Field-Based Estimates of Thermal Tolerance Limits for Trout: Incorporating Exposure Time and Temperature Fluctuation

Abstract

We used temperature and fish data from streams across Michigan and Wisconsin to estimate upper thermal tolerance limits for brook trout Salvelinus fontinalis and brown trout Salmo trutta. Tolerance limits were estimated for the maximum daily mean temperature (MEANT), maximum daily maximum temperature (MAXT), and maximum daily temperature range (RNGT) at exposure lengths of 1, 3, 7, 14, 21, 28, 35, 42, 49, 56, and 63 d. We found no difference in the upper thermal tolerance limit for brook and brown trout. For time periods of 1–14 d, the upper temperatures tolerated by trout decreased rapidly from 25.3°C to 22.5°C for MEANT and from 27.6°C to 24.6°C for MAXT. For time periods from 21 to 63 d, the upper temperatures tolerated by trout declined more gradually from 22.1°C to 21.0°C for MEANT and from 24.2°C to 22.9°C for MAXT. The 7-d upper tolerance limit was 23.3°C for MEANT and 25.4°C for MAXT. The maximum RNGT tolerated by trout varied as a function of mean temperature and length of exposure. Our findings suggest that chronic temperature effects as well as temperature fluctuation play an important role in limiting salmonid distributions and therefore should be considered when developing management objectives and water quality standards.