROODSMA 1990 Yellow wllfblcl~

are able to leat songs and situations in which to use them Animal Behavior 38723-725

STUDD MV bull and RJ ROBERTSON 1985a pvidcnce fur reliable hadges or status in territorial yellow warbler_ Animal Behavior 33 J102-1 113

STUOD MVbull and RJ ROBERTSON 1985b Sexual selection llIld variation in reproduclive strategy in male yellow warbJers (DendTuica p~tecltia)

Behavioral EcoJogy and Sociobiology 17101-109 STUOD MV and RJ ROBERTSON ) 988 Differential al1ocation of reproshy

ductive effort (0 territorial est41blishment and maintenance by male yellow warblers (Dendroica petechia) Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology 23199-210

STUDD M V and RJ ROBERTSON 1989 Influence of age and lerrilory quality on the reproductive behaviour of malc yellow warblen Canadian Journal of Zoology 67268-213

WALKINSHAW LH 1983 Kirtlands warhler Bulletin of the Cranbrook Institute of Science 58 1-207

YEZERINAC SM Pl WEATHERHEAD and I)T HOAG 1995 E-tra-pair paternity and (he opporruni(y for 8elual selection in a socially monogamous bird (DmdTocapetechia) Ilehav EcoL Sociohiol_ 31 119-18K

YOUNG H 194~ A compm-ative study of nesting birds in Ii live-acre park Wilson Bulletin 61 36-41

ishyI

]99) NORTHEJ 02-0284

LENGTH-AiE RELATIONS AND PCB CONTENT O~ tshyo

MATURE WHITE SUCKERS FROM THE I shyJ

CONNECrICUT AND HOUSATONIC RIVER BASINS J U

JAMES F COLES I 1shy

f ABSTRAcr - Length-age con-elations of mature while suckers (Calmromus r

l

commcrroni) wert made using fish collected for organochlorine analysis in composite fish samples at 16 sites in the Connecticut River basin and seven sites in the Housatonic River basin Compared to studies from Canadian lakes the fish in hese basins appeared smaller at a given age Overall the length-age l

(

relation appealed linear after mamrity was reached although the vanabililY in t (

rthis apparent gmwlh rate was large among siles in both the Connecticut and (

Housatonic basins Within the Housatonic basin two sites with me lowest apparent grOwtll rate were in parts of the riler system that had high concentrashy tion of PCBs in the sediment and fish tissue However within Ihe Connecticut r basin apparent gTowth rales were relatively low at two sites wllcrc PCBs were ~ not detectei Using lh(~ mtdian ages of fIsh in lhe composite samples comparishy J sons were made with the lipid frar-lions and thc pen concentrntions of the f shy

s3lUples Age of fish had no apparent effect 011 tile lipid fraction although age of r -lt

fish did appear to influence lht PCR concentration of the sample However Otis u

was probably due to a sampling bias of selecling older fish at more contaminated sites

INTRODUCTION

This study is part of the US Geological Surveys (USGS) National Water Qua)ily Assessment (NAWQA) Program wllieb was implemented in 1991 to assess the water quality in 59 of the nations most important river basin and aquifer systems referred 10 as study units More than two-thirds of (he nations freshwaler use occurs within the 59 study units and more rhan two-thirds of the people served by public water supply ~yslems live within their boundaries One of these study uruts incorporated drainage basins flowing into Long Island Sound from New England and was designated the Connecticut Thames and Housatonic c River Basins Study Unit (CONN) of the NA WQA Program Within the v CONN sampli ng station network were 32 sites on ri vers and streams in o

t-

central anJ southern New England where mature white suckers (CatJstomus commersoni) were collected to delennine organochlorine

1 contaminants in comPosite samples (typically eight whole individuals)

r offish tissue Included among these 32 sites were five main stem and 11 tributary sites in the Connecticut River basin and two main stem and ~

-Wer Resources Division MH~snchllsctts-Rbode Island Distric~ US Geologi- ~ cal Survey 10 Bearfoot Road Northborough MA Ot5)2 -y

----------- ---

r 264 Northeastern Naturalist Vol6No3

five tributary sites in the Housatonic River basin (Table 1) This paper discusses the length aud age data on the individua1 fish used in the compo~ite samples from the Connecticut and Housatonic basins and examines fish age as a factor in the concentration of polychlorinated biphenyls (peRs) jn the samples

In the original 8~udy (Coles J996) PCBs were the predominant organochlorine contaminant found in whole fish lissue with the highest concentrations fTom sites in the southern part of the study area which included lhe Connecticut and Housatonic basins A comparison ()f the pen concentrations in composite fish-tissue samples from the Conshynecticut and Hnusntonic Rier basins showed that three Housatonic i

basin sites (HI H2 H6) had inordinately high concentrations (Table 1)

The most upstream of these sites was on the East Branch Housatonic River at PiUf~fie1d MA (HI) located along a portion of the riVer adjashycent to the General Electric Company ((]E) facility at Pittsfield MA Below site HI was a site on Woods Pond at Lenox MA (H2) which is 10caterl at the first major impoundment on the Housatonic River below the GE facility The most downstream of these three sites was on the Housatonic River at Town Hi11 CT (H6) which was also within an impounded part of the river (head of Lake Lillinonah CT) Although the PCB concentration in the tissue sample from site H6 was several times lower than the concentrations from sites Hl and 1-12 it exceeded the I other 20 sites by ~lmost an order of magnitude The GE facility has been I

I documented 8S the primary source of peR contamination to the i Housatonic ~ivcr (Connecticut Academy of Science and Engineering 1987) and the high pcn concentrations in fish tissue at sites HI H2 and H6 were likely due to PCBs that entered the Bast Branch Housatonic River from thal facility

f

In addition to the tissue samples being analyzed for organochlorine

concentratiuns ancillary data were recorded on the fish used in the samples These data included the gender length and age of the fish I which are used in this paper to estimate the length-age relation of fish used in the samples and the effect of fish age on the lipid and PCB concentrations of the sample Differences in the lengtll-age relation were tested bbtween the Connecticut and Housatonic basins be-tween

I I 1

male and female fish between fish collected from mainsLem and tribushy I tary sites and among basin specific sites PCB concentrations detershymined in the fish samples could nOl direcdy be used to test for contamishy I

I nant effects on the length-age relations because the PCB values represhysented the composite of fish in the samples rather than individuals I However comparisons between PCB concentration and the length-age relation at selected sites are discussed

Age of fish has been considered a factor affecting the bioaccnmulalion potential in fish that become fatter with age because of

]99~ LF Coles 165

the lipophilic nature of organochlorines (Camanzo et d 1987) Tn abc S current StudY5 the lipid component of the composite samples was dcter- Ishy

mined as part of the laboratory analysis for organochlorine concentra- ~ tion The lipid component and PCB concentration of fbe samples were Ishy

j

compared with the median ages of the fi~h in the samples to detennine if IJ IJ

age of fish may have influenced the accumulation ot these constituents Ishy

METHODS ~ fJ J

A t01a1 ()f 194 white 3uckers were collected by elcctrofishing in the Connecticut basin at five mainstem and 11 trihutary ites and in lhe HOllsatonic basin at two mainstcm and five tributary sites (Table J) Th~ t mainstcm sites on both rivers were impollnded except for site C 16 which ~ was a freshwater tidal site on the lower Connecticut River Mature fish ~ were selected for analysis so 1113t gender could be easily detennined in the field and because these individuals would hove had a long exposure to ]

r contaminants present in tbe river systems A composite sample of typishy r cally eight whole fish was coHected at each of the 23 Sites with a replicate 2

