Abstract
Feeding rates, growth rates, and biomass conversion efficiencies were determined for white sucker larvae and young common shiners fed natural zooplankton during one week exposures to cadmium (suckers and shiners), 2,4-dichlorophenol (DCP) (shiners only), or pentachlorophenol (PCP) (shiners only). All three toxicants significantly (P < 0.01) reduced growth rates at sublethal concentrations. Growth rates were reduced up to 67 to 100% by DCP and cadmium, but the effect was smaller (a 25% reduction) for shiners. Feeding rates were not significantly affected by cadmium or DCP exposure, but shiners exposed to PCP had significantly increased feeding rates. All toxicants, therefore, reduced conversion efficiencies by >50% at sublethal concentrations. Toxicants which reduce conversion efficiency have the potential for reducing the production of top predators (large piscivores) by an amount greater than the relative effect on any one trophic level (as demonstrated in laboratory experiments) because reductions in efficiency over multiple trophic levels are cumulative.
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Borgmann, U., Ralph, K.M. Effects of cadmium, 2,4-dichlorophenol, and pentachlorophenol on feeding, growth, and particle-size-conversion efficiency of white sucker larvae and young common shiners. Arch. Environ. Contam. Toxicol. 15, 473–480 (1986). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01056558
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01056558