Biometric parameters of the bream (Abramis brama) as indicators for long-term changes in fish health and environmental quality—data from the German ESB

Abstract

Piscifaunal health depends upon the state and quality of the aquatic environment. Variations in physical condition of fish may therefore be attributed to changes in environmental quality. Based on time series of up to 20 years of biometric data of bream from multiple sampling sites of the German environmental specimen bank (ESB), this study assessed whether changes in biometric parameters are able to indicate long-term alterations in fish health and environmental quality. Evaluated biometric parameters of fish health comprised length and weight of individuals of a defined age class, the condition factor, lipid content and hepatosomatic index (HSI). Although there are negative trends of the HSI, the overall development of health parameters can be interpreted as positive. This seems to suggest that health parameters conclusively mirror the long-term improvement of water quality in the selected rivers. However, the applicability of the condition factor as well as lipid content as indicators for fish health remained subject to restrictions. Altogether, the results from the ESB confirmed the high value of biometric parameters for monitoring of long-term changes in state and quality of aquatic ecosystems.

Fish biomarkers from a different perspective: evidence of adaptive strategy of Abramis brama (L.) to chemical stress

“…High HSI in our study probably indicate to liver hypertrophy caused by pollutants, as cell hypertrophy and an increase in liver size to accommodate increased functional load are denoted as adaptive responses to xenobiotic exposure [48]. Liver is also an important storage of energy reserves in non-fatty fish, so low HSI values can be seen in fish on a poor diet [46], which was not the case in our study. Overall, high HSI in fish from the exposed population confirms exposure to chemical pollution, but together with unaffected BCF also indicate good capacity of fish to cope with the stress.…”

“…The HSI in our study was significantly higher in fish from the exposed population. Two main factors can influence HSI ratio: exposure to the pollutants and fish diet [46]. High HSI in our study probably indicate to liver hypertrophy caused by pollutants, as cell hypertrophy and an increase in liver size to accommodate increased functional load are denoted as adaptive responses to xenobiotic exposure [48].…”

“…Biometric indices BCF and HSI are reliable indicators of individual fitness and long-term changes of fish health and also, parameters of a high value that mirror the water quality [46]. Decreasing weight of somatic tissue and consequently relatively lower BCF occurs in spring, due to differentiation and growth of reproductive tissue requiring energy reserves during pre-spawning period [47].…”

Concomitant exposure to benzo[a]pyrene and triclosan at environmentally relevant concentrations induces metabolic syndrome with multigenerational consequences in Silurana (Xenopus) tropicalis

“…2A) correlated with marked liver steatosis (Fig. 2B) (Teubner et al, 2015). Moreover, lipid metabolism disruption has been recently described in aquatic animals (e.g.…”

Does exposure to domestic wastewater effluent (including steroid estrogens) harm fish populations in the UK?

“…Eel populations 86 appeared to have done better in the much more polluted post-war period. There are, however, quite a lot 87 of encouraging information on cyprinid fish, such as bream (Abramis brama), whose average length for 5 88 year olds increased from 1966 to 1976 in the Dutch Rhine (Slooff and Dezwart, 1983) and whose condition 89 steadily improved in several major German rivers from 1992 to 2014 (Teubner et al, 2015). Data appear to 90…”