P-395 How Much Cleaning Is Needed When Processing Larval Otoliths for Microchemical Analysis?

Theodore R. Gover , Evolution, Ecology, and Organismal Biology, Aquatic Ecology Laboratory - The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH
Megan K. Nims , Department of Marine Science, The University of Texas at Austin, Marine Science Institute, Port Aransas, TX
Jason J. Van Tassell , Aquatic Ecology Laboratory, Dept. of Evolution, Ecology, and Organismal Biology, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH
Paris D. Collingsworth , Cooperative Institute for Limnology and Ecosystems Research, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI
John W. Olesik , Trace Element Research Laboratory, School of Earth Sciences, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH
Stuart A. Ludsin , Evolution, Ecology, and Organismal Biology, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH
Elizabeth A. Marschall , Aquatic Ecology Laboratory, Dept. of Evolution, Ecology, and Organismal Biology, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH
Otolith microchemistry is a widely used tool in fish ecology and fisheries management research.  Assessments of the effectiveness of cleaning protocols, however, are lacking, especially for small otoliths of larval fish.  Herein, we determine the value of cleaning larval otoliths with sonication, a commonly used technique, as well as a lesser-used low-power laser-cleaning pulse (LPLCP) technique.  While sonication is time-consuming and introduces risks of losing or breaking small otoliths, use of a LPLCP is neither time consuming nor risky. We paired sagittal otoliths from 26 larval walleye (Sander vitreus) that were reared at three strontium (Sr) concentrations (300, 900, and 1,500 μg/L), randomly choosing one otolith from each pair to be sonicated.  Half of the otoliths from each group (sonicated and non-sonicated) also were cleaned with a LPLCP before using laser-ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry to quantify micro-elemental (Sr, Ba, and Mn) concentrations routinely used in freshwater and marine otolith microchemical investigations.  Otolith elemental concentrations did not differ among cleaning treatments, indicating that neither sonication nor a LPLCP is necessary, even when analyzing elements that are in much lower concentration than Sr (i.e., Ba, Mn). Our findings should greatly reduce otolith processing time and the risk of losing and breaking otoliths during the cleaning process.

 

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