1
|
Baerwald MR, Kwan N, Pien C, Auringer G, Carson EW, Cocherell DE, Ellison L, Fangue NA, Finger AJ, Gille DA, Hudson H, Hung TC, Sommer T, Stevenson T, Schreier BM. Captive-reared Delta Smelt (Hypomesus transpacificus) exhibit high survival in natural conditions using in situ enclosures. PLoS One 2023; 18:e0286027. [PMID: 37235546 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0286027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2022] [Accepted: 05/05/2023] [Indexed: 05/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Conservation of endangered fishes commonly includes captive breeding, applied research, and management. Since 1996, a captive breeding program has existed for the federally threatened and California endangered Delta Smelt Hypomesus transpacificus, an osmerid fish endemic to the upper San Francisco Estuary. Although this program serves as a captive refuge population, with experimental releases being initiated to supplement the wild population, it was uncertain how individuals would survive, feed, and maintain condition outside hatchery conditions. We evaluated this and the effects of three enclosure designs (41% open, 63% open, and 63% open with partial outer mesh wrap) on growth, survival, and feeding efficacy of cultured Delta Smelt at two locations (Sacramento River near Rio Vista, CA and in Sacramento River Deepwater Ship Channel) in the wild. Enclosures exposed fish to semi-natural conditions (ambient environmental fluctuations and wild food resources) but prevented escape and predation. After four weeks, survival was high for all enclosure types (94-100%) at both locations. The change in condition and weight was variable between sites, increasing at the first location but decreasing at the second location. Gut content analysis showed that fish consumed wild zooplankton that came into the enclosures. Cumulatively, results show that captive-reared Delta Smelt can survive and forage successfully when housed in enclosures under semi-natural conditions in the wild. When comparing enclosure types, we observed no significant difference in fish weight changes (p = 0.58-0.81 across sites). The success of housing captive-reared Delta Smelt in enclosures in the wild provides preliminary evidence that these fish may be suitable to supplement the wild population in the San Francisco Estuary. Furthermore, these enclosures are a new tool to test the efficacy of habitat management actions or to acclimate fish to wild conditions as a soft release strategy for recently initiated supplementation efforts.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Melinda R Baerwald
- California Department of Water Resources, West Sacramento, California, United States of America
| | - Nicole Kwan
- California Department of Water Resources, West Sacramento, California, United States of America
| | - Catarina Pien
- California Department of Water Resources, West Sacramento, California, United States of America
| | - Grace Auringer
- Department of Animal Science, University of California - Davis, Davis, California, United States of America
| | - Evan W Carson
- San Francisco Bay-Delta Fish and Wildlife Office, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Sacramento, California, United States of America
| | - Dennis E Cocherell
- Department of Wildlife, Fish and Conservation Biology, University of California - Davis, Davis, California, United States of America
| | - Luke Ellison
- Department of Biological and Agricultural Engineering, University of California - Davis, Davis, California, United States of America
| | - Nann A Fangue
- Department of Wildlife, Fish and Conservation Biology, University of California - Davis, Davis, California, United States of America
| | - Amanda J Finger
- Department of Animal Science, University of California - Davis, Davis, California, United States of America
| | - Daphne A Gille
- California Department of Water Resources, West Sacramento, California, United States of America
| | - Haley Hudson
- California Department of Water Resources, West Sacramento, California, United States of America
| | - Tien-Chieh Hung
