Effects of Ultraviolet-B Radiation on Woundfin Embryos and Larvae with Application to Conservation Propagation

Endangered woundfin Plagopterus argentissimus embryos and larvae were exposed to artificial ultraviolet-B (UV-B) radiation to directly examine the effects on mortality. The experiment was part of a project assisting the Virgin River Resource Management and Recovery Program's efforts to increase hatchery production of this endangered fish. The UV-B radiation used in this experiment was administered in treatments of 0.060, 0.030, and 0.015 mW/cm2 to simulate 100, 50, and 25% of the ambient irradiance levels documented in outdoor tanks and living streams at Bubbling Ponds State Fish Hatchery, in Arizona. Embryos and larvae were exposed for 14.5 h followed by 9.5 h of darkness, in correspondence with the daylight hours at Bubbling Ponds. No embryos survived UV-B treatments; mortality among control (UV-B–free) treatments varied (5–100%) among females, indicating that there may be important parental effects that influence embryo mortality. Larval mortality was also 100% for individuals exposed to any of the three UV-B treatments. In contrast to embryo trials, larval mortality in UV-B–free treatments approached 20% for 2-d-old larvae. These experiments provide evidence that woundfin embryos and larvae are sensitive to even low levels of UV-B when exposed for 14.5 h. Susceptibility of larvae to UV-B also appears to be a function of age at exposure, with older larvae exhibiting significantly lower levels of mortality during the initial days of exposure. Experiments with UV-B mitigation strategies indicated that shade cloth, Aquashade®, and elevated dissolved organic carbon can aid in the attenuation of UV-B, and these strategies may assist hatchery managers in implementing UV-B mitigation measures during periods when woundfin are most susceptible.