Jsample additionally coJl~cted at sites C8 and C] 6 on the Connecticut River Ishy-lt r

Table 1 Sites where wJlj(c suckers were collected in he Connccticaland Housatonic vasillS fo u

orgAnochlorine nalysis in whoJe-body composite tissue 8umplc~ The apparent growth rate Lhown

for ConnecticUL basin and Housalooil basin based on all fIsh from the res1ectivc basin

Sill Sire and localroll No

CODDecficnt Basin CJ ConDecdcw Rlvez ruu LanCislcr Nil C2 Connecticut Rlvcc- at SwIll OJ-Jcsruwn Nfl C3 Otter JliVCf at Olter Ri ttr MA C( Conn~tiCDI RivctlIl MonlllCllcCity MA C5 MiU River 111 NmthBmplOn MA C6 Swill River uL Wc5I WIllC MA Ci Quabollg River ut Palmer MA C8 Connecticut Piverll(ar longmeadow MA C9 Smart Brook III Hroad DIO01 lt1 CJO Still Rivcr 1 Nelsons COllier cr CI I Jcljuatmclc River at FonslvII~ cr CI2 Nor1h ranch PmkRilef 31 HHnford cr en Hocklllium River near Eu HmfonJ CT CI4 Malhlbess1 niv~r al LinJc Rives cr CI5 Coginchallg Rive aJ Middlefield cr CIG CDllnccllcul River DCII Punl1nd CT

IIlmsalonic Basi HI E Bf3nch Housalnllic River al filllficld MA 112 lJouslllonic Ri-er (Woods P)od) alunox MA H3 Green River 1 Oreal Ranington MA 114 KonlapOl River at Ashley falls MA 115 Tenmile River nea r Gaylordsville cr H6 fl041S31011ic Rivet ear Town Hm cr H7 W Branch Nauglllck Rivet lor TOlTington CT

Segment DlIjin No Datc Apparent 1(11amp lipid Mea of ClIl1exled growlh (IlgkS ()

(sq till) fish rate - -- shy

138 1l_0 MllinLlem 392-i 8 01-229] IU Maios(em 13722 8 07middot16-93 JOt Tributary K8 5 08-OJ 94 U5 Maimrem 20]90 B In-IS-Q3 111 Tributary J40 8 ORmiddot 15-9 8S Trilmtnry middot190 8 08-029-4 155 TribDlruy 517 5 08-02-94 150 MninslCm 24992 16 07middot14-91 128 Tributary 38 B 10 23-91 154 Tribnlnry 1I6 g OS-l7-94 SI Tributary 116 8 11-17-92 116 Tributary 69 8 08-11-94 20(1 Tributary 19 If 10-22middot92 97 Tlibulnry 141 8 08middot10-94 49 TribuLary 18 f ()g I0middot9-4 63 MuinsLem 28215 16 07-13-93 tol

Tributary Majfl~tcm TrilltJlllry Tribuury Tribuuuy Mairl51em

Tribu(llC)

I Sites where 0 composite Jalllpb of 8 fisJl elch were collCclaJ

56 138 181 8 08-169~ J_I 436 8 0913middot94 91 132 8 olr 16-9~ 140 157 8 08middot17middot94 122 5J8 8 10-2091 189

2902 8 07-2193 171 142 08-1794 ImiddotD

wet WL)

IJI1 690 580 820

190 170 160

]100 93

llO l(iO 140 4-10

1100 od

910

lSOOO nono

620 50

170 IZOOO

93

41 100 GG

123 36 90 61

109 41 4_9 51 48 2_4 )JI 90 lL4

18 25 S1 6_3 4j

105 48

lt

IJ [) Ishy

-I

l

----------- ---

r 264 Northeastern Naturalist Vol6No3

five tributary sites in the Housatonic River basin (Table 1) This paper discusses the length aud age data on the individua1 fish used in the compo~ite samples from the Connecticut and Housatonic basins and examines fish age as a factor in the concentration of polychlorinated biphenyls (peRs) jn the samples

In the original 8~udy (Coles J996) PCBs were the predominant organochlorine contaminant found in whole fish lissue with the highest concentrations fTom sites in the southern part of the study area which included lhe Connecticut and Housatonic basins A comparison ()f the pen concentrations in composite fish-tissue samples from the Conshynecticut and Hnusntonic Rier basins showed that three Housatonic i

basin sites (HI H2 H6) had inordinately high concentrations (Table 1)

The most upstream of these sites was on the East Branch Housatonic River at PiUf~fie1d MA (HI) located along a portion of the riVer adjashycent to the General Electric Company ((]E) facility at Pittsfield MA Below site HI was a site on Woods Pond at Lenox MA (H2) which is 10caterl at the first major impoundment on the Housatonic River below the GE facility The most downstream of these three sites was on the Housatonic River at Town Hi11 CT (H6) which was also within an impounded part of the river (head of Lake Lillinonah CT) Although the PCB concentration in the tissue sample from site H6 was several times lower than the concentrations from sites Hl and 1-12 it exceeded the I other 20 sites by ~lmost an order of magnitude The GE facility has been I

I documented 8S the primary source of peR contamination to the i Housatonic ~ivcr (Connecticut Academy of Science and Engineering 1987) and the high pcn concentrations in fish tissue at sites HI H2 and H6 were likely due to PCBs that entered the Bast Branch Housatonic River from thal facility

f

In addition to the tissue samples being analyzed for organochlorine

concentratiuns ancillary data were recorded on the fish used in the samples These data included the gender length and age of the fish I which are used in this paper to estimate the length-age relation of fish used in the samples and the effect of fish age on the lipid and PCB concentrations of the sample Differences in the lengtll-age relation were tested bbtween the Connecticut and Housatonic basins be-tween

I I 1

male and female fish between fish collected from mainsLem and tribushy I tary sites and among basin specific sites PCB concentrations detershymined in the fish samples could nOl direcdy be used to test for contamishy I

I nant effects on the length-age relations because the PCB values represhysented the composite of fish in the samples rather than individuals I However comparisons between PCB concentration and the length-age relation at selected sites are discussed

Age of fish has been considered a factor affecting the bioaccnmulalion potential in fish that become fatter with age because of

]99~ LF Coles 165

the lipophilic nature of organochlorines (Camanzo et d 1987) Tn abc S current StudY5 the lipid component of the composite samples was dcter- Ishy

mined as part of the laboratory analysis for organochlorine concentra- ~ tion The lipid component and PCB concentration of fbe samples were Ishy

j

compared with the median ages of the fi~h in the samples to detennine if IJ IJ

age of fish may have influenced the accumulation ot these constituents Ishy

METHODS ~ fJ J

A t01a1 ()f 194 white 3uckers were collected by elcctrofishing in the Connecticut basin at five mainstem and 11 trihutary ites and in lhe HOllsatonic basin at two mainstcm and five tributary sites (Table J) Th~ t mainstcm sites on both rivers were impollnded except for site C 16 which ~ was a freshwater tidal site on the lower Connecticut River Mature fish ~ were selected for analysis so 1113t gender could be easily detennined in the field and because these individuals would hove had a long exposure to ]

r contaminants present in tbe river systems A composite sample of typishy r cally eight whole fish was coHected at each of the 23 Sites with a replicate 2

