SEXUAL DIFFERENCE IN POLYCHLORINATED BIPHENYL ACCUMULATION RATES OF WALLEYE (STIZOSTEDION-VITREUM)

Citation
Cp. Madenjian et al., SEXUAL DIFFERENCE IN POLYCHLORINATED BIPHENYL ACCUMULATION RATES OF WALLEYE (STIZOSTEDION-VITREUM), Canadian journal of fisheries and aquatic sciences, 55(5), 1998, pp. 1085-1092
Citations number
30
Categorie Soggetti
Marine & Freshwater Biology",Fisheries
ISSN journal
0706652X
Volume
55
Issue
5
Year of publication
1998
Pages
1085 - 1092
Database
ISI
SICI code
0706-652X(1998)55:5<1085:SDIPBA>2.0.ZU;2-K
Abstract
Adult male walleye (Stizostedion vitreum) exhibited significantly high er polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) concentrations than similarly aged f emale walleye from Saginaw Bay (Lake Huron). To explain this differenc e, we tested the following three hypotheses: (i) females showed a cons iderably greater reduction in PCB concentration immediately following spawning than males, (ii) females grew at a faster rate and therefore exhibited lower PCB concentrations than males, and (iii) males spent m ore time in the Saginaw River system than females, and therefore recei ved a greater exposure to PCBs. The first hypothesis was tested by com paring PCB concentration in gonadal tissue with whole-body concentrati on, the second hypothesis was tested via bioenergetics modeling, and w e used mark-recapture data from the Saginaw Bay walleye fishery to add ress the third hypothesis. The only plausible explanation for the obse rved difference in PCB accumulation rate was that males spent substant ially more time in the highly contaminated Saginaw River system than f emales, and therefore were exposed to greater environmental concentrat ions of PCBs. Based on the results of our study, we strongly recommend a stratified random sampling design for monitoring PCB concentration in Saginaw Bay walleye,with fixed numbers of females and males sampled each year.