Consequences of an outbreak of columnaris disease (Flavobacterium columnare) to the helminth fauna of perch (Perca fluviatilis) in the Queen Mary reservoir, south-east England

Abstract

Parasitism of fish in fully bunded storage reservoirs has rarely been studied, while the impact of a rapid decline in a fish population on its parasite fauna is poorly understood. The present paper investigates the helminth fauna of perch (Perca fluviatilis) over a 5-year period in the Queen Mary reservoir, a large (290 ha) completely artificial water storage impoundment, which forms a unique and challenging habitat for its resident fish population. After 3 years of study, the perch population suffered a significant reduction due to a disease outbreak caused by the pathogenic bacterium Flavobacterium columnare, 'columnaris disease', and the subsequent effects on the helminth fauna over the next 2 years are evaluated. Conditions in the reservoir favour the development of large populations of zooplankton, which act as intermediate hosts for the majority of helminths in the dominant perch community. The prevalence and intensity of helminth infections showed much variation over the period prior to the perch mortality. These were likely to be due to changes in the zooplankton biomass, which was exposed to biotoxins released from periodic algal blooms and the application of copper to control them. The outbreak of F. columnare resulted in a significant decrease in the size and condition coefficient of the perch population. Changes also occurred in the composition of helminth parasites, with many species demonstrating either an increase or decrease in infection levels. These changes may be partly associated with an increase in the zooplankton biomass and altered population structure, probably caused by a decrease in fish predation pressure, which would influence the parasite population dynamics, although other factors directly associated with changes in the perch population are also likely to be influential. The long-term affects on the levels of helminth infections in the fish and associated intermediate hosts in the Queen Mary reservoir are discussed.