USGS Science⌕ Search

Geology topics

J. Jeffery Isely

Publications and source records attributed to J. Jeffery Isely.

36 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
USGS2005

Responses of hybrid striped bass to waterborne and dietary copper in freshwater and saltwater

Mechanisms of copper toxicity and consequences of exposure vary due to uptake route and ionoregulatory status. The goal of this research was to develop a model fish system to assess the influence of different Cu exposure routes (waterborne or dietary) on bioavailability, uptake, and effects in hybrid striped bass ( Morone chrysops × Morone saxatilis ) acclimated to fresh- or saltwater. Initially, hybrid striped bass were exposed to dietary Cu concentrations of 571, 785, and 1013 μg Cu/g, along with a control (∼ 5 μg Cu/g), for 14 days in saltwater. Intestinal and liver Cu accumulated in a dose-dependent manner in fish exposed to increasing levels of dietary Cu. Chronic (42 days) experiments were then conducted to determine sub-lethal effects of aqueous, dietary, and combined aqueous and dietary Cu exposures to both freshwater- and saltwater-acclimated hybrid striped bass. Growth and Cu accumulation in the gill, intestine, and liver were measured. Although no significant effects were observed in fish exposed to waterborne Cu, those exposed through the diet accumulated significant liver and intestinal Cu but showed no significant change in growth. Overall, these results suggest that at the levels tested, exposure to elevated waterborne Cu did not cause significant long-term tissue Cu accumulation, whereas dietary Cu exposure caused significant liver and intestinal Cu accumulation in hybrid striped bass which was comparable in both freshwater and saltwater (15 g/L).

Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology, Part C: T↗
USGS2004

Influence of multiple water-quality characteristics on copper toxicity to fathead minnows (Pimephales promelas)

Water quality influences the bioavailability and toxicity of copper to aquatic organisms. Understanding the relationships between water-quality parameters and copper toxicity may facilitate the development of site-specific criteria for water quality and result in better protection of aquatic biota. Many studies have examined the influence of a single water-quality parameter on copper toxicity, but the interactions of several characteristics have not been well studied in low-hardness water. The goal of the present research was to examine the interactions among water-quality characteristics and their effects on copper toxicity to larval fathead minnows (Pimephales promelas). The effects of dissolved organic carbon (DOC) concentration, DOC source, pH, and hardness on acute copper toxicity were determined using a complete factorially designed experiment. Hardness, pH, DOC, and interaction of pH and DOC all significantly affected copper toxicity. A predictive model based on these data described 88% of the variability in copper toxicity. This model also explained 58% of the variability in copper toxicity for an independent dataset of South Carolina (USA) waters. The biotic ligand model underpredicted the acute copper toxicity to fathead minnows when compared with observed values.

Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry↗
USGS2004

Tag Retention and Survivorship of Hatchery Rainbow Trout Marked with Large-Format Visible Implant Alphanumeric Tags

Large-format visible implant alphanumeric (VIalpha) tags were implanted into 15,400 rainbow trout Oncorhynchus mykiss. Tag retention after 25 d was 82.6%, and survivorship was 92.8%. The results of this study compare favorably with those of similar studies on other species and suggest that large-format VIalpha tags are an appropriate choice for studies requiring the individual identification of larger rainbow trout.

North American Journal of Aquaculture↗
USGS2004

Movement and population size of American shad near a low-head lock and dam

We investigated the population size and the proportion of the population of American shad Alosa sapidissima that passed through the New Savannah Bluff Lock and Dam, a low-head lock and dam on the Savannah River in South Carolina and Georgia. We fitted 110 American shad with radio transmitters in 2001 and 2002. All but two fish moved downstream after transmitter implantation. In 2001, a smaller proportion of American shad implanted with radio transmitters earlier in the season returned to the dam than fish released later. Of the fish that returned to the dam, over 50% in 2001 and 9% in 2002 passed through the lock and continued migrating upstream. In both years, the modal daily movement distance was less than 1 km. Movements greater than 5 km/d were generally associated with fish rapidly returning upstream after their initial downstream movement. Continuous diel monitoring indicated that movements greater than 0.1 km/h were more frequent at night than during the day. In both years, American shad were not uniformly distributed over the study area but were predominantly grouped just below the dam and in a relatively large pool approximately 6 km below the dam. We estimated the population size of American shad that reached the New Savannah Bluff Lock and Dam at 157,685 in 2001 and 217,077 in 2002.