Jsample additionally coJl~cted at sites C8 and C] 6 on the Connecticut River Ishy-lt r

Table 1 Sites where wJlj(c suckers were collected in he Connccticaland Housatonic vasillS fo u

orgAnochlorine nalysis in whoJe-body composite tissue 8umplc~ The apparent growth rate Lhown

for ConnecticUL basin and Housalooil basin based on all fIsh from the res1ectivc basin

Sill Sire and localroll No

CODDecficnt Basin CJ ConDecdcw Rlvez ruu LanCislcr Nil C2 Connecticut Rlvcc- at SwIll OJ-Jcsruwn Nfl C3 Otter JliVCf at Olter Ri ttr MA C( Conn~tiCDI RivctlIl MonlllCllcCity MA C5 MiU River 111 NmthBmplOn MA C6 Swill River uL Wc5I WIllC MA Ci Quabollg River ut Palmer MA C8 Connecticut Piverll(ar longmeadow MA C9 Smart Brook III Hroad DIO01 lt1 CJO Still Rivcr 1 Nelsons COllier cr CI I Jcljuatmclc River at FonslvII~ cr CI2 Nor1h ranch PmkRilef 31 HHnford cr en Hocklllium River near Eu HmfonJ CT CI4 Malhlbess1 niv~r al LinJc Rives cr CI5 Coginchallg Rive aJ Middlefield cr CIG CDllnccllcul River DCII Punl1nd CT

IIlmsalonic Basi HI E Bf3nch Housalnllic River al filllficld MA 112 lJouslllonic Ri-er (Woods P)od) alunox MA H3 Green River 1 Oreal Ranington MA 114 KonlapOl River at Ashley falls MA 115 Tenmile River nea r Gaylordsville cr H6 fl041S31011ic Rivet ear Town Hm cr H7 W Branch Nauglllck Rivet lor TOlTington CT

Segment DlIjin No Datc Apparent 1(11amp lipid Mea of ClIl1exled growlh (IlgkS ()

(sq till) fish rate - -- shy

138 1l_0 MllinLlem 392-i 8 01-229] IU Maios(em 13722 8 07middot16-93 JOt Tributary K8 5 08-OJ 94 U5 Maimrem 20]90 B In-IS-Q3 111 Tributary J40 8 ORmiddot 15-9 8S Trilmtnry middot190 8 08-029-4 155 TribDlruy 517 5 08-02-94 150 MninslCm 24992 16 07middot14-91 128 Tributary 38 B 10 23-91 154 Tribnlnry 1I6 g OS-l7-94 SI Tributary 116 8 11-17-92 116 Tributary 69 8 08-11-94 20(1 Tributary 19 If 10-22middot92 97 Tlibulnry 141 8 08middot10-94 49 TribuLary 18 f ()g I0middot9-4 63 MuinsLem 28215 16 07-13-93 tol

Tributary Majfl~tcm TrilltJlllry Tribuury Tribuuuy Mairl51em

Tribu(llC)

I Sites where 0 composite Jalllpb of 8 fisJl elch were collCclaJ

56 138 181 8 08-169~ J_I 436 8 0913middot94 91 132 8 olr 16-9~ 140 157 8 08middot17middot94 122 5J8 8 10-2091 189

2902 8 07-2193 171 142 08-1794 ImiddotD

wet WL)

IJI1 690 580 820

190 170 160

]100 93

llO l(iO 140 4-10

1100 od

910

lSOOO nono

620 50

170 IZOOO

93

41 100 GG

123 36 90 61

109 41 4_9 51 48 2_4 )JI 90 lL4

18 25 S1 6_3 4j

105 48

lt

IJ [) Ishy

-I

l

161 266 NorthelJStUJJ Nmuralist Vol 6 NO3

main stem The tissue samples were shipped fTozen to the U SOS National WaterQuality Laboratory in Arvada Colorado for lnalysis oforganocbJoshyrine concentrations including total PCBs (Coles 1996) Prior to shipping the samples from (he field) each fish was weighed and measured (tota] and standard lengtll) its gender was determined by gonadal examination and its left pectoral fin was removed so that LlJl age of the fisb could be detemrined Age was detennined from the pectoral fin rays using the methods of Dee (der and Willemse (1973) The age of fish collected from lheConnecticut River basin ranged from 6 to 25 years for 138 individuals with an average age of 16 years The age of fish co1lceted from the Housatonic River basin ranged from 6 to 21 years tor 56 individuals with an average age of 138 years Among all 23 sites the age difference between the youngest and oldest individuals collected at a site ranged from 3 to 9 years

The von Bertalanffy equation widely applied in fisheries work (Moreau) 981) was initially tested to calculate growth functions for the Connecticut nnd Housatonic basins using the respective length-age data The coefficient of determination (W) from the equation was 0826 for the Connecticut basin and 0757 for the Housatonic hasin The paramo eter that predicts maximum attainable length (Lmatl in the von BertBlanffy equation was exceedingly high for both basins suggesting that length essentia11y increased linearly wi tb age A linear trend in the Jengtb-age relation was confirmed by a comparison between tbe regresshysion lines from the von Bertalanffy equation and the linear regression equation For the Connecticut 8J1d the Housatonic basins individually the regression lines from the two equations virtually coincided and had (he same coef11cients of determination The linear model however was not intended to be extrapolated to predict the 1ength-age relation in young fish because it would not take into account changing growth plltterns that occur in the early life stages Nevertheless the linear model did seem suitable for the mature fish used in this study to determine differences in the apparent growth rales

An analysis of covnriance procedure (ANCOVA) applied with the G~neral Linear Model (GLM) was used to test for significant differshyences in the length-age relation of fish collected from sites in the Connecticut and Housatonic basins The fisll were categorized by covariates based on site characteristics from where the fish were colshylected to test for effects on the length-age relation Basn (Connecticut or Housatonic) Segment (rivermainstem or tributary) and Site (samshypling site) Additionally the covariate Gender (male or femute) was used to test if the gender of a fish was a factor in the length-age relation A test for homogeneity of slopes by including interaction tenns beshytween age and the covariate in the GLM was Ilsed to detennine the

1999 JF Coles

length at a given age was detennined by the probability that the inter- 2

cepts of the regression lines were equal Differences Were not consid- ~ cred significant wilen probability values (P) were greater than 005 ~

The test for differences in the Jength-age IdalIon between fish from the Connecticut anrl Housatonic basins was made using the model ~

Length Age + Gender 1- Basin -f- Ba~in ~Age I(

where Length is total length of fish in millimeters Age is age of fish in years Gender is a covariate for male Of female fish and Basin is the 8 covariate for fish from the Connecticut or Housatonic basin Of fhe 194 j fish collected five were not considered in the analysis lIsing this model because the gender was not determined in these individuals

