Lingering Effects of Legacy Industrial Pollution on Yellow Perch of the Detroit River.

This article focuses on assessing the lingering sublethal effects of legacy industrial pollution on yellow perch (Perca flavescens) in the Lake St. Clair–Detroit River system by examining bioindicators related to toxicity, chronic stress, and trophic ecology. The study found that at the most polluted downstream site, Trenton Channel, perch exhibited increased liver detoxification activity and liver size, reduced brain size, and altered trophic position indicative of food web disruption, while somatic growth was not significantly impaired. In contrast, perch from the upstream reference site, Mitchell's Bay, showed reduced somatic and gut growth, possibly due to increased competition rather than pollution. The results suggest that indirect effects of pollution, such as trophic disruption, may better explain changes in organ growth than direct toxic effects, highlighting the potential utility of fish trophic ecology bioindicators for monitoring aquatic ecosystem health.