- Department of Biological and Agricultural Engineering, University of California - Davis, Davis, California, United States of America
| | - Ted Sommer
- California Department of Water Resources, West Sacramento, California, United States of America
| | - Troy Stevenson
- Department of Biological and Agricultural Engineering, University of California - Davis, Davis, California, United States of America
| | - Brian M Schreier
- California Department of Water Resources, West Sacramento, California, United States of America
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Visual, spectral, and microchemical quantification of crystalline anomalies in otoliths of wild and cultured delta smelt. Sci Rep 2022; 12:20751. [PMID: 36456583 PMCID: PMC9715569 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-22813-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/24/2022] [Accepted: 10/19/2022] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
Developmental abnormalities in otoliths can impact growth and survival in teleost fishes. Here, we quantified the frequency and severity of developmental anomalies in otoliths of delta smelt (Hypomesus transpacificus), a critically endangered estuarine fish that is endemic to the San Francisco Estuary. Left-right asymmetry and anomalous crystalline polymorphs (i.e., vaterite) were quantified and compared between wild and cultured populations using digital image analysis. Visual estimates of vaterite were validated using X-ray diffraction, Raman spectroscopy, laser ablation ICPMS, and electron probe microanalysis. Results indicated that cultured delta smelt were 80 times more likely to contain a vateritic otolith and 18 times more likely to contain relatively large (≥ 15%) amounts of vaterite. Similarly, cultured fish exhibited 30% greater asymmetry than wild fish. These results indicate that cultured delta smelt exhibit a significantly higher frequency of vestibular abnormalities which are known to reduce fitness and survival. Such hatchery effects on otolith development could have important implications for captive culture practices and the supplementation of wild fish populations with cultured individuals.
Collapse
|
3
|
Hung TC, Hammock BG, Sandford M, Stillway M, Park M, Lindberg JC, Teh SJ. Temperature and salinity preferences of endangered Delta Smelt (Hypomesus transpacificus, Actinopterygii, Osmeridae). Sci Rep 2022; 12:16558. [PMID: 36192440 PMCID: PMC9530165 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-20934-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/12/2022] [Accepted: 09/21/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Temperature and salinity often define the distributions of aquatic organisms. This is at least partially true for Delta Smelt, an imperiled species endemic to the upper San Francisco Estuary. While much is known about the tolerances and distribution of Delta Smelt in relation to these parameters, little is known regarding the temperature and salinity preferences of the species. Therefore, the temperature and salinity preferences of sub-adult Delta Smelt were investigated across a wide range of thermal (8–28 °C) and salinity (0–23 ppt) conditions. Replicates of ten fish were allowed to swim between two circular chambers with different temperature or salinity, and the distribution of fish between the chambers was recorded. We found that Delta Smelt showed no temperature preference below 15 °C, a modest aversion to the warmer tank from 15 to 28 °C, and a strong aversion to the warmer tank with elevated mortality at temperatures above 28 °C. Delta Smelt also preferred lower salinities, and this preference became more pronounced as salinity increased toward 23 ppt. These results indicate that Delta Smelt can tolerate high temperatures and salinities for a short time, and that their preferences for lower temperature and salinity strengthens as these variables increase.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Tien-Chieh Hung
- Fish Conservation and Culture Laboratory, Department of Biological and Agricultural Engineering, University of California, Davis, CA, 95616, USA.