For the Connecticut and Housatonic basins individually the lest for ~ differences in the ]englh-nge relation among tIle sites wi(hin the basin ~ was made using the model ~

Length = Age + Gender ~- Sile + SireAge 1 r

whelC Siu is the covariate for fish cone~wd from a specific sire within IT the basin ~

The test for differences in the length-age rdarion between fish from I-

river mainstem and tributary sites regardless of whether the fish were ~ from the Connecticut or Housatonic hasin was made usingthe model U

Length =Age + middotGender + Segmem + SegmcntAge

wheTe Segment is the covariate for fish collected from a mainstem or tributary site

The lipid fraCTion and PCB concentration of the samples were COID- pared with the median agc of the fish used in the samples to dctenninc if age may have heen a factor in the aCC1JmuJation uf thl~e constiruents Linear regression was used to test for a relation between lipid fraction and median age and between PCB concentration and median age llCH concentrations for tbe regressions were log transfonned (LOG)O (Xi 1)) and used us both wet-weigbtand lipjd-normaJited values Lipid nonnaIshyizaLion was derived from dividing the weL-weigh PCB concentration by the Jipid fraction of the sample

bull1 C

RESULTS t(

a t-

The iANCOV A test for differences in he length-age reialjons in fish between the Connecticut and Housatonic basins indicated Lhllt the apshyparent growlh rate was higher in the Connecticut basil1 based on the probability value of the BasinAge interaction term in the GLM that t

tested for homogeneity of slopes (PnasiBt -= 0012) (Table 2) Linear regressions of the length-age data indicated that the apparent growth probability thallbe slopes of the length-age regression lines were equal It ralc (regression-line slope) was 170 mm per year (R2 0826) for thebetween the covariate groups The effecl of the covariate groups on

268 Northeasrern Naturalist Vol 6 No3

Connecticut basin and 138 mm per year (R2 = 0757) for the Houatonic basin (Table 1) The intercepts of the regression lines were 107 and 142 millimeters respectively but these values were not significantly differshyent (PBaun = 0058) TheANCOVA was re-tested with sites HI and H2 excluded and (he results indicated thal there was no significant differshyence in the apparent growth rate between the Connecticul and Housatonic basins (P8arinAI~= 0637 PBoJin= 0996) A lineHr regression for the Housatonic basin data excluding sites HI and HZ bad coeffishycients more in agreement witb those for the Connecticut basin the appHrent growth rate was 118 rom per year and tbe intercept was 10J mm (R2 =0904) (Fig 1) The effect of gender was nut signifieant in the

Tahle 2 Analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) resillts fnr comparisons of Icngthshyag~ re1alion~ in white suckers from the Connecticut and HOllsatonic basins

Source df Sum nf MeaD F-THtiu P ofvarilmcc squares square

Betwun Connecrjcu~ and lIouutooic basins

Ageshy H3J44464 513 Jt4-4M _)()J2 II2 ltflOOI

8a~1 I 3399_i21i 33995211 3629 OJ)58 Gender 1 117676 1]1(16 0 111 00(15

BasinojlAge I 60S~060 6055060 6465 0012

Enor 184 112320060 936520

Dctwcen Conmcticol and Hoosatonic basins site~ III and 112 exc100ed

Age 508091042 508091042 569gt82 lt0001 Bas-n 1444 14-44 3629 06 Geuder 805825 805825 0126 0321 BaslrrmiddotAge 181846 ]81846 646i 0637 Error HiS 136864198 814668

Among sitell within Connecticut ba~in

Age 1 29952785 29952781 108450 ltOJ)OJ

Sile 15 9446_302 629153 2280 0008 Gl1Ider 1 1739757 I7397S7 6299 0014

SteAge 15 614ti560 409771 14amp4 0125 ErrOT 101 27895183 276190

Among sites within Housatonic basin

Age I I K09526shy 18095263 74654 lt0001 Sire 6 2584391 410131 un 0129 GentMr 1 5907326 5907326 ~4378 0 SiteAgc 6 -4760190 793365 3213 0010 Euor 40 969l490 24231rt

Between IDainstem and Tributary lIegmenlll

ACt 57155621 57155621 60579 lt0001 Segrnenr 1002272 1001272 1062 0_304 Gelder I 41O68J 410611 0435 0510

Slg~n-AI I 112369 172369 0183 0670 Error HI4 173600939 943483

1999 JP Coles 269

models regardless of whether siles HI and H2 were included (IcelJtk~ 0725) or not (PGnlller= 0321) t-

In comparing the Jength-age relatiolls among sites within the indi ~ vidual basins the apparenl growth rates were not significantly wfferen in the Connec~icut basin (PSi+Age 0125) but were in the Housatonil~l basin (PSig= 0110 ( (Table 2 Fig 2) The effect of gender was also significant in these models (PGCMU = 0014 ltOOU 1) Among the sites ill-

the Housatonic basin the lowest apparent growth rate was al site HJ~ (Table 1) which was a statisticul outJier in that its value 01 mm pc]

I

600 r -----r ---1

CW C t shy500

Basin

)( Connecticut

f c~

Q)

CD 1sect 400 Figure I Lenglh~

age regressions ol~ white sllcken1

~ t

from the Conmiddotshy~ 300 I-shyncclicut andlt Housltonic RiveT~

(i

~ basins

200 o HouGatonic

SUes H1 and H2 IJ 1001 I I ___ I

o 5 10 15 20 25 30 Age (years)

~ -_--- -----_ _ 25 ---- I 1---shy

I 20

sect 15middot-- Pigure 2 Range in [he apparent ~ 1 e growth raLes of white 8uckeu V = among sites in the CODIlccticll1 andmiddot go C 10t- bull

Housatonic basins C e ~ -ll

5middot L I-j (J

SimHl ~ I I CD~~_IiDUS~I~--~l_ 0

DO Northeastern NtJlUralisl VoL 6 NO3

year) was lower than 15 times the interquartile range (Fig 2) There was no significant difference in the apparent growth rates

between mainstem and tributary sites (PSpre~A8 ~ 0670) and the effect of gender was not significant in this model (PGlUUler = 0510) (rable 2) Linear regressions indicated a growth rate of about 15 mm per yeaf in both cnses although fish from the mainstcm sites fanged in age from 12 to 25 years (mean and median = 18) while fish from the tributary sites ranged jn age from 6 to 22 years (mean and median = 14) (Fig 3)

The regression of l~id fraction of composite sanlples againsl the median age of fish used in the samples showed a weak positive retation (Hz 0292 slope cocffident p = 0007) (Fig 4) The regression of log PCB concentrations against the median age of fish in the samples indicated virtually no relation (R= 0088) (Fig 5) However hy excludshying from the regression the sites where PCBs were not detected (CI ~15) and where PCDs were high in the Iiousatonic basin (Hl H2 H6) the rc1alion improved (If= 0418) When the regression was tested with lipid normalized PCB concentmrions there was no improvement in this relation (R2= O 172)

DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS

The supplemental data collected on fish used in composite whole fisb SdIIlPles for organochlorine analysis was not intended to be used for a conclusive study on the length-age relation of white suckers in the Connecticut and HOl1satonic basins Such a study would necessitate sampling Jength-age data for all age classes within specific populations because growth rates for white suckers are known to be variable from30 shy --r---- shy

