Abstract
Responses to low pH of perch, Perca fluviatilis, from a naturally acid and a neutral lake were compared by 24 hr exposures to pH 4.6, 4.1 and 3.8 and by 72 hr exposures to pH 4.5. Plasma osmolality and plasma concentrations of Na and chloride decreased in fish from both lakes during acid exposures. Significant differences between the populations were observed at pH 4.1 and 4.5. Hematocrits of the fish from the acid lake increased rapidly and at higher pH compared with those of fish from the neutral lake. This was interpreted as an adaptation to their normal acidic environment, connected with the maintenance of red cell oxygen affinity. The perch from the acid lake maintained their muscle water balance at lower pH better than did the fish from the neutral lake.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Baroin, A., Garcia-Romeu, F., Lamarre, T. and Motais, R.: 1984, J. Physiol. 350, 137.
Barton, B.A., Weiner, G.S. and Schreck, C.B.: 1985, Can. J. Fish. Aquat. Sci. 42, 710.
Giles, M.A., Majewski, H.S. and Hobden, B.: 1984, Can. J. Fish. Aquat. Sci. 41, 1686.
Gjedrem, T.: 1980, ‘Genetic variation in tolerance of brown trout to acid water’, SNSF-project, FR 5/76, 11 pp.
Lee, R.M., Gerking, S.D. and Jezierska, B.: 1983, Env. Biol. Fish. 8, 115.
Lyons, J.: 1982, Comp. Biochem. Physiol. 73A, 437.
Magnuson, J.J., Baker, J.B. and Rahel, F.J.: 1984, Phil. Trans. R. Soc. Lond. B305, 501.
McDonald, D.G. and Wood, C.M.: 1981, J. exp. Biol. 93, 101.
McWilliams, P.G.: 1980, J. exp. Biol. 88, 269.
Milligan, C.L. and Wood, C.M.: 1982, J. exp. Biol. 99, 397.
Rahel, F.J.: 1983, Can. J. Zool. 61, 147.
Rask, F.J.: Heinänen, A., Salonen, K., Arvola, L., Bergström, I., Liukkonen, M. and Ojala, A.: 1986 Arch. Hydrobiol.
Robinson, G.D., Dunson, W.A., Wright, J.E. and Mamolito, G.E.: 1976, J. Fish Biol. 8, 5.
Runn, P., Johansson, N. and Milbrink, G.: 1977, Zoon, 5, 115.
Soivio, A. and Virtanen, E.: 1980, ‘Methods for physiological experiments on fish’, Ekotoxicologiska Metoder för Akvatisk Miljö, Nordforsk, Helsinki, Report no. 16, 15 pp.
Soivio, A. and Nikinmaa, M.: 1981, The swelling of erythrocytes in relation to the oxygen affinity of the blood of the rainbow trout, Salmo gairdneri Richardson’, In: Pickering, A.D. (ed.), Stress and Fish, 103–119, Academic Press, London.
Swarts, F.A., Dunson, W.A. and Wright, J.E.: 1978, Trans. Amer. Fish. Soc. 107, 651.
Thorpe, J.E.: 1977, J. Fish. Res. Board Can. 34, 1504.
Tolonen, K. and Jaakkola, T.: 1983, Ann. Bot. Fennici 20, 57.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Rask, M., Virtanen, E. Responses of perch, Perca fluviatilis L., from an acidic and a neutral lake to acidic later. Water Air Soil Pollut 30, 537–543 (1986). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00303316
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00303316