VENTILATORY RESPONSES OF BLUEGILL SUNFISH TO SUBLETHAL,FLUCTUATING EXPOSURES TO HEAVY METALS (Zn++ and Cu++)1

ABSTRACT Minicomputer interfaced, continuous, noncontact sensing of the ventilatory behavior of the bluegill (Lepomis macrochirus) was used to investigate the response to exposure to solutions of copper and zinc under various modes of application. The results of these studies indicate that fish respond to sublethal concentrations of these toxicants by increasing the average ventilatory rate as well as decreasing the amplitude of the ventilatory signal. Appropriate statistics for the analysis of these data are also described.