Water quality during egg incubation influences yolk‐sac fry sodium kinetics in Atlantic salmon, Salmo salar L.: a possible mechanism of adaptation to acid waters

• Published in: Journal of Fish Biology
• Main Authors: McWilliams, P. G., Shephard, K. L.
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Wiley 1991
• Subjects: Atlantic salmon; Salmo salar
• Online Access: http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1095-8649.1991.tb04379.x; https://api.wiley.com/onlinelibrary/tdm/v1/articles/10.1111%2Fj.1095-8649.1991.tb04379.x; https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1111/j.1095-8649.1991.tb04379.x

Atlantic salmon ( Salmo salar L.) fry hatched from eggs transferred from high‐Na to low‐Na water during the eyed stage of development had a significantly higher V max and lower K m (P <0.01) of the sodium uptake mechanism than fry hatched from eggs incubated entirely in low‐Na or high‐Na water. Fry hatched from eggs transferred to acid, high aluminium water during the eyed stage of development had a similar V max and K m to fry hatched from eggs incubated entirely in high‐ or low‐Na water. Eggs incubated continuously in acid, high aluminium (low‐Na) water produced fry with significantly lower K m and V max values than fry hatched from eggs incubated continuously in low‐Na water. Eggs and fry in acid, high aluminium water continually lost sodium and mortality was 100% at 5 5 M O degree‐days (2–3 weeks after hatching). The results are discussed with respect to the influence of perivitelline fluid ion activities in eggs in acid, high aluminium water on the kinetic characteristics of sodium uptake in yolk‐sac fry. A possible mechanism for the long‐term adaptation of teleosts in acidified natural waters is also proposed.