Transactions of the American Fisheries Society↗
USGS2002

Habitat use by striped bass in relation to seasonal changes in water quality in a southern reservoir

Adult striped bass Morone saxatilis (n = 61; 597-914 mm total length) were captured by hook and line throughout Lake Murray, South Carolina, and by electrofishing in the Greenwood Dam tailrace and upper Saluda River above Lake Murray, implanted with temperature-sensitive radio transmitters, and tracked biweekly. During late winter-early spring, striped bass were concentrated in the upstream portions of the reservoir. By midsummer, they were primarily located in the lower embayment of the reservoir, but several fish remained in the tailrace of the upstream dam as well as in a thermal refuge in the Saluda River. After the reservoir began to cool in fall, fish dispersed from the lower embayment and moved upstream toward the headwaters of the reservoir, where they had been captured the previous spring. Several fish returned to locations within 10 m of their original capture locations. Mean movement rates were lowest in winter and summer and highest in spring and fall. Low movement rates in summer were associated with a severe reduction of suitable habitat. In addition to the standard biweekly sampling, a 7.5-km2 section of the lower embayment of Lake Murray was searched every 2 h over a continuous 48-h period from 10 to 12 August 2000. During this period, striped bass were observed to use the same areas on a seasonal basis as they did on a diel basis. However, mean hourly rates of movement were greater than the movement rates calculated for the normal 2-week interval between samples. Changes in location between biweekly samples may not indicate displacement but rather only randomly chosen locations in normal use areas.

Transactions of the American Fisheries Society↗
USGS2002

Striped bass annual site fidelity and habitat utilization in J. Strom Thurmond Reservoir, South Carolina-Georgia

Forty-eight adult striped bass Morone saxatilis (3.2-19.1 kg) were captured by electrofishing in the tailrace of Richard B. Russell Dam and in the upper reaches of two major tributaries; they were implanted with temperature-sensitive radio transmitters and tracked approximately bimonthly for 20 months. As J. Strom Thurmond Reservoir downstream from the dam became thermally stratified in May, fish vacated the tributaries. From June to October, all striped bass were found within the reservoir's historical Savannah River channel. By August, most of the instrumented fish were found in the upper section of the reservoir, where optimal habitat was available throughout the summer owing to cool, artificially oxygenated hypolimnetic discharges from Richard B. Russell Dam. In mid-October the reservoir destratified, and fish dispersed from their up-reservoir summering areas and redistributed themselves throughout the reservoir. During early winter, the striped bass returned to tributary habitat or down-reservoir areas and generally used these locations throughout the winter. The fish exhibited a high degree of site fidelity to their summering areas, source tributaries (after fall dispersal and throughout the winter), and spring spawning areas. Mean movement rates were highest in the spring and fall, corresponding to the migration from tributaries in May and the return migration after fall dispersal. Mean movement rates were lowest in summer and winter, corresponding to the periods of high fidelity to summering and wintering areas. The average monthly temperatures and dissolved oxygen concentrations in areas used by striped bass were 19.0-20.4??C and 4.86-6.44 mg/L during May-October, which corresponded to average monthly habitat suitability index values of 0.76-0.98. Striped bass avoided temperatures above 25.1??C and dissolved oxygen concentrations less than 2.3 mg/L.

Transactions of the American Fisheries Society↗
USGS2002

Effects of antenna placement and antibiotic treatment on loss of simulated transmitters and mortality in hybrid striped bass

We compared the effects of two antenna placements (trailing and nontrailing) and antibiotic treatments (treated and nontreated) on mortality and transmitter loss in hybrid striped bass Morone saxatilis ?? M. chrysops (364 ?? 28 mm total length, 645 ?? 129 g [mean ?? SD]) implanted with simulated transmitters and held in the laboratory for 90 d. Although antibiotic treatment significantly increased the time to first mortality in fish surgically implanted with simulated transmitters (by an average of 14 d), we did not detect an effect on cumulative mortality. We also did not detect an effect of antenna type on the time to first mortality, but cumulative mortality was higher in the trailing antenna groups (50%) than in the nontrailing antenna groups (12%). Three transmitters were expelled during the study, all from trailing-antenna treatment groups, indicating a significant effect of antenna placement on the level of transmitter expulsion. Antibiotic treatment appears to be effective in preventing initial postsurgical infection; however, the antenna may serve as a continuous source of irritation and route of infection into the body cavity. The potential for infection and mortality in experimental animals must be weighed against the improved performance of transmitters with trailing antennas.

North American Journal of Fisheries Management↗
USGS2001

Tag retention, growth, and survival of red swamp crayfish marked with a visible implant tag

Eighty juvenile (means: 42.4 mm total length, 1.6 g) red swamp crayfish Procambarus clarkii were implanted with sequentially numbered visible implant tags and held in the laboratory. Tags were injected transversely into the musculature just beneath the exoskeleton of the third abdominal segment from the cephalothorax; tags were visible upon inspection. An additional 20 crayfish were left untagged and served as controls. After 150 d, tag retention was 80% and all tags were readable. No tagged crayfish died during the study, and no differences in total length or weight were detected between tagged and control crayfish. All individuals molted at least three times during the 150-d study, and some individuals molted up to six times, suggesting that most tags would be permanently retained. The readability in the field without specialized equipment makes the visible implant tag ideal for studies of crayfish ecology, management, and culture.

