Aquatic Sciences Meeting, Albuquerque 2001

PC03 Undergraduate Education

Date: Tuesday, February 13, 2001

Location: Southwest Hall

Lundy, F, , Old Dominion University, Norfolk, USA, Caprcorn10@yahoo.com

Jones, C, , Old Dominion University, Norfolk, USA, cjones@odu.edu

DETERMINING EFFECTS OF PRESERVATION ON THE ELEMENTAL COMPOSITION OF OTOLITHS FROM LARVAL AND JUVENILE BAY ANCHOVY (ANCHOA MITCHILLI)

Otoliths (or earbones) of fish, are composed of calcium carbonate (aragonite), and are used to determine age and water-mass residence. Storage methods may effect the chemistry of otoliths. Trace elements in solution from the body may adsorb into the otolith and alter the original chemistry. Three hundred samples of Bay Anchovy were subjected to three treatments; preserved fresh, frozen, and pickled in ethanol. The experimental design is factorial, which includes preservation effects but also introduces time as a second factor - 1 week, 4 weeks, 4 months, and 1 year. The one-week treatment is reported. The null hypothesis was that there are no differences between the treatments. One-week samples were analyzed by solution-based analysis by the ICPMS. The analytes were Mg, Mn, Sr, and Ba. All were ratioed to Calcium. There were no significant differences between the preservation treatments. A power test indicated that the power of the test was weak. An increase in sample size will be done to obtain better power and to validate the conclusions of no preservation effects after one week.

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Aquatic Sciences Meeting, Albuquerque 2001

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