Relation Between Mortality of Prickly Sculpin and Diurnal Extremes in Water Quality at Rodeo Lagoon, Marin County, California
Martin BA, Saiki MK, Fong D. 2007. Relation Between Mortality of Prickly Sculpin and Diurnal Extremes in Water Quality at Rodeo Lagoon, Marin County, California. California Fish and Game. 93(1):214-223
Occasional fish die-offs occur during fall months (September-November) in Rodeo Lagoon and the adjoining Rodeo Lake in Marin County, California. Prickly sculpin (Cottus asper) usually constitute the largest numbers of dead individuals (Fong 19971). The occurrence of dead fish often coincides with the senescence phase of algal blooms or the seasonal dieback of submerged macrophytes, events that can create potentially stressful water quality conditions for fish. However, lack of information on the water quality tolerances of prickly sculpin and other affected fishes have stymied efforts to conclusively identify the causative factors responsible for fish die-offs. The purpose of this study was to develop a better understanding of the cause of acute mortality in prickly sculpin inhabiting Rodeo Lagoon and Rodeo Lake. Specific objectives were to determine if mortality varied among sites and seasons, and if mortality was associated with high water temperature, low dissolved oxygen concentration, high pH, high salinity concentration, high turbidity, high un-ionized ammonia concentration, or a combination of these variables.
- Type
- Journal Article
- Authors
- Martin, Barbara; Saiki, Michael; Fong, Darren
- Units
- GOGA , SFAN
- Keywords
- Cottus asper, Dissolved Oxygen, Marin County, prickly sculpin, Rodeo Lagoon, Rodeo Lake