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Mercury contamination and life history traits of Allis shad Alosa alosa (Linnaeus, 1758) and Twaite shad Alosa fallax (Lacépède, 1803) in the gironde estuary (South West France)

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Fish and Diadromy in Europe (ecology, management, conservation)

Part of the book series: Developments in Hydrobiology ((DIHY,volume 200))

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Abstract

Mercury concentration [Hg] was assessed in 20 adult Allis shad Alosa alosa (54–59 cm) and 20 adult Twaite shad Alosa fallax (36–44 cm) collected during their spawning migration in the Dordogne and the Garonne rivers (France). [Hg] was measured in the gills, dorsal muscle, liver and kidney. Twaite shad exhibited higher [Hg] than Allis shad. Median [Hg] values were [Hg]Gills=0.33 μg g−1 (dw), [Hg]Muscle=1.22 μg g−1, [Hg]Liver=1.99 μ g−1, [Hg]Kidney=1.93 μg g−1 for Twaite shad and [Hg]Gills=0.06 μg g−1, [Hg]Muscle=0.20 μg g−1, [Hg]Liver=1.18 μg g−1, [Hg]Kidney=1.08 μg g−1 for Allis shad. In order to understand such differences, we investigated some life history traits of the two species: migratory history, age (3–6 years), size at age (an expression of growth) and the number of spawning events (0–2 events). The difference in estuarine residence time between the juveniles of both species, which was assumed to influence [Hg], was investigated using otolith Sr:Ca ratio. The microchemical analysis revealed a significant difference in the residence time of juveniles in the estuary (medians are 21 d and 10 d for Twaite shad and Allis shad, respectively) but this residence time seems too short to influence [Hg] (Allis shad: r spearman<0.128; Twaite shad: r spearman<−0.340). As both species show the same age structure, the influence of age on [Hg] was negligible. The literature shows that the differences in growth and in the number of spawning events reported in our study are in favour of a higher [Hg] for Twaite shad than for Allis shad. Although trophic status was not investigated here, the literature reveals that it is another factor that could produce higher [Hg] in Twaite shad, since its diet includes higher trophic levels than Allis shad.

Guest editors: S. Dufour, E. Prévost, E. Rochard & P. Williot Fish and diadromy in Europe (ecology, management, conservation)

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Estuarine ecosystems and Diadromous Fish Research Unit, Cemagref, Groupement de Bordeaux, 50 avenue de Verdun, 33612, Cestas Cedex, France

    Aude Lochet & Eric Rochard

  2. Laboratoire d’Ecophysiologie et Ecotoxicologie des Systèmes Aquatiques (LEESA), UMR CNRS 5805, Université Bordeaux 1, Place du Docteur Peyneau, 33120, Arcachon, France

    Régine Maury-Brachet & Claire Poirier

  3. Departamento de Recursos Naturales, CSIC/UIB-Institut Mediterrani d’Estudis Avançats, Miguel Marqués 21, 07190, Esporles, Illes Balears, Spain

    Javier Tomás

  4. Centre de Caractérisation des Matériaux Avancés (CeCaMA), 87 avenue du Docteur Schweitzer, 33608, Pessac Cedex, France

    Michel Lahaye

  5. Environment Agency, National Fisheries Technical Team, Richard Fairclough House, Knutsford Road, Warrington, WA4 1HG, UK

    Miran Aprahamian

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  1. Aude Lochet
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  2. Régine Maury-Brachet
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  4. Javier Tomás
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  5. Michel Lahaye
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  6. Miran Aprahamian
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  7. Eric Rochard
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Correspondence to Aude Lochet .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. CNRS-National Museum of Natural History, Paris, France

    Sylvie Dufour

  2. UMR Ecobiop, INRA, Saint Pée sur Nivelle, France

    Etienne Prévost

  3. Estuarine ecosystems and Diadromous fish research unit, Cemagref, Cestas, France

    Eric Rochard  & Patrick Williot  & 

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Lochet, A. et al. (2008). Mercury contamination and life history traits of Allis shad Alosa alosa (Linnaeus, 1758) and Twaite shad Alosa fallax (Lacépède, 1803) in the gironde estuary (South West France). In: Dufour, S., Prévost, E., Rochard, E., Williot, P. (eds) Fish and Diadromy in Europe (ecology, management, conservation). Developments in Hydrobiology, vol 200. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4020-8548-2_8

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