Behavioral indicators of sublethal toxicity in rainbow trout

• Published in: Archives of environmental contamination and toxicology Vol. 19; no. 3; pp. 380 - 385
• Main Authors: Little, E.E. (U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Columbia, MO), Archeski, R.D, Flerov, B.A, Kozlovskaya, V.I
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Heidelberg Springer-Verlag 01.05.1990; Berlin; New York, NY
• Subjects: AGRICULTURAL CHEMICALS; Animals; Behavior, Animal - drug effects; BEHAVIOUR; Biological and medical sciences; CHANGES; COMPORTAMIENTO; COMPORTEMENT; Environmental pollutants toxicology; Feeding Behavior - drug effects; Lethal Dose 50; Medical sciences; Motor Activity - drug effects; Oncorhynchus mykiss; Pesticides - toxicity; PRODUCTOS QUIMICOS AGRICOLAS; PRODUIT AGROCHIMIQUE; SALMO GAIRDNERI; Salmonidae - physiology; Swimming; TOXICIDAD; TOXICITE; TOXICITY; Toxicology; Trout - physiology; Water; Salmonidae; Pollutant; Vertebrata; Investigation method; Toxicity; Pisces; Animal; Fresh water; Pesticides; Behavior; Screening test
• ISSN: 0090-4341; 1432-0703
• DOI: 10.1007/BF01054982

Four measures of behavior--spontaneous swimming activity, swimming capacity, feeding behavior, and vulnerability to predation--were assessed as indicators of sublethal toxicity in rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) in 96-hr exposures to sublethal concentrations of six agricultural chemicals: carbaryl, chlordane, dimethylamine salt of 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-DMA), tributyl phosphorotrithioate (DEF), methyl parathion, and pentachlorophenol. After exposures, behavioral changes consistently demonstrated sublethal toxicity, but effects on specific behaviors varied with contaminants and their concentrations were altered by the water quality criterion concentration for chlordane (2 micrograms/L), and at a concentration of DEF (5 micrograms/L) that had previously been shown to inhibit growth and survival after a 90-day exposure. Feeding behavior was inhibited most by exposure to DEF, 2,4-DMA, and methyl parathion. Vulnerability to predation was heightened most by exposure to carbaryl and pentachlorophenol. Although all chemicals inhibited spontaneous swimming activity, only carbaryl, DEF, and 2,4-DMA influenced swimming capacity.