Effect of habitat use on PCB body burden in Hudson River striped bass(Morone saxatilis)

摘要

The Hudson River commercial striped bass (Morone saxatilis) fishery hasbeen closed since 1976 due to high polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB)contamination. Accurate forecasting of PCB levels in striped bass has beenconfounded by high variance in contamination among individuals. Weinvestigated the relationship between habitat use and PCB contamination inHudson River and Long Island Sound striped bass using electronmicroanalysis of otolith strontium to generate time series of individualsalinity habitation. Males with highly contaminated levels (mean PCB = 8.3ppm) showed freshwater resident behavior, rarely experiencing salinities >5 ppt. Several individuals showed large habitat shifts. Shifts frombrackish or marine habitats to freshwater habitats were often associatedwith high PCB levels. A third pattern was apparent in large females, wherepolyhaline/euhaline salinity habitation was associated with lower PCBlevels. Total PCB body burden was inversely correlated with mean salinityencountered during the most recent growth season prior to capture. Fishwith recent exposure to polyhaline salinities showed high variability inPCB body burdens (0.4-9.0 ppm), suggesting a local source of PCBcontamination in the New York Harbor region. [References: 20]