Posters Presented at the
Fifth Annual Ecological Society of
America Mid-Atlantic Region Scientific Meeting

 

 

Effects of paroxetine on the predatory behavior of smallmouth bass (Micropterus dolomieu).
VARELA, J. *, POTOSKY R., RIDALL H., and BARR G.
Pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCPs) have been found in ground, surface, and drinking water. Limited research suggests these products can have measurable effects on aquatic organisms. Paroxetine, a widely used selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor, can be an environmental contaminant and can alter fish aggression and locomotion. This study examined the effects of paroxetine dