A probability-based multiscale model to quantify the impact of hydropeaking on mesohabitat suitability in rivers

One of the negative effects of hydropower on river environment includes rapid changes in flow and habitat conditions. Any sudden flow change could force fish to move towards a refuge area in a short period of time, causing serious disturbances in the life cycle of the fish. A probability-based multiscale model was developed to quantify the impact of hydropeaking on habitat suitability for two fish species. The model used habitat preference curves, river flow and depth to develop the suitability maps. The suitability index maps reveal that habitat suitability deteriorates as flow increases in this part of the river. The probability model showed that, on average, suitability indices are higher for adult grayling than juvenile trout in hydropeaking events in the studied area. In addition, the life stages of fish determine their response to the sudden flow change. The method developed shows the potential to be used in river management and the evaluation of hydropeaking impacts in river systems affected by hydropower.

Rearing larvae and juveniles of rainbow trout with different amino acid nutrition

The article considers the efficiency of using complete compound feeds with different levels of lysine and methionine in rearing larvae and juveniles of rainbow trout. The purpose of the experiment was to establish the effect of different amino acid levels in nutrition of juvenile trout on its productivity. For this purpose, five experimental groups were formed by the method of analogues. The experiment lasted 35 days and was divided into two periods: equalizing (5 days) and main (30 days). During the equalizing period, the experimental fish consumed feed of the control group. In the main period, the levels of lysine and methionine in experimental feeds for different experimental groups of trout ranged from 2.9 to 3.3% and from 0.95 to 3.15%, respectively. It is proved that increasing the content of lysine and methionine in feed for larvae and juveniles of rainbow trout to the levels of 3.2 and 1.1%, respectively, promotes increase in their weight by 10.7% (p <0.01) and growth intensity - by 6.4-11.1%, while further increase in these amino acids content in the feed reduces the productivity of fish. Polynomial equations for determining the juvenile fish weight at any stage of rearing at a high level of determination for each of the experimental groups have been calculated. It was found that with an increase in the content of lysine and methionine in feed to the levels of 3.2 and 1.1%, respectively, reduces feed costs per 1 kg of weight gain in trout larvae and juveniles by 4.1%, and a further increase in levels of these amino acids to 3.3 and 1.15%, respectively, increase this index by 1.1%. The experimental fish survival ranged from 83.9 to 85.1%. In the production of trout according to the criteria of maximum productivity and to the economic optimization criteria, it is recommended to use complete feed with the level of lysine - 3.2% and methionine - 1.1% for feeding trout larvae and juveniles.

Histological, transcriptomic and in vitro analysis reveal an intrinsic activated state of myogenic precursors in hyperplasic muscle of trout

BackgroundThe dramatic increase in myotomal muscle mass in post-hatching fish is related to their ability to lastingly produce new muscle fibres, a process termed hyperplasia. The molecular and cellular mechanisms underlying fish muscle hyperplasia largely remain unknown. In this study, we aimed to characterize intrinsic properties of myogenic cells originating from fish hyperplasic muscle. For this purpose, we compared in situ proliferation, in vitro cell behavior and transcriptomic profile of myogenic precursors originating from hyperplasic muscle of juvenile trout (JT) and from non-hyperplasic muscle of fasted juvenile trout (FJT) and adult trout (AT).ResultsFor the first time, we showed that myogenic precursors proliferate in hyperplasic muscle from JT as shown by in vivo BrdU labeling. This proliferative rate was very low in AT and FJT muscle. Transcriptiomic analysis revealed that myogenic cells from FJT and AT displayed close expression profiles with only 64 differentially expressed genes (BH corrected p-val < 0.001). In contrast, 2623 differentially expressed genes were found between myogenic cells from JT and from both FJT and AT. Functional categories related to translation, mitochondrial activity, cell cycle, and myogenic differentiation were inferred from genes up regulated in JT compared to AT and FJT myogenic cells. Conversely, Notch signaling pathway, that signs cell quiescence, was inferred from genes down regulated in JT compared to FJT and AT. In line with our transcriptomic data, in vitro JT myogenic precursors displayed higher proliferation and differentiation capacities than FJT and AT myogenic precursors.ConclusionsThe transcriptomic analysis and examination of cell behavior converge to support the view that myogenic cells extracted from hyperplastic muscle of juvenile trout are intrinsically more potent to form myofibres than myogenic cells extracted from non-hyperplasic muscle. The generation of gene expression profiles in myogenic cell extracted from muscle of juvenile trout may yield insights into the molecular and cellular mechanisms controlling hyperplasia and provides a useful list of potential molecular markers of hyperplasia.

