Acute exposure to a common suspended sediment affects the swimming performance and physiology of juvenile salmonids

To study the effects of an acute exposure to turbidity generated by suspended sediment, we examined swimming performance (Ucrit) and related metabolic parameters in individual and groups of juvenile trout at three different concentrations of calcium carbonate. To investigate differences among strains or provenience, we compared one strain of rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss; RBT) and one strain of brown trout (Salmo trutta; BNT) from a common hatchery and one RBT strain from a separate hatchery. In general, trout swum individually or in groups exhibited a decrease in Ucrit as turbidity increased. Both RBT strains were more similar to each other and were impaired to a larger extent in swimming performance than BNT, which was less impacted. For groups, indicators of aerobic metabolism were elevated while those of anaerobic metabolism were depressed. Specifically, citrate synthase activities and glucose levels tended to be greater while plasma lactate and LDH activities were reduced. Lactate and LDH levels in individually swum trout under sediment exposure suggest a greater similarity of fish from the same provenience. We suggest that acute exposures to environmentally relevant turbidities generated by fine suspended sediment may cause a reduced Ucrit, and that these changes may be related to changes in the utilization of aerobic and anaerobic pathways.