Abstract
Following the observation of periodic high concentrations of zinc in estuarine waters used in the White Fish Authority's oyster hatchery at Conway, North Wales, two beaker trials were conducted to study the effect of zinc, over the range recorded, on the young stages of larvae of Crassostrea gigas. Zinc, added to sea water both as zinc sulphate and as a natural mine-adit water, was applied for a period of 5 days, after which larvae were maintained for a further 5 days in sea water alone. Increasing concentrations over the range 125 to 500 μg/l Zn resulted in decreasing growth, and increasing incidence of abnormality and larval mortality. A second trial with zinc sulphate showed 50 μg/l Zn to have little effect on larval development, a progressive decrease in growth at 100 and 150 μg/l, and no growth at 200 μg/l. It is suggested that the deleterious effect of short-term exposure to zinc may well have contributed to the intermittent failure of larvae and irregular productivity previously recorded at the hatchery. It is also possible that zinc contamination in estuaries may affect natural oyster breeding, and may have to be considered in the future siting of hatcheries for seed production.
Similar content being viewed by others
Literature cited
Bryan, G. W.: The absorption of zinc and other metals by brown seaweed Laminaria digitata. J. mar. biol. Ass. U.K. 49, 225–243 (1969).
—: The effect of heavy metals (other than mercury) on marine and estuarine organisms. Proc. R. Soc. (Ser. B.) 177, 389–410 (1971).
Coombs, T. L.: The distribution of zinc in the oyster Ostrea edulis and its relation to enzymic activity and to other metals. Mar. Biol. 12, 170–178 (1972).
Dilling, W. J., C. W. Healey and W. C. Smith: Experiments on the effect of lead on the growth of plaice (Pleuronectes platessa). Ann. appl. Biol. 13, 168–176 (1926).
Elderfield, H., I. Thornton and J. S. Webb: Heavy metals and oyster culture in Wales. Mar. Poll. Bull. 2, 44–47 (1971).
Galtsoff, P. S.: The American oyster. Fishery Bull. Fish Wildl. Serv. U.S. 64, 383–396 (1964).
Hubschmann, J. H.: Effects of copper on the crayfish Orconectes rusticus (Girard). I. Acute toxicity. Crustaceana 1966, 33–42 (1966).
Jones, G. E.: Growth of Escherichia coli in heat and copper treated synthetic sea water. Limnol. Oceanogr. 12, 167–172 (1967).
Mandelli, E. F.: The inhibitory effects of copper on marine phytoplankton. Contr. mar. Sci. 14, 47–57 (1969).
Perkins, E. J.: Some effects of detergents in the marine environment. Chemy. Ind. 14–22 (1970).
Timourian, H.: The effect of zinc on sea urchin morphogenesis. J. exp. Zool. 169, 121–132 (1968).
Walne, P. R.: Present problems in the culture of the larvae of Ostrea edulis. Helgoländer. wiss. Meeresunters. 20, 514–525 (1970).
Wolfe, D. A.: Zine enzymes in Crassostrea virginica. J. Fish. Res. Bd Can. 27, 59–69 (1970).
Yonge, C. M.: Oysters, 209 pp. London: Collins 1966.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Additional information
Communicated by J. H. S. Blaxter, Oban
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Brereton, A., Lord, H., Thornton, I. et al. Effect of zinc on growth and development of larvae of the Pacific oyster Crassostrea gigas . Marine Biology 19, 96–101 (1973). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00353580
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00353580