Influence of the coronary circulation on thermal tolerance and cardiac performance during warming in rainbow trout

Thermal tolerance in fish may be related to an oxygen limitation of cardiac function. While the hearts of some fish species receive oxygenated blood via a coronary circulation, the influence of this oxygen supply on thermal tolerance and cardiac performance during warming remain unexplored. Here, we analyzed the effect in vivo of acute warming on coronary blood flow in adult sexually mature rainbow trout ( Onchorhynchus mykiss) and the consequences of chronic coronary ligation on cardiac function and thermal tolerance in juvenile trout. Coronary blood flow at 10°C was higher in females than males (0.56 ± 0.08 vs. 0.30 ± 0.08 ml·min−1·g ventricle−1), and averaged 0.47 ± 0.07 ml·min−1·g ventricle−1 across sexes. Warming increased coronary flow in both sexes until 14°C, at which it peaked and plateaued at 0.78 ± 0.1 and 0.61 ± 0.1 ml·min−1·g ventricle−1 in females and males, respectively. Thus, the scope for increasing coronary flow was 101% in males, but only 39% in females. Coronary-ligated juvenile trout exhibited elevated heart rate across temperatures, reduced Arrhenius breakpoint temperature for heart rate (23.0 vs. 24.6°C), and reduced upper critical thermal maximum (25.3 vs. 26.3°C). To further analyze the effects of coronary flow restriction on cardiac rhythmicity, electrocardiogram characteristics were determined before and after coronary occlusion in anesthetized trout. Occlusion resulted in reduced R-wave amplitude and an elevated S-T segment, indicating myocardial ischemia, while heart rate was unaffected. This suggests that the tachycardia in ligated trout across temperatures in vivo was mainly to compensate for reduced cardiac contractility to maintain cardiac output. Moreover, our findings show that coronary flow increases with warming in a sex-specific manner. This may improve whole animal thermal tolerance, presumably by sustaining cardiac oxygenation and contractility at high temperatures.

Rapid method for counting of blood leukocytes and its usefulness in health status assessment of rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss)

The analysis of the ratio and number of blood cells is a very reliable way to assess the health status in humans and other species. The aim was to standardize a methodology for rapid quantification of blood leukocytes in rainbow trout Oncorhynchus mykiss. Samples of blood leukocytes obtained from a group of healthy juvenile trout maintained in the laboratory were processed. The samples were analyzed using a Scepter™ minicytometer, the results were compared with those obtained by flow cytometry. Histograms generated by both methods showed a peak corresponding to the population of lymphocytes/thrombocytes and one of monocyte/neutrophil. Non-significant differences were found between the results of both methods (P > 0.05). The method employing minicytometer was used to evaluate samples of trout from a fish farm, the profile obtained showed a significant decrease in the neutrophils consistent with clinical signs of disease observed in the tested specimens. These results indicate that the methodology is valid and useful in determining the concentrations and cell proportions in blood samples of rainbow trout and allow rapid analysis of its health status.

Modelling the effects of habitat on self-thinning, energy equivalence, and optimal habitat structure for juvenile trout

Self-thinning theory predicts that decline in density with increasing individual mass should match the exponent of the metabolism–body mass relationship (∼0.9 in salmonids). However, self-thinning assumes energy equivalence (constant energy available to a cohort as it ages), which may be unrealistic for mobile taxa. I evaluate this assumption using a bioenergetic–stream habitat model to assess the sensitivity of available energy and self-thinning slopes to changes in habitat structure (percent pool). Self-thinning slopes across three age-classes of juvenile trout (young of the year, 1+, and 2+) were sensitive to both modelled habitat structure and density-independent mortality rates. Density-independent overwinter mortality generated self-thinning curves similar to those expected from metabolic allometry, even without habitat limitation (density-dependent mortality). Energy available to sympatric cohorts was unequal under most habitat configurations because of size-based differences in swimming performance that affected habitat availability and interference competition (dominance) that allowed resource monopolization by older cohorts. The optimal habitat structure that maximized abundance of the 2+ age-class (and best approximated energy equivalence) was ∼40% pool, but this value was sensitive to density-independent mortality rate and assumptions about the effect of the pool to riffle ratio on invertebrate prey production.

