Sea Grant Project Progress Report
Updated
10 September 2002
|
| Project Title: |
A Model System to Examine Delayed Effects
of Crude Oil Exposure on Fish |
| Project Number: |
R/97-01 |
Initiation Date: |
02/01/2002 |
| Revision Date: |
|
Completion Date: |
01/31/2004 |
| Principal Investigator: |
Michael
S. Stekoll |
| Affiliation: |
Juneau Center, School of Fisheries
and Ocean Sciences, UAF |
| Sea Grant Funds: |
$37,220 |
| Match Funds: |
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| Related Projects: |
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| Parent Projects: |
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| Keywords: |
zebrafish, hydrocarbons, crude
oil |
| 1. Objectives: |
- Develop a model system for evaluating the delayed effects
of organic pollutants on exposed fish populations.
- Evaluate the potential of the model for revealing multigenerational
effects by determining if crude oil exposure reduces the survivorship
and reproductive output of the exposed populations.
|
| 2. Rationale: |
Delayed impacts of pollutants
significantly reduce the productivity of exposed fish populations,
but existing models for evaluating these impacts are limited by
their cost. Delayed effects arise long after exposures end and
can take the form of reduced growth, lowered marine survival,
and reproductive impairment. There is evidence genetic effects
may also occur, resulting in multigenerational impacts from a
single exposure. Evaluations of the toxicity of contaminants that
include delayed effects generally result in identification of
toxicity levels much lower than those determined by short-term
bioassays. Unfortunately, evaluating toxicity effects over the
entire life of commercially valuable species is expensive or logistically
difficult, therefore a low-cost model system is needed.
One of the goals of the Alaska Sea Grant Program is to "determine
whether marine ecosystems have been disrupted by increases in
contaminants, biotoxins, and nonindigenous species." This
project will help illuminate the long-term, delayed effects of
pollutant exposure on fish populations, not just the immediate
mortalities. It also provides a mechanism to examine multigenerational
effects of sublethal exposure. |
| 3. Methodology: |
Our model fish species will
be small, oviparous, and easily reared and maintained in the laboratory.
We will incubate the eggs and the pre-swimming larvae of the P1
generation in different concentrations of oiled water and in uncontaminated
(control) water. The surviving larvae, once they become free-swimming,
will be transferred to clean water to rear to adulthood. We will
observe different factors relating to fitness, including survival
to maturity, growth rate, and size at maturity. Once they reach
sexual maturity, the P1 generations will be crossed within oiled
or control lines (oiled with oiled, control with control) to create
F1 generations. At this point, we will evaluate multigenerational
effects by looking for reproductive effects resulting from the initial
exposure. The F1 generation eggs and larvae will be incubated
in clean water and raised to maturity. The same fitness measures
and reproductive success will be studied. With these experiments,
we are evaluating how sublethal effects ultimately cause reduced
fitness by reducing survival and reproduction. |
| 4. Accomplishments: |
September 2002
An enclosed area for fish-rearing in the lab has been set up. A
few aquaria have been acquired and configured for raising zebrafish.
Several zebrafish were purchased and kept under a controlled photoperiod,
diet, and temperature to induce spawning. We have had success in
obtaining fertilized eggs under these controlled conditions. Development
of a larger-scale fish-rearing facility is in progress, as is a
design for exposing eggs to oiled water. |
| 5. Students Supported: |
Corinne Hicken. M.S. Fisheries,
Juneau Center, School of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences. |
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