L 1 Pigure 3 Range in age of white suckers among mainslem and tribushylary sites11 ~

Il 5

ol----M~-m-- Trtrulary

]999 Lr Coles 211

one location Co another (Scott and Crossman) 973) and growth ra~es are~ generally higbcrin younger fish (Everhart and Youngs 1981) Bemnisb~ (1973) showed that in different lake populations of white suckers from he sameregiolJ there can exist a wide nmge of growth patterns and thattD variation in si-e at sexual maturity can he considerable Chen anil~ Harvey (1994) lound that the age of sexual maturity for populations in Ontario lakes ranged from 12 to 75 years and that fish growing faster~

~ ill15-- - shy 1] 3

5 o t1~ 10 re c Figure 4 Regression -1~ e of lipid content with IiE median age of white ~ ~

8 suckers in tbe com- ~ 0 fposlte tIssue samples D7 ~ 5 bullJ -i lIP H

lt rl lfi

OL--L I~ __L o 5 10 15 20 25 30

Median age L ________ _

---- -- 9l shyI

Figure 5 Reshy

) gression of log PCB concenlra- 2

tion with median ~

age of while ~ suckers in the I-

composite tis~ue samp]e5

I

o

1L----J___I___ 1- I -L_

L o 5 10 15 20 25 30

Medu3n age

j

~ ~ c o

J f1I

~ 8 a o m o 0

272 NClrtheatern Naturalist Vul 6 No3

at young uges tended to malUre earlier Nevertheless trends in fish growth may be revealed by the information coUectcd on the fish used in samples fOT organochlorine analysis from the cUlTent study

Overall the length-age relations of white suckers in the Connectishycut and I1oudtonic hasin appeared to be linear throughout the lifeshyspan of the fish after maturity was reached Tbese relations would probably not have appeared linear jf young fiflh had also h~en colshylected bJ the current study the length-age regression tines intercepted tbe 1ength axis above 100 mm in a1 most every case These intercept essentially extrapolate thc regression lines to bypothetical younger fish and predict th~ size at age O Therefore this extrapolated part of the regression line provides no rcal information about actual younger fish but it does strongly suggest that younger fish had a higher growth rate tban mature fish Scott and Crossman (1973) reviewed length-age data for white snckers which included fish as young as 1 year in populashytions from Lake of the Woods Ontario (Chambers 1963) and George Lake Ontario (Beamish 1970) A scattcrpiot of these data (length vs age) revealed tbat the region of maximum curvature along the curves was at about 6 years indicating that yearly growth slowed suhstanshytiaUy around that age Therefore the ~rrent study di d not include young (and sexually iIlUlUlture) individuals lhat grow faster than mashyture individuals but if they had been included won1d have shown that the length-age relations were not linear throughout ahe life of the fish Furthemiore tbe apparent growth rate fur the Connecticut basin (170 mmlyear) was higher than the apparent growth rates for a11 but one of the ~ites in that basin (Table 1) This difference suggests that growth rates may be different among site-specific populations but were not discernible because of the smaH samp1e size and that growth s10wed aft~r the fish reached maturity

A comparison of the lengtn-age data from tbe current Rtudy with studies of whie suckers reviewed by Scott and Crossman (1913) indishycate that firh from Canadian lakes may he larger at a given age than fish from the Connecticut and Housatonic basins From the ANCOVA models used to compare the length-age relutions in fish from the curshyr~m study a difference in the apparent growth rates between male and female fish was not clear This was probably duct in part to the small number of fish Saml)led at each site and a bias in collecting more females than males For example of the sites where a composite sample of eight fish were collected either seven or eight were females at ClOt Cll CI3 C14 CI5 H1 H2 and H3 Female white suckers appear universally to grow faster than males (SCOtl amI Crossman 1973) For white suckers from George Lake Ontario lIIales grew slower than females in the older fish (Beamish 1973) In 13 Ontario lakes including George Lake Chen and Harvey (1994) reported feshy

999 jf Coles 213 _ -I

male white suckers had larger maximum attainable Jengths than males ~ within each population Furlhennore they found that among-popula- d tion variabilities were much larger than the variation between male and ~ female fish within pormlations ~

The comparison of (he length-age rclations bctween fish from the Ij

Connecticut and the Housatonic basins indicated thiJt the apparena growth rate in the Housatonic basin was lowcr by 23 pcrcent but fhis ~ difference appcared to be skewed by sites HI and H2 The comparison ~ of the length-age re1ation among sites within eaeh basin indiclt~d that ] there was no significant difference in apparent growth rates in the Conneclicul basin hut in the Housatonic basin tile apparent growth rate z at siLe HI was significantly different fmm the orher Housatonic hasin ~ sites Site H2 had the second lowest apparem growth rate among sites in F the Homatonic basin but severa) sites ill the Connecticut basin had ~ ower rates Therefore because of the large variability seen in the ~ apparent growth rates among sites within the Connecticut and ~ Housatonic basins an implied difference between the two basins would ~ likely be beavily biased with respect to the sites that were sampled _ ~

It was not dis(ernible from this study if tbe upper reaches of the Ishy

Huusatonic River (sites HI and U2) hac naturally slow growing popn- ~ uIrltions of white suckers or middotwhether high PCB concentrations could

have affected growth through either an intrinsic (eg physiological) or extrinsic (eg trophic) interdction AJtbougla PCB concentrations in this section of the Honsatonic system were high in sediments (gt10000 J1g kg BreaUlt and Harris 1997) as wen as l1sh tissue the apparent growt11 rate at site H2 was still higber than at two sites in the Connecticut basin (Cl (15) where PCBs were not detccted in sediment or fish iis~ne These differences are consistent with findings reported in studies that have shown fuh growth is often dependent on many variables For example Chen and Harvey (1995) reported in a study of 23 populations of white sucker from Ontariomiddot Lakes that wmiddothite sucker growth was constrained by population density of the fish and food supply In a ~tudy of fj~h communities from Lake Erie tributaries contaminated with PCBs and PAlls (polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons) Smith et a1 (1994) lt found that growth rates in brown hullheads Vmeiurus nebulosus) were j either similar to or higher than in brown buI1hcacis from a reference site ~ Thc differencc in ITowth rates was explained by a low fish species diversity at the contaminated sites which effectively reduced competishytion for food and habitat In this case it was surmised thut highly 1

(ontaminated sediments could have an effect on the survivaJ of species other than brown bullhead (Lesko et al 1996) Therefore a more inshy

(- depth study would be necessary 0 evaluate if growth rates arc acrual1y lower at sites HI and H2 in the Housatonic balin and (if this were the case) if PCB contamination at these sites is a factor

