Effect of Oxygen Reduction Rate and Constant Low Dissolved Oxygen Concentrations on Two Estuarine Fish

Abstract

Abstract The relationship between mean lethal oxygen concentration and rate of reduction of dissolved oxygen that induces fish kills was determined for Atlantic menhaden (Brevoortia tyrannus). Reduction of dissolved oxygen at hourly rates of 1.00–0.08 mg/liter had no effect on the mean lethal oxygen concentrations. There was an inverse relationship between the median time to death (LT50) and rate of oxygen reduction that can be used to estimate how quickly a fish kill may occur when oxygen concentrations decrease at a constant rate. Atlantic menhaden were less resistant than spot (Leiostomus xanthurus) when both species were exposed to constant low concentrations of oxygen. The lethal threshold concentrations for Atlantic menhaden and spot at 28 C were approximately 1.1 and 0.7 mg/liter, respectively, whereas, the 96-hour, 5% lethal concentrations were approximately 1.6 and 0.8 mg/liter, respectively.