-19- 



Pond Noo 29 may be used in illustration„ This was the most turbid pond 

 (average turbidity; 185 ppnri) in which bluegills were stocked and produced the 

 poorest first-year growth of all bluegill ponds = However, Pond 29 also had the 

 poorest reproduction rate among the bluegill pondSo The estimated total weight 

 (10.9 pounds) of young (both 1954 and 1955 spawn combined) was considerably 

 less than the weight of the surviving adults (17.4 pounds) » It follows that 

 the few adults in this pond enjoyed less competition than bluegills in any 

 other pond during the second growing season and increased their average weight 

 from a ranking of last at the end of the first year to a ranking of second 

 highest at the end of the second year,, The influences of turbidity are there- 

 fore more clearly pictured by comparative growths made during the first year 

 when all populations were comparatively small o Certainly turbidity was 

 equally restrictive during the second season^ but the effects were masked 

 by other factors „ 



Relation of Turbidity to Spawning Success 



As indicated previously, turbidity had a marked influence on reproduction. 

 Occurrence or non-occurrence was based on returns from the fall samplings » A 

 high degree of confidence was placed in the returns since the turbid ponds 

 from which no young were recovered were in most cases the shallowest, the 

 freest from vegetation, and the least difficult to seine and particularly 

 because second-year returns agreed in all instances with those from the first 

 year. At the end of the first summer, young bass were found in 7 of 12 clear 

 ponds, four of 12 intermediate ponds, and in of 9 muddy ponds = The most 

 turbid pond from which young bass were recovered in 1954 averaged 84 ppm. 

 Redears indicate a greater tolerance than bass, spawning successfully in 8 

 of 9 clear ponds, 9 of 9 intermediate ponds, and in 1 of 7 muddy ponds in 