274 Norlheuslem NaJuralLrt Vol 6 No3

The lipid content of the composite samples weakly correlated to the median age of the fish used in the samples Lipid content varied fi ve fold among all samples and was probably mprc dependent on dietary djffershy~nces of tish at the different sites and the time of year the tis h were col1ected Age of fish did not appear to be n factor in the concentration of PCBs in the tissue Log PCB concentrations of the composite samples showed no relation with the median age of fish used in the samples This relation was improved by excluding the samples which had no detectshyable concentrations of PLlls (sites CL (15) and samples wirh high concentrations ofPeBs in the Housafonic basin (HI H2 H6) However a longer period of bioacclIIDulmion does not necessarily explain high PCD concentrations in oJder fish because this process for organochloshyrines is not based on the compound simply accumulating continuously with age Biomagnificalion in fish is a function of the chemical fugacishyties (activity) of the organism 7 s body of its gastrointestinal tract of its food and of the surmun~ing water aU which appear to equiJibrllte on the order of 2-3 weeks (Gobas et at 1993)

A possible explanation as to why PCB concentrations in samples~ used in the current s1udy appeared co-dependent on the age of fish is that older fish may have been collected at the more comaminated sites III col1ecting fish for this study the largest (aud consequently oldest) individuals were selected which resulted in fish -averaging 4 years older in the sampJeslfrom the mainstem sites compared to the tribulary sites The major sources of PCBs in tbe study area were often as~ociated with the large rivers (Breault and Harris 1997) and fish ~aD1ples collecred from rhe mainstem rcaches uot ollly had fish older thnn the trihutary sites (Fig 3) but also had high~r concenlnJliOIlS of PCDs (rig 6)

gtI Tl-I ~ i~ Figure 6 Range of PCB conccll shy0

1 g $

o rrations in tissue samples Hmong= c mClinsfem and IrihllTary sjl~so

o u

~

J J

Ma1namplcm Tbitary --________ L ___________ -j

1999 JF Coles

Therefore it is probable tbat the m8instelJf~1 levels of PCBs and the samples collected ittti~

~~4-i] were older as a n~1)ult of selecting the Jargest liiliMdU~to~ti

LITERATITRE CITED

BEAMISH RJ 1970 factors afflaquoting the agcf and aiu of while aue~fIshyCatostomut commerloni at maturity PhD thesis Dept ofZoology Unive~tyr f~ of Toronto ON CS

BEAHSH RJ 973 netermilUltioD of age and growth of popuJotions of while J sucker (CatOllumlis conurlersom) exhlbiting a wide nmge in rile and ffi8rurity _J Fish Res Board Can 30(5) 607-616

BREAULT RF bull and SL HARRIS 1991 Geograprucd distribulion and potential fo for adverse biologlcal effccts of selected IJllce elements and organic compounds c for streambed sediment in the Connecticut Housatonic md Thames River F basins J992-94 US Geological Survey Water-RcHources Imvestigation Report C

97-116924pp I CAM A NZO Jbull cP RICfi DJ JUDE and R ROSSMANN 1987 Organic priority r

pollnrants in nearshore fish from 14 Lake Michigan tributaries and embayments r 19831 Great Lakes Res 13(3) 296-309 ~

CIIAMBERS KJ ]963 Lake of the Woods urvcy_ Northern sclor - 1963 Ont Dep Lands Forests Maple ON 65 p f-

CHEN Y aod HII Hllrvey 1994 Maturfltion of while sucker CalQstomus fT commerstmi populations in Ontario Can 1 Fish Aquu Sci 51 20662076 (J

CHEN Y bull and UH Harvey 1995 Growth abundance and food supply of white STlckeT Traus Am Fish Soc 124 262-211

COLES JF 1990 Organochlorine compounds alld Irate elemellU ill fish tissue and amillary ilata fUf the ConneCTicuL Housatonic and Thames mv~r Basins Study Unit 191)2-94 US Geological Survey Open-File Reporl 96-35R 16 pp

CONNECTICUT ArAUtMY of SCIENCE and ENGINEERING 1987 PCB and Ihe Housatonic River - A review and recommendations Comectiut Academy of Science and Engineering 24 pp 1 appendix_

DEELnER cL and 11 WILLEMSE 1973 Age determuiation in fresh-water teleos[s based on aslltuJar srmctmes in fin-ray Aquacullurc I~ 365-371

EVERHART WH and WD YOUNGS 1981 Principles of Fishery Science (2nl1 edition) Cornel I University Press London England 349 pp

GOBAS FAP_C X ZHANG and R WELLS 1993 GaslTointesfinal magnifiltashylion rhe mechanism ofbiomagnificnrion and food chain accumdation Clf organic chemicals Enviroll Sci Techno 27 2855-2R63

LESKO r SB SMITH and MA BLOUIN_ 11)96 The effect of conhlmloated C icuimenls on fecundilY of the bmwn bullhead in th(ee Lake Erie tribllhries J 11 Greal Iakes Rcs 22(4 )830-837 a

I-shy

MOREA 0 J 1987 Mathemalical and biological expression of growth ill fishes recent trends and furrht-f developments PI 81- J 13 In RC Summerfc1r Ilnd GB Uilll (Elk) Age and GIl~wlh of Fish Iowa State Univerrity Press Ameli t lowa_ 597 pp a

scorf WB and E1 CROSSMAN 1973 FreshwalerFisheamp ofCanada Bulletin 184 Fisheries Researcb Board of Canada Onawa Canada 96amp pp

SMITH SB MA BLOUrN and MJ MAC 1994 Ecological comparisons of Lake Elie lributarics ith elevated incidence of fih tumors J Great Lakes Res 20(4)701-16

1. barcodetext SDMS DocID 512298
2. barcode 512298

272 NClrtheatern Naturalist Vul 6 No3

at young uges tended to malUre earlier Nevertheless trends in fish growth may be revealed by the information coUectcd on the fish used in samples fOT organochlorine analysis from the cUlTent study

Overall the length-age relations of white suckers in the Connectishycut and I1oudtonic hasin appeared to be linear throughout the lifeshyspan of the fish after maturity was reached Tbese relations would probably not have appeared linear jf young fiflh had also h~en colshylected bJ the current study the length-age regression tines intercepted tbe 1ength axis above 100 mm in a1 most every case These intercept essentially extrapolate thc regression lines to bypothetical younger fish and predict th~ size at age O Therefore this extrapolated part of the regression line provides no rcal information about actual younger fish but it does strongly suggest that younger fish had a higher growth rate tban mature fish Scott and Crossman (1973) reviewed length-age data for white snckers which included fish as young as 1 year in populashytions from Lake of the Woods Ontario (Chambers 1963) and George Lake Ontario (Beamish 1970) A scattcrpiot of these data (length vs age) revealed tbat the region of maximum curvature along the curves was at about 6 years indicating that yearly growth slowed suhstanshytiaUy around that age Therefore the ~rrent study di d not include young (and sexually iIlUlUlture) individuals lhat grow faster than mashyture individuals but if they had been included won1d have shown that the length-age relations were not linear throughout ahe life of the fish Furthemiore tbe apparent growth rate fur the Connecticut basin (170 mmlyear) was higher than the apparent growth rates for a11 but one of the ~ites in that basin (Table 1) This difference suggests that growth rates may be different among site-specific populations but were not discernible because of the smaH samp1e size and that growth s10wed aft~r the fish reached maturity

