Science Source

Physiological stress response of Mountain Whitefish (Prosopium williamsoni) and White Sucker (Catostomus commersoni) sampled along a gradient of temperature and agrichemicals in the Oldman River, Alberta

States that increasing water temperature is already considered a widespread and problematic stressor in salmonids on the West Coast and displacement of cold-water, northern, high latitude and high altitude species of fish is predicted in many global warming models
States water temperatures outside the thermal preference range, specifically warmer water temperatures, can cause thermal stress which depletes energy reserves, decreases growth rates, impairs reproduction and changes behavior
Compares the stress responses of the Mountain Whitefish, (Prosopium williamsoni, a cold-water fish) and White Sucker (Catostomus commersoni, a cool-water fish), along a temperature and pesticide gradient in the Oldman River, Southern Alberta in spring and summer
Uses plasma acetylcholinesterase activity (AChE) as an indicator of exposure to organophosphate and carbamates pesticides
Detects important species-specific differences in APlasma acetylcholinesterase ChE activities and responses of the physiological stress axis, suggesting that whitefish are more sensitive to temperature and pesticide stress than suckers