| | - Bruce G Hammock
- Aquatic Health Program, Veterinary Medicine: Anatomy, Physiology, and Cell Biology, University of California, Davis, CA, 95616, USA
| | - Marade Sandford
- Fish Conservation and Culture Laboratory, Department of Biological and Agricultural Engineering, University of California, Davis, CA, 95616, USA
| | - Marie Stillway
- Aquatic Health Program, Veterinary Medicine: Anatomy, Physiology, and Cell Biology, University of California, Davis, CA, 95616, USA
| | - Michael Park
- Aquatic Health Program, Veterinary Medicine: Anatomy, Physiology, and Cell Biology, University of California, Davis, CA, 95616, USA
| | - Joan C Lindberg
- Fish Conservation and Culture Laboratory, Department of Biological and Agricultural Engineering, University of California, Davis, CA, 95616, USA
| | - Swee J Teh
- Aquatic Health Program, Veterinary Medicine: Anatomy, Physiology, and Cell Biology, University of California, Davis, CA, 95616, USA
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Lin W, Luo H, Wu J, Liu X, Cao B, Hung TC, Liu Y, Chen Z, Yang P. Distinct vulnerability to oxidative stress determines the ammonia sensitivity of crayfish (Procambarus clarkii) at different developmental stages. ECOTOXICOLOGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL SAFETY 2022; 242:113895. [PMID: 35872490 DOI: 10.1016/j.ecoenv.2022.113895] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2022] [Revised: 07/12/2022] [Accepted: 07/16/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Red swamp crayfish (Procambarus clarkii) has increasingly become a high-value freshwater product in China. During the intensive cultivation, excessive ammonia exposure is an important lethal factor of crayfish. We investigated the toxic effects and mechanisms of ammonia on crayfish at two different developmental stages. A preliminary ammonia stress test showed a 96-h LC50 of 135.10 mg/L and 299.61 mg/L for Stage_1 crayfish (8.47 ± 1.68 g) and Stage_2 crayfish (18.33 ± 2.41 g), respectively. During a prolonged ammonia exposure (up to 96 h), serum acid phosphatase and alkaline phosphatase showed a time-dependent decrease. Histological assessment indicated the degree of hepatopancreatic injury, which was mainly characterized as tubule lumen dilatation, degenerated tubule, vacuolization and dissolved hepatic epithelial cell, increased with exposure time. Enhanced malondialdehyde level and reduced antioxidant capacity of hepatopancreas were also observed. The mRNA expression and activity of catalase and superoxide dismutase showed an initial up-regulation within 24 h, and then gradually down-regulated with the exposure time. In the post-treatment recovery period, the Stage_2 crayfish exerted a stronger antioxidant and detoxification capacity than that of the Stage_1 crayfish, and thus quickly recovered from the ammonia exposure. Our findings provide a further understanding of the adverse effects of ammonia stress and suggest guidelines for water quality management during crayfish farming.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Wang Lin
- College of Life and Environmental Sciences, Hunan University of Arts and Science, Changde, Hunan 415000, China; Hunan Provincial Key Laboratory for Health Aquaculture and Product Processing in Dongting Lake Area, Changde, Hunan 415000, China; Hunan Provincial Key Laboratory for Molecular Immunity Technology of Aquatic Animal Diseases, Changde, Hunan 415000, China
| | - Huimin Luo
- College of Life and Environmental Sciences, Hunan University of Arts and Science, Changde, Hunan 415000, China
| | - Jingyi Wu
- College of Life and Environmental Sciences, Hunan University of Arts and Science, Changde, Hunan 415000, China
| | - Xiangli Liu
- College of Life and Environmental Sciences, Hunan University of Arts and Science, Changde, Hunan 415000, China
| | - Beibei Cao
- College of Life and Environmental Sciences, Hunan University of Arts and Science, Changde, Hunan 415000, China
| | - Tien-Chieh Hung
- Department of Biological and Agricultural Engineering, University of California, Davis, CA 95616, USA
| | - Yuqing Liu
- Department of Gastroenterology, The First People's Hospital of Changde City, Changde 415000, China
| | - Zhongyuan Chen
- College of Life and Environmental Sciences, Hunan University of Arts and Science, Changde, Hunan 415000, China; Hunan Provincial Key Laboratory for Health Aquaculture and Product Processing in Dongting Lake Area, Changde, Hunan 415000, China; Hunan Provincial Key Laboratory for Molecular Immunity Technology of Aquatic Animal Diseases, Changde, Hunan 415000, China
| | - Pinhong Yang
- College of Life and Environmental Sciences, Hunan University of Arts and Science, Changde, Hunan 415000, China; Hunan Provincial Key Laboratory for Health Aquaculture and Product Processing in Dongting Lake Area, Changde, Hunan 415000, China; Hunan Provincial Key Laboratory for Molecular Immunity Technology of Aquatic Animal Diseases, Changde, Hunan 415000, China.
| |
Collapse
|