A comparison of the lengtn-age data from tbe current Rtudy with studies of whie suckers reviewed by Scott and Crossman (1913) indishycate that firh from Canadian lakes may he larger at a given age than fish from the Connecticut and Housatonic basins From the ANCOVA models used to compare the length-age relutions in fish from the curshyr~m study a difference in the apparent growth rates between male and female fish was not clear This was probably duct in part to the small number of fish Saml)led at each site and a bias in collecting more females than males For example of the sites where a composite sample of eight fish were collected either seven or eight were females at ClOt Cll CI3 C14 CI5 H1 H2 and H3 Female white suckers appear universally to grow faster than males (SCOtl amI Crossman 1973) For white suckers from George Lake Ontario lIIales grew slower than females in the older fish (Beamish 1973) In 13 Ontario lakes including George Lake Chen and Harvey (1994) reported feshy

999 jf Coles 213 _ -I

male white suckers had larger maximum attainable Jengths than males ~ within each population Furlhennore they found that among-popula- d tion variabilities were much larger than the variation between male and ~ female fish within pormlations ~

The comparison of (he length-age rclations bctween fish from the Ij

Connecticut and the Housatonic basins indicated thiJt the apparena growth rate in the Housatonic basin was lowcr by 23 pcrcent but fhis ~ difference appcared to be skewed by sites HI and H2 The comparison ~ of the length-age re1ation among sites within eaeh basin indiclt~d that ] there was no significant difference in apparent growth rates in the Conneclicul basin hut in the Housatonic basin tile apparent growth rate z at siLe HI was significantly different fmm the orher Housatonic hasin ~ sites Site H2 had the second lowest apparem growth rate among sites in F the Homatonic basin but severa) sites ill the Connecticut basin had ~ ower rates Therefore because of the large variability seen in the ~ apparent growth rates among sites within the Connecticut and ~ Housatonic basins an implied difference between the two basins would ~ likely be beavily biased with respect to the sites that were sampled _ ~

It was not dis(ernible from this study if tbe upper reaches of the Ishy

Huusatonic River (sites HI and U2) hac naturally slow growing popn- ~ uIrltions of white suckers or middotwhether high PCB concentrations could

have affected growth through either an intrinsic (eg physiological) or extrinsic (eg trophic) interdction AJtbougla PCB concentrations in this section of the Honsatonic system were high in sediments (gt10000 J1g kg BreaUlt and Harris 1997) as wen as l1sh tissue the apparent growt11 rate at site H2 was still higber than at two sites in the Connecticut basin (Cl (15) where PCBs were not detccted in sediment or fish iis~ne These differences are consistent with findings reported in studies that have shown fuh growth is often dependent on many variables For example Chen and Harvey (1995) reported in a study of 23 populations of white sucker from Ontariomiddot Lakes that wmiddothite sucker growth was constrained by population density of the fish and food supply In a ~tudy of fj~h communities from Lake Erie tributaries contaminated with PCBs and PAlls (polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons) Smith et a1 (1994) lt found that growth rates in brown hullheads Vmeiurus nebulosus) were j either similar to or higher than in brown buI1hcacis from a reference site ~ Thc differencc in ITowth rates was explained by a low fish species diversity at the contaminated sites which effectively reduced competishytion for food and habitat In this case it was surmised thut highly 1

(ontaminated sediments could have an effect on the survivaJ of species other than brown bullhead (Lesko et al 1996) Therefore a more inshy

(- depth study would be necessary 0 evaluate if growth rates arc acrual1y lower at sites HI and H2 in the Housatonic balin and (if this were the case) if PCB contamination at these sites is a factor

274 Norlheuslem NaJuralLrt Vol 6 No3

The lipid content of the composite samples weakly correlated to the median age of the fish used in the samples Lipid content varied fi ve fold among all samples and was probably mprc dependent on dietary djffershy~nces of tish at the different sites and the time of year the tis h were col1ected Age of fish did not appear to be n factor in the concentration of PCBs in the tissue Log PCB concentrations of the composite samples showed no relation with the median age of fish used in the samples This relation was improved by excluding the samples which had no detectshyable concentrations of PLlls (sites CL (15) and samples wirh high concentrations ofPeBs in the Housafonic basin (HI H2 H6) However a longer period of bioacclIIDulmion does not necessarily explain high PCD concentrations in oJder fish because this process for organochloshyrines is not based on the compound simply accumulating continuously with age Biomagnificalion in fish is a function of the chemical fugacishyties (activity) of the organism 7 s body of its gastrointestinal tract of its food and of the surmun~ing water aU which appear to equiJibrllte on the order of 2-3 weeks (Gobas et at 1993)

A possible explanation as to why PCB concentrations in samples~ used in the current s1udy appeared co-dependent on the age of fish is that older fish may have been collected at the more comaminated sites III col1ecting fish for this study the largest (aud consequently oldest) individuals were selected which resulted in fish -averaging 4 years older in the sampJeslfrom the mainstem sites compared to the tribulary sites The major sources of PCBs in tbe study area were often as~ociated with the large rivers (Breault and Harris 1997) and fish ~aD1ples collecred from rhe mainstem rcaches uot ollly had fish older thnn the trihutary sites (Fig 3) but also had high~r concenlnJliOIlS of PCDs (rig 6)

gtI Tl-I ~ i~ Figure 6 Range of PCB conccll shy0

1 g $

o rrations in tissue samples Hmong= c mClinsfem and IrihllTary sjl~so

o u

~

J J

Ma1namplcm Tbitary --________ L ___________ -j

1999 JF Coles

Therefore it is probable tbat the m8instelJf~1 levels of PCBs and the samples collected ittti~

~~4-i] were older as a n~1)ult of selecting the Jargest liiliMdU~to~ti

LITERATITRE CITED

BEAMISH RJ 1970 factors afflaquoting the agcf and aiu of while aue~fIshyCatostomut commerloni at maturity PhD thesis Dept ofZoology Unive~tyr f~ of Toronto ON CS

BEAHSH RJ 973 netermilUltioD of age and growth of popuJotions of while J sucker (CatOllumlis conurlersom) exhlbiting a wide nmge in rile and ffi8rurity _J Fish Res Board Can 30(5) 607-616

BREAULT RF bull and SL HARRIS 1991 Geograprucd distribulion and potential fo for adverse biologlcal effccts of selected IJllce elements and organic compounds c for streambed sediment in the Connecticut Housatonic md Thames River F basins J992-94 US Geological Survey Water-RcHources Imvestigation Report C

97-116924pp I CAM A NZO Jbull cP RICfi DJ JUDE and R ROSSMANN 1987 Organic priority r

pollnrants in nearshore fish from 14 Lake Michigan tributaries and embayments r 19831 Great Lakes Res 13(3) 296-309 ~

CIIAMBERS KJ ]963 Lake of the Woods urvcy_ Northern sclor - 1963 Ont Dep Lands Forests Maple ON 65 p f-

CHEN Y aod HII Hllrvey 1994 Maturfltion of while sucker CalQstomus fT commerstmi populations in Ontario Can 1 Fish Aquu Sci 51 20662076 (J

CHEN Y bull and UH Harvey 1995 Growth abundance and food supply of white STlckeT Traus Am Fish Soc 124 262-211

COLES JF 1990 Organochlorine compounds alld Irate elemellU ill fish tissue and amillary ilata fUf the ConneCTicuL Housatonic and Thames mv~r Basins Study Unit 191)2-94 US Geological Survey Open-File Reporl 96-35R 16 pp

