Effects of Turbulence on Yolk‐Sac Larvae of Paddlefish

Abstract A laboratory experiment was designed to test the effect of turbulence on mortality of yolk-sac larvae of paddlefish Polyodon spathula. High turbulence (6,320 dynes˙cm-2) resulted in larval mortality of 87 and 80% in frequent (one event per hour) and infrequent (one event every 3 h) treatments, respectively. Larvae exposed to low turbulence (1,838 dynes˙cm-2) suffered mortality of only 3 and 13% in the frequent and infrequent treatment groups, respectively. Frequency of events was not as important as intensity of turbulence in causing mortality.