Sublethal Exposure to Two Alkylphenolic Compounds and Their Influence on Development, Growth and Reproductive Behavior of Crayfish
Abstract
Invertebrate animals make up the greater part of the world's biological diversity and are present in about all habitats. Their survival is fundamental to the maintenance of life and because of their ubiquitous distribution they are often used as biological indicators for pollution. Large numbers of invertebrate species are under sever threat of extinction, or are already extinct due to the extreme transformations of habitats due to human activities or exposure to various chemical pollutants. Crayfish are one such important invertebrate that is affected by chemical pollutants such as pesticide/herbicide runoff and industrial waste effluents. Crayfish are keystone species in most aquatic systems. Crayfish are often keystone species because they are important resource for many other animals and can directly alter species diversity and abundance. Crayfish are also raised for human food consumption in the aquaculture industry. For these reasons, Crayfish are important organisms to study and better understand the effects of pollution on their daily routines and ultimate survival. Alkylphenols are group pollutants often concentrated by organisms (bioaccumulation) such as crayfish, fish, and birds, leading to contamination in their internal organs between ten and several thousand times greater than in the surrounding environment. These Chemicals are used in various laboratory detergents and in some pesticide formulations, which makes them very common pollutants in aquatic systems. They have a number of adverse effects in fish and likely have similar harmful impacts for crayfish and consequently Michigan's aquatic systems. We examined the effect of sublethal exposure to two alkylphenol pollutants (nonlyphenol and octylphenol) on crayfish development, growth, reproductive behavior, and success finding food. We found numerous significant impacts on crayfish when exposed to alkylphenols.
Abstract
Invertebrate animals make up the greater part of the world's biological diversity and are present in about all habitats. Their survival is fundamental to the maintenance of life and because of their ubiquitous distribution they are often used as biological indicators for pollution. Large numbers of invertebrate species are under sever threat of extinction, or are already extinct due to the extreme transformations of habitats due to human activities or exposure to various chemical pollutants. Crayfish are one such important invertebrate that is affected by chemical pollutants such as pesticide/herbicide runoff and industrial waste effluents. Crayfish are keystone species in most aquatic systems. Crayfish are often keystone species because they are important resource for many other animals and can directly alter species diversity and abundance. Crayfish are also raised for human food consumption in the aquaculture industry. For these reasons, Crayfish are important organisms to study and better understand the effects of pollution on their daily routines and ultimate survival. Alkylphenols are group pollutants often concentrated by organisms (bioaccumulation) such as crayfish, fish, and birds, leading to contamination in their internal organs between ten and several thousand times greater than in the surrounding environment. These Chemicals are used in various laboratory detergents and in some pesticide formulations, which makes them very common pollutants in aquatic systems. They have a number of adverse effects in fish and likely have similar harmful impacts for crayfish and consequently Michigan's aquatic systems. We examined the effect of sublethal exposure to two alkylphenol pollutants (nonlyphenol and octylphenol) on crayfish development, growth, reproductive behavior, and success finding food. We found numerous significant impacts on crayfish when exposed to alkylphenols.
