Migratory behavior, metabolism, oxidative stress and mercury concentrations in marine and estuarine European glass eels (Anguilla anguilla)

• Published in: Physiology & Behavior
• Main Authors: Bolliet, Valérie, Claveau, Julie, Jarry, M., Gonzalez, Patrice, Baudrimont, Magalie, Monperrus, Mathilde
• Other Authors: Ecologie Comportementale et Biologie des Populations de Poissons (ECOBIOP), Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique (INRA)-Université de Pau et des Pays de l'Adour (UPPA), Environnements et Paléoenvironnements OCéaniques (EPOC), Observatoire aquitain des sciences de l'univers (OASU), Université Sciences et Technologies - Bordeaux 1 (UB)-Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Université Sciences et Technologies - Bordeaux 1 (UB)-Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-École Pratique des Hautes Études (EPHE), Université Paris Sciences et Lettres (PSL)-Université Paris Sciences et Lettres (PSL)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Institut des sciences analytiques et de physico-chimie pour l'environnement et les materiaux (IPREM), Université de Pau et des Pays de l'Adour (UPPA)-Institut de Chimie - CNRS Chimie (INC-CNRS)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), The project was partly supported by funding from the European Union within the framework of the ORQUE SUDOE project, the Conseil Général des Pyrénées Atlantiques within the framework of the EXPLOR project and by the University of Pau (BQR MIRA) and the Aquitaine Region GAGILAU program
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: HAL CCSD 2017
• Subjects: Anguilla anguilla; Glass eels; Mercury; metabolism; Migration; Migratory behavior; Oxidative stress response; [CHIM]Chemical Sciences
• Online Access: https://hal.science/hal-01499139; https://doi.org/10.1016/j.physbeh.2016.11.008

International audience The relationships between the migratory behavior, methylmercury (MeHg) concentrations, oxidative stress response and detoxification processes were investigated in glass eels collected in marine (Molliets) and estuarine (Urt) waters (Adour estuary, South West France) at the end of the fishing season (April). Glass eel migratory behavior was investigated in an experimental flume according to their response to dusk. Fish responding to the decrease in light intensity by ascending in the water column and moving with or against the flow were considered as having a high propensity to migrate (migrant). Glass eels still sheltering at the end of the 24 h catching period were considered as having a low propensity to migrate and were called non-migrant. Our results provide some evidence that estuarine glass eels were bigger, presented a higher propensity to migrate and a lower oxidative stress response than marine glass eels. This might reflect a selection process, some marine glass eels progressively settling or dying before reaching Urt and/or a change in feeding behavior. In April, glass eels restart feeding in the Adour estuary which might decrease the oxidative stress possibly related to starvation, and enhance migration. MeHg concentrations was significantly higher in non-migrant than in migrant glass eels and it is suggested that non-migrant glass eels might present a higher vulnerability to stress (at least contamination and/or starvation), although the underlying mechanisms remain to be elucidated. © 2016 Elsevier Inc.