Previous oil exposure alters Gulf Killifish Fundulus grandis oil avoidance behavior

PeerJ

article

Charles W. Martin¹  Ashley M. McDonald¹  Guillaume Rieucau²  Brian J. Roberts² 

[1] UF/IFAS Nature Coast Biological Station, University of Florida;Louisiana Universities Marine Consortium

关键词: Macondo;    Deepwater Horizon;    Fish;    Gulf of Mexico;    Salt marsh;    Hydrocarbon;   

DOI  :  10.7717/peerj.10587

学科分类：社会科学、人文和艺术（综合）

来源: Inra

【 摘 要 】

Oil spills threaten the structure and function of ecological communities. The Deepwater Horizon spill was predicted to have catastrophic consequences for nearshore fishes, but field studies indicate resilience in populations and communities. Previous research indicates many marsh fishes exhibit avoidance of oil contaminated areas, representing one potential mechanism for this resilience. Here, we test whether prior oil exposure of Gulf killifish Fundulus grandis alters this avoidance response. Using choice tests between unoiled and oiled sediments at one of three randomized concentrations (low: 0.1 L oil m−2, medium: 0.5 L oil m−2, or high: 3.0 L oil m−2), we found that, even at low prior exposure levels, killifish lose recognition of oiled sediments compared to control, unexposed fish. Preference for unoiled sediments was absent across all oil concentrations after oil exposure, and some evidence for preference of oiled sediments at high exposure was demonstrated. These results highlight the lack of response to toxic environments in exposed individuals, indicating altered behavior despite organism survival. Future research should document additional sublethal consequences that affect ecosystem and food web functioning.

【 授权许可】

CC BY