Sublethal Effects on Behavior of White Sturgeon and Rainbow Trout Exposed to Copper, Cadmium, and Zinc

White sturgeon (Acipenser transmontanus), in the trans-boundary reach of the Upper Columbia River have experienced poor recruitment.  The potential for contaminant effects on sturgeon spawning behavior and larval mortality is considered a data gap, and raises concerns about additional threats to the rapidly declining populations.  Previous studies have shown severe behavioral impairments observed among early life stage white sturgeon during acute (Calfee et al) and chronic (Wang et al) toxicity tests with copper, cadmium and zinc.  These behavioral changes occurred rapidly during exposure most often during the first 24 hours, and were similar to those observed when fish were exposed to slag-contaminated sediments from UCR sites (Little et al).  Sturgeon behavior was rapidly impaired and to the extent that survival in the field would be jeopardized, as fish would be swept downstream, or readily captured by predators.  The objectives of this investigation are to conduct behavioral observations during a series of acute metals exposures to determine time to effect during early lifestage development, and to understand the significance of these responses relative to survival of these vulnerable early lifestage fish.