Response of trout populations in five Colorado streams two decades after habitat manipulation

Evaluating the effectiveness of instream structures for increasing trout populations is complicated by a paucity of long-term studies. We report on a study spanning 23 years to assess the effect of installing log weirs on stream habitat and trout abundance. Structures were installed in a randomly selected half of a 500 m study reach in six small Colorado, USA, mountain streams in 1988, and habitat and trout abundance and biomass were measured annually from 1987 to 1994. When five of the streams were resampled in 2009, none of the 53 logs had moved, and all but one were functioning properly. Pool volume remained more than three times higher in treatment sections than in adjacent controls, and mean depth was also greater. Adult trout abundance increased rapidly after structures were installed and remained 53% higher in treatment sections than in controls 21 years later. Effects on juvenile trout abundance were not detected, probably because fry recruitment is strongly influenced by effects of snowmelt runoff, which vary annually among basins. This evaluation shows that instream structures placed in small, stable channels can function for more than two decades when properly installed and can cause long-lasting increases in trout abundance when habitat is limiting.

Metformin improves postprandial glucose homeostasis in rainbow trout fed dietary carbohydrates: a link with the induction of hepatic lipogenic capacities?

Carnivorous fish are poor users of dietary carbohydrates and are considered to be glucose intolerant. In this context, we have tested, for the first time in rainbow trout, metformin, a common anti-diabetic drug, known to modify muscle and liver metabolism and to control hyperglycemia in mammals. In the present study, juvenile trout were fed with very high levels of carbohydrates (30% of the diet) for this species during 10 days followed by feeding with pellets supplemented with metformin (0.25% of the diet) for three additional days. Dietary metformin led to a significant reduction in postprandial glycemia in trout, demonstrating unambiguously the hypoglycemic effect of this drug. No effect of metformin was detected on mRNA levels for glucose transporter type 4 (GLUT4), or enzymes involved in glycolysis, mitochondrial energy metabolism, or on glycogen level in the white muscle. Expected inhibition of hepatic gluconeogenic (glucose-6-phosphatase, fructose-1,6-bisphosphatase, and phospho enolpyruvate carboxykinase) mRNA levels was not found, showing instead paradoxically higher mRNA levels for these genes after drug treatment. Finally, metformin treatment was associated with higher mRNA levels and activities for lipogenic enzymes (fatty acid synthase and glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase). Overall, this study strongly supports that the induction of hepatic lipogenesis by dietary glucose may permit a more efficient control of postprandial glycemia in carnivorous fish fed with high carbohydrate diets.

Predicting site-specific overwintering of juvenile brown trout (Salmo trutta) using a habitat suitability index

Brown trout ( Salmo trutta ) site-specific overwintering was studied in an ice-covered stream in northern Sweden. We monitored 238 individually tagged juvenile trout (body length 120–204 mm) from late summer until late winter using portable passive integrated transponder tag equipment and related it to a habitat suitability index. Minimum habitat suitability index explained a large portion (66.8%) of the variation in the proportion of individuals that remained and overwintered at specific sites from late summer until late winter. Our study design detected three scales of overwinter movements: (i) individuals that remained within their tagging site (site-scale movements); (ii) individuals that moved to other reaches (reach-scale movements), which were probably the most common; and (iii) individuals that left the study stream (stream-scale movements). There were no differences in size at tagging among individuals that adopted different scales of movements. We suggest that habitat suitability index can be used as a tool to predict site specific residency and, thus, habitat conditions in stream reaches during winter.