CONNECTICUT ArAUtMY of SCIENCE and ENGINEERING 1987 PCB and Ihe Housatonic River - A review and recommendations Comectiut Academy of Science and Engineering 24 pp 1 appendix_

DEELnER cL and 11 WILLEMSE 1973 Age determuiation in fresh-water teleos[s based on aslltuJar srmctmes in fin-ray Aquacullurc I~ 365-371

EVERHART WH and WD YOUNGS 1981 Principles of Fishery Science (2nl1 edition) Cornel I University Press London England 349 pp

GOBAS FAP_C X ZHANG and R WELLS 1993 GaslTointesfinal magnifiltashylion rhe mechanism ofbiomagnificnrion and food chain accumdation Clf organic chemicals Enviroll Sci Techno 27 2855-2R63

LESKO r SB SMITH and MA BLOUIN_ 11)96 The effect of conhlmloated C icuimenls on fecundilY of the bmwn bullhead in th(ee Lake Erie tribllhries J 11 Greal Iakes Rcs 22(4 )830-837 a

I-shy

MOREA 0 J 1987 Mathemalical and biological expression of growth ill fishes recent trends and furrht-f developments PI 81- J 13 In RC Summerfc1r Ilnd GB Uilll (Elk) Age and GIl~wlh of Fish Iowa State Univerrity Press Ameli t lowa_ 597 pp a

scorf WB and E1 CROSSMAN 1973 FreshwalerFisheamp ofCanada Bulletin 184 Fisheries Researcb Board of Canada Onawa Canada 96amp pp

SMITH SB MA BLOUrN and MJ MAC 1994 Ecological comparisons of Lake Elie lributarics ith elevated incidence of fih tumors J Great Lakes Res 20(4)701-16

1. barcodetext SDMS DocID 512298
2. barcode 512298

274 Norlheuslem NaJuralLrt Vol 6 No3

The lipid content of the composite samples weakly correlated to the median age of the fish used in the samples Lipid content varied fi ve fold among all samples and was probably mprc dependent on dietary djffershy~nces of tish at the different sites and the time of year the tis h were col1ected Age of fish did not appear to be n factor in the concentration of PCBs in the tissue Log PCB concentrations of the composite samples showed no relation with the median age of fish used in the samples This relation was improved by excluding the samples which had no detectshyable concentrations of PLlls (sites CL (15) and samples wirh high concentrations ofPeBs in the Housafonic basin (HI H2 H6) However a longer period of bioacclIIDulmion does not necessarily explain high PCD concentrations in oJder fish because this process for organochloshyrines is not based on the compound simply accumulating continuously with age Biomagnificalion in fish is a function of the chemical fugacishyties (activity) of the organism 7 s body of its gastrointestinal tract of its food and of the surmun~ing water aU which appear to equiJibrllte on the order of 2-3 weeks (Gobas et at 1993)

A possible explanation as to why PCB concentrations in samples~ used in the current s1udy appeared co-dependent on the age of fish is that older fish may have been collected at the more comaminated sites III col1ecting fish for this study the largest (aud consequently oldest) individuals were selected which resulted in fish -averaging 4 years older in the sampJeslfrom the mainstem sites compared to the tribulary sites The major sources of PCBs in tbe study area were often as~ociated with the large rivers (Breault and Harris 1997) and fish ~aD1ples collecred from rhe mainstem rcaches uot ollly had fish older thnn the trihutary sites (Fig 3) but also had high~r concenlnJliOIlS of PCDs (rig 6)

gtI Tl-I ~ i~ Figure 6 Range of PCB conccll shy0

1 g $

o rrations in tissue samples Hmong= c mClinsfem and IrihllTary sjl~so

o u

~

J J

Ma1namplcm Tbitary --________ L ___________ -j

1999 JF Coles

Therefore it is probable tbat the m8instelJf~1 levels of PCBs and the samples collected ittti~

~~4-i] were older as a n~1)ult of selecting the Jargest liiliMdU~to~ti

LITERATITRE CITED

BEAMISH RJ 1970 factors afflaquoting the agcf and aiu of while aue~fIshyCatostomut commerloni at maturity PhD thesis Dept ofZoology Unive~tyr f~ of Toronto ON CS

BEAHSH RJ 973 netermilUltioD of age and growth of popuJotions of while J sucker (CatOllumlis conurlersom) exhlbiting a wide nmge in rile and ffi8rurity _J Fish Res Board Can 30(5) 607-616

BREAULT RF bull and SL HARRIS 1991 Geograprucd distribulion and potential fo for adverse biologlcal effccts of selected IJllce elements and organic compounds c for streambed sediment in the Connecticut Housatonic md Thames River F basins J992-94 US Geological Survey Water-RcHources Imvestigation Report C

97-116924pp I CAM A NZO Jbull cP RICfi DJ JUDE and R ROSSMANN 1987 Organic priority r

pollnrants in nearshore fish from 14 Lake Michigan tributaries and embayments r 19831 Great Lakes Res 13(3) 296-309 ~

CIIAMBERS KJ ]963 Lake of the Woods urvcy_ Northern sclor - 1963 Ont Dep Lands Forests Maple ON 65 p f-

CHEN Y aod HII Hllrvey 1994 Maturfltion of while sucker CalQstomus fT commerstmi populations in Ontario Can 1 Fish Aquu Sci 51 20662076 (J

CHEN Y bull and UH Harvey 1995 Growth abundance and food supply of white STlckeT Traus Am Fish Soc 124 262-211

COLES JF 1990 Organochlorine compounds alld Irate elemellU ill fish tissue and amillary ilata fUf the ConneCTicuL Housatonic and Thames mv~r Basins Study Unit 191)2-94 US Geological Survey Open-File Reporl 96-35R 16 pp

CONNECTICUT ArAUtMY of SCIENCE and ENGINEERING 1987 PCB and Ihe Housatonic River - A review and recommendations Comectiut Academy of Science and Engineering 24 pp 1 appendix_

DEELnER cL and 11 WILLEMSE 1973 Age determuiation in fresh-water teleos[s based on aslltuJar srmctmes in fin-ray Aquacullurc I~ 365-371

EVERHART WH and WD YOUNGS 1981 Principles of Fishery Science (2nl1 edition) Cornel I University Press London England 349 pp

GOBAS FAP_C X ZHANG and R WELLS 1993 GaslTointesfinal magnifiltashylion rhe mechanism ofbiomagnificnrion and food chain accumdation Clf organic chemicals Enviroll Sci Techno 27 2855-2R63

LESKO r SB SMITH and MA BLOUIN_ 11)96 The effect of conhlmloated C icuimenls on fecundilY of the bmwn bullhead in th(ee Lake Erie tribllhries J 11 Greal Iakes Rcs 22(4 )830-837 a

I-shy

MOREA 0 J 1987 Mathemalical and biological expression of growth ill fishes recent trends and furrht-f developments PI 81- J 13 In RC Summerfc1r Ilnd GB Uilll (Elk) Age and GIl~wlh of Fish Iowa State Univerrity Press Ameli t lowa_ 597 pp a

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