Abstract
The existence of a negative relationship between fine sediment infiltration during the incubation period and salmonid embryo survival has often been discussed in the literature. However, few studies have specifically addressed this relationship in the field. We conducted a field experiment to examine the relationship between survival of Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) embryos contained in incubation baskets and the patterns of fine sediment infiltration into the baskets during the incubation period. The results indicate that survival to pre-eyed (STPE), eyed (STE) and hatched (STH) stages of development were all negatively correlated with the percentage of fine sediment entering the baskets. STPE and STE were most strongly affected by silts and clays (<0.063 mm) although this size class represented only a small fraction of the grain size distribution inside the incubation baskets (0.03–0.41%). STH was most strongly correlated with the infiltration of medium sand (0.25–0.50 mm) material. On average, 66% of the implanted embryos survived to the pre-eyed stage of development compared to 63% for the eyed and 48% for the hatched stages of development.
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Julien, H.P., Bergeron, N.E. Effect of Fine Sediment Infiltration During the Incubation Period on Atlantic Salmon (Salmo salar) Embryo Survival. Hydrobiologia 563, 61–71 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10750-005-1035-2
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10750-005-1035-2