North American Journal of Fisheries Management↗
USGS2000

Effects of implantation method and temperature on mortality and loss of simulated transmitters in hybrid striped bass

To determine the effects of surgical implantation method and temperature on mortality and transmitter loss, we compared two antenna placements (trailing antenna versus shielded needle) and two suture materials (absorbable versus nonabsorbable) in hybrid striped bass Morone saxitilis × Morone chrysops (227–410 mm total length) that had been surgically implanted with simulated transmitters and held at high (22–29°C) and low (12–18°C) temperatures for 120 d. Fish were individually examined after 7, 30, 60, 90, and 120 d to evaluate suture and wound condition as well as transmitter loss. Neither suture material nor antenna placement affected transmitter loss, mortality, or growth at either high or low temperatures. Absorbable sutures were lost more quickly than were nonabsorbable sutures, but they persisted beyond incision closure at both high and low temperatures. At high temperatures, 50% suture loss occurred by 30 d for absorbable sutures and by 60 d for nonabsorbable sutures. Mortality occurred only at high temperatures but was delayed and was likely caused by peritoneal infection. Transmitter loss was not significant; it occurred only in the low-temperature trial and was caused by pressure necrosis at the incision rather than by suture failure. Temperature significantly affected all responses examined in this study. Significant irritation, infection, and mortality occurred in all treatment groups at high temperatures.

Transactions of the American Fisheries Society↗
USGS2000

Influence of costocking on growth of young-of-year brook trout and rainbow trout

We examined the effects of costocking on growth of hatchery-produced young-of-year brook trout Salvelinus fontinalis and rainbow trout Oncorhynchus mykiss in the laboratory. Fry of both species (brook trout = 0.16 ± 0.01 g; rainbow trout = 0.18 ± 0.01 g; mean weight ± standard deviation) were stocked into 400-L recirculation raceways at a rate of 100 fish/raceway and were held at 12°C. Raceways received either rainbow trout only ( n = 3), brook trout only ( n = 3), or half brook trout and half rainbow trout ( n = 3). Trout were fed a commercial trout feed three times per day at an initial rate of 10% body weight/d, which was reduced to 3% body weight/d by the 6th week of the study as a result of a buildup of excess feed. After 8 weeks of similar treatment, brook trout were significantly larger than rainbow trout (in terms of length and weight) when they were stocked alone. However, rainbow trout were significantly larger than brook trout (in terms of length and weight) in the costocked treatment. A second phase of the study was conducted to evaluate the effect of ration level on growth of costocked brook and rainbow trout using low (2% body weight/d), medium (4% body weight/d), and high (6% body weight/d) ration levels. After 8 weeks, rainbow trout were significantly larger than brook trout (in terms of length and weight) in all costocked feeding treatments. This suggests that behavioral interaction might have resulted in decreased growth of brook trout when they were costocked with rainbow trout.

Transactions of the American Fisheries Society↗
USGS2000

Seasonal movement and habitat use by striped bass in the Combahee River, South Carolina

Adult striped bass Morone saxatilis (N = 30, 656-906 mm total length) were captured by electrofishing during January-March 1998 in the Combahee River, South Carolina, and fitted with radio transmitters. Their exact locations were recorded biweekly through December. From January to early April, striped bass were located in the tidally influenced lower region of the river in water temperatures ranging from 9??C to 18??C. The fish then moved an average of 38.5 km upstream from late April to the end of May when water temperatures ranged from 18??C to 26??C. Striped bass remained in the upper region of the river from late May to September when water temperatures were as much as 5??C lower than in the river's lower regions. Striped bass began to move downstream and were spread throughout the river during September and October in water temperatures ranging from 19??C to 27??C. Combahee River striped bass appear to follow a migratory pattern typical of other southern striped bass stocks. Habitat preference appears to be strongly influenced by temperature. Combahee River temperatures are stable and remain close to the preferred temperatures of striped bass during summer extremes. Therefore, unlike northern populations, southern populations are more likely to remain within riverine habitat during the summer months. Discrete thermal refugia, such as springs, apparently are not used or are absent in the Combahee River. It is possible that striped bass in the Combahee River depend on the entire upper region of the river as a thermal refuge.

