Abstract |
Juvenile sockeye salmon (Oncorhynchus nerka) were exposed to lethal levels of air-supersaturated water (120 percent, 125 percent, 130 percent total gas saturation) containing different oxygen-nitrogen ratios and different carbon dioxide concentrations. Fish mortality was not significantly different at different carbon dioxide levels (1.7 to 22.0 mg/liter CO2) when tested at the same total gas saturation concentrations. Total gas saturation levels are much more important than the O2/N2 ratios, as fish mortality will not occur unless total gas saturation exceeds 100 percent, regardless of the O2N2 ratios. There was a significant decrease in mortality when the ratio of oxygen to nitrogen was increased while holding the total percent saturation constant. |