Dear members,
            We are conducting a study on spawning habitat for
anadromous Rainbow Smelt (Osmerus mordax), especially with the
the impact of periphyton on egg survival.
            We observed that some of our most productive spawn-
ing tributaries along the St-Lawrence River Estuary are now 
deserted by spawners. We suspect that periphyton could affect
spawning success by impeding egg attachment on the river bed 
or rapidly recovering them before larvae can hatch.
            We did not find any relevant bibliography dealing
with egg-periphyton interaction. Has anybody ever worked on that
topic or knows of existing reports/papers on egg survival with
periphyton (not only for Smelt).
            Any help will be appreciated.
            Best regards.

            Guy Verreault, Fish. bio.
            [log in to unmask]
Ministère de l'Environnement et de la Faune
Service de l'Aménagement et de l'Exploitation de la Faune
506, rue Lafontaine
Rivière-du-Loup, Qc, CANADA, G5R 3C4
tel: 418-862-8649
fax: 418-862-8176
e-mail: [log in to unmask]