Transactions of the American Fisheries Society↗
USGS2000

Seasonal movement of brown trout in a southern appalachian river

Radio telemetry was used to evaluate the seasonal movement, activity level, and home range size of adult brown trout Salmo trutta in the Chattooga River watershed, one of the southernmost coldwater stream systems in the United States. In all, 27 adult brown trout (262-452 mm total length) were successfully monitored from 16 November 1995 to 15 December 1996. During the day, adult brown trout were consistently found in small, well-established home ranges of less than 270 m in stream length. However, 8 of a possible 18 study fish made spawning migrations during a 2-week period in November 1996. The daytime locations of individual fish were restricted to a single pool or riffle-pool combination, and fish were routinely found in the same location over multiple sampling periods. Maximum upstream movement during spawning was 7.65 km, indicating that brown trout in the Chattooga River have the ability to move long distances. Spawning brown trout returned to their prespawning locations within a few days after spawning. Brown trout maintained larger home ranges in winter than in other seasons. When spawning-related movement was deleted from the analysis, brown trout moved more on a weekly basis in fall than in summer. Brown trout were more active in fall and winter than in spring and summer. Apart from spawning migrations, displacement from established home ranges was not observed for any fish in the study. Although summer water temperatures reached and exceeded reported upper thermal-preference levels, brown trout did not move to thermal refuge areas in nearby tributaries during the stressful summer periods.

Transactions of the American Fisheries Society↗
USGS1999

Short-term physiological responses of wild and hatchery-produced red drum during angling

Serum cortisol concentrations, plasma glucose concentrations, plasma lactate concentrations, and plasma osmolalities increased in red drum Sciaenops ocellatus (26.0-65.5 cm total length) during angling in estuarine waters (17-33 g/L salinity, 21-31??C). Angling time varied from as fast as possible (10 s) to the point when fish ceased resisting (up to 350 s). The increases in the physiological characteristics were similar in wild and hatchery-produced fish. This study indicates that hatchery-produced red drum may be used in catch-and-release studies to simulate the responses of wild fish.

South Carolina↗
USGS1998

Diel movement of brown trout in a southern Appalachian River

Radio telemetry was used to monitor the diel movement of 22 brown trout Salmo trutta (268–446 mm in total length, TL) in the Chattooga River watershed. Forty-seven diel tracks, locating individuals once per hour for 24 consecutive hours, were collected for four consecutive seasons. High variability in movement both within and among individual brown trout resulted in similar seasonal means in total distance moved , diel range, and displacement. The majority of fish moved a total distance of less than 80 m within a diel range of less than 80 m and had a displacement of less than 10 m. Brown trout were more likely to occur in pool habitat independent of season or period of the day. Hourly movement patterns differed among seasons. During the winter and fall, trout moved only around sunrise; during the spring, they moved around sunrise, sunset, and intermittently throughout the night. Large brown trout (>375 mm, TL) were found to move greater total distances and establish wider diel ranges than small brown trout . Overall, most brown trout exhibited restricted diel movement within a single riffle–pool or run–pool sequence.

Georgia, South Carolina↗
USGS1998

Tag retention, growth, and survival of red swamp crayfish Procambarus clarkii marked with coded wire tags

Juvenile red swamp crayfish (or crawfish), Procambarus clarkii (20–41 mm in total length) were collected from a crayfish culture pond by dipnetting and tagged with sequentially numbered, standard length, binary‐coded wire tags. Four replicates of 50 crayfish were impaled perpendicular to the long axis of the abdomen with a fixed needle. Tags were injected transversely into the ventral surface of the first or second abdominal segment and were imbedded in the musculature just beneath the abdominal sternum. Tags were visible upon inspection. Additionally, two replicates of 50 crayfish were not tagged and were used as controls. Growth, survival, and tag retention were evaluated after 7 d in individual containers, after 100 d in aquaria, and after 200 d in field cages. Tag retention during each sample period was 100%, and average mortality of tagged crayfish within 7 d of tagging was 1%. Mortality during the remainder of the study was high (75–91%) but was similar between treatment and control samples. Most of the deaths were probably due to cannibalism. Average total length increased threefold during the course of the study, and crayfish reached maturity. Because crayfish were mature by the end of the study, we concluded that the coded wire tag was retained through the life history of the crayfish.

Transactions of the American Fisheries Society↗
USGS1997

Slow growth did not decouple the otolith size-fish size relationship in striped bass

Eight‐day‐old striped bass Morone saxatilis (6.17–6.22 mm, total length) were fed twice daily at three feeding rates to produce three growth rates. Fish were sampled once per week for 4 weeks to determine total length and otolith radius. Feed ration treatments resulted in discrete size‐classes of striped bass after 4 weeks with a 27% difference in mean length between the low and high feed ration treatments. No significant differences in slope or intercept for the regression of fish length on otolith radius were observed among treatments, suggesting that slow growth alone may not be sufficient to result in decoupling of the otolith size–fish size relationship in striped bass.

Transactions of the American Fisheries Society↗