Minimal Dissolved Oxygen Requirements of Aquatic Life with Emphasis on Canadian Species: a Review

Abstract

This article reviews the sensitivity, responses, response thresholds, and minimum oxygen requirements of marine and freshwater organisms with strong emphasis on Canadian species. The analysis attempts to define low dissolved oxygen thresholds which produce some physiological, behavioral, or other response in different species.Oxygen availability is discussed with reference to seasonal, geographical, or spatial variation in dissolved oxygen. Factors affecting availability of dissolved oxygen include atmospheric exchange, mixing of water masses, upwelling, respiration, photosynthesis, ice cover, and physical factors such as temperature and salinity. Dissolved oxygen terminology is summarized and tables are included for both fresh and saltwater O2 solubility at different temperatures.Incipient O2 response thresholds are used in a statistical analysis to develop oxygen criteria for safeguarding various groups of freshwater and marine fish. These include mixed freshwater fish populations including or excluding salmonids, freshwater salmonid populations, salmonid larvae or mature salmonid eggs, marine anadromous and nonanadromous species. Criteria are based on threshold oxygen levels which influence fish behavior, blood O2 saturation, metabolic rate, swimming ability, viability and normal development of eggs and larvae, growth, circulatory dynamics, ventilation, gaseous exchange, and sensitivity to toxic stresses. The criteria provide three levels of protection for each fish group and are expressed as percentage oxygen saturation for a range of seasonal temperature maxima.Oxygen tolerances and responses of aquatic invertebrates to low oxygen are reviewed for freshwater and marine species according to habitat. No invertebrate criteria are proposed owing to the capacity for many invertebrate species to adopt anaerobic metabolism during low O2 stress. It is suggested that the criteria proposed for fish species will provide a reasonable safeguard to most invertebrate species. It appears likely, however, that a change in oxygen regime to one of increased O2 scarcity will probably influence invertebrate community structure.It is suggested that criteria for protection of aquatic life be implemented by groups of experienced individuals. The group should consider the natural oxygen regime for a specific water body and its natural variability, the aquatic life therein and its value, importance, relative O2 sensitivity, and the possibility of interactions with toxicants and other factors that may compound the stress produced by low O2 on aquatic life. Each water body and its aquatic life should be considered as a unique situation and criteria application should not encompass diverse areas, habitats, or biological associations as if they were identical.

The influence of a severe reservoir drawdown on springtime zooplankton and larval fish assemblages in Red Willow Reservoir, Nebraska

“…Similar to what we observed, elevated turbidity and Chl-a concentrations are often recorded in conjunction with low water levels Boavida 2005, 2007), particularly in nearby reservoirs (Olds et al 2011). Despite a significant difference in dissolved oxygen concentration between pre-drawdown and post-drawdown periods, postdrawdown dissolved oxygen levels were still well above minimal requirements for all fishes in Red Willow (Davis 1975). Neither mean water temperature nor spring warming rate changed, even though the reservoir volume decreased 76%.…”

Responses of seven species of native freshwater fish and a shrimp to low levels of dissolved oxygen

“…Doudoroff & Shumway (1970), Davis (1975), and the USEPA (1986) summarised studies on lethal concentrations of dissolved oxygen for many species, including salmonids, which are generally considered to be the most sensitive group of freshwater fish.…”

“…However, the USEPA (1986) noted that the variability in test conditions used by investigators has made interpretation and generalisation of the scientific data difficult. Furthermore, the rainbow trout used in our experiments were only a few months old and therefore likely to be more sensitive (USEPA 1986) than those used in other experiments (as described in Davis (1975)). Doudoroff & Shumway (1970) reported that for salmonids, mortality or loss of equilibrium usually occurred at concentrations of between 1 and 3 mg litre" 1 , which agrees with our results.…”

Environmental Assessment of Water Quality in Kuwait Bay

“…As it known, the dissolved oxygen is an important indicator of aquatic life and water quality. The variability of dissolved oxygen has noticeable effects on behavioral process in fish such as feeding, swimming and migration [29]. The dissolved oxygen concentrations reached critical levels, below KEPA standard, for all six stations, indicating heavy pollution, possibly due to Mishref pump station broke down in late 2009.…”