A sensory approach to turbidity: How sources and levels shape aquatic light environments and fish visual ecology

Turbidity is a ubiquitous source of sensory pollution that is likely to impact the appearance of the visual stimuli that animals rely on for survival and reproduction. Understanding how different turbidity sources impact the appearance of the ambient light environment is the foundational first step towards predicting whether and how animals will cope with the global increases in the severity and frequency of high turbidity events caused by anthropogenic disturbance. Here, we measured how four common turbidity sources (algae, bentonite, calcium carbonate, and kaolin), and variable turbidity levels, changed the appearance of the ambient light environment. We measured total number of photons (luminance), hue, chroma, and image contrast, and we evaluated the effect of each turbidity source and level on settling rate, pH, and KH. Both turbidity source and turbidity level impacted the appearance of the ambient light environment. With increasing turbidity level, calcium carbonate and kaolin increased luminance while algae decreased luminance, bentonite caused the greatest change in hue, and algae caused the greatest change in chroma. This demonstrates that the impacts of different turbidity sources on the ambient light environment are not uniform, giving a potential explanation for the discrepancies between studies on the effects of turbidity on fish behaviour. Consideration of the effect of specific turbidity sources on ambient light is crucial for the design of experiments that seek to investigate how changes in turbidity impact the perception of important visual information, which underpins the survival and reproductive success of aquatic organisms around the world. Summary Statement Different turbidity sources and levels uniquely affect aquatic light environments and fish visual perception, emphasizing the need for these factors when interpreting fish behaviour and the ecological consequences of turbidity.