Reproductive status, blood chemistry, gill histology and growth of perch (Perca fluviatilis) in three acidic lakes

Perch (Perca fluviatilis L.) were sampled soon after spawning in three small acidic lakes (pH 4.3-6.1, Al(lab) 5-106 microg litre(-1), Ca2+ 0.01-0.08 mmol litre(-1)) and in one circumneutral lake (pH 5.9-6.4, Al(lab) 4-12 microg litre(-1), Ca2+ 0.06-0.07 mmol litre(-1)) in southern Finland. Due to the delayed spawning of perch in the acidic lakes, sampling in those lakes was performed later than in the reference lake. In spite of that, the gonadosomatic index (GSI) of males in all the acidic lakes was significantly greater than in the reference lake. Of the two lakes with similar low water pH, the effects on reproduction were more prominent in the lake with higher water Al content. The plasma Ca2+ concentrations of females in the acidic lakes were significantly smaller than in the females of the reference lake. The low female:male plasma Ca2+ ratio (1.0-1.32) depicted delay of spawning. Stress in perch in acidic water was also seen in elevated blood haematocrit values, especially in females. On the other hand, a low plasma Cl- level, a common response to acidic water in salmonids, was not detected in perch in the most acidic lakes. The amount of Al accumulated in the gill epithelium was highest in the most acidified lake with high Al concentration, but was also pronounced in a lake with low pH and low Al concentration.