ABSTRACT
Whole organism field studies on fish exposed to pulp mill effluents are summarized in this review. The major part of the information was produced in Canada and Sweden. Many reports document significant impact on growth and reproduction. Stimulated growth rate and increased body condition were often seen while sexual maturation was delayed and gonad size reduced. Impaired sexual performance was observed in populations suffering from recruitment deficits, verifying the ecological significance of whole organism studies. The reports cover a range of pulp production, bleaching techniques, and external effluent treatment methods. However, response patterns providing guidance for the technical measures to reduce mill effluent toxicity could not be distinguished. The variables studied evidently were sensitive and environmentally relevant indicators of effluent exposure. However, growth and reproduction are plastic in fluctuating environments, also reacting to natural changes. This emphasizes the importance of comprehensive applications of life-history theory in pollution studies. The recent Canadian and Swedish guidelines for environmental effects monitoring at pulp and paper mills provide examples of a systematic use of whole organism characteristics in fish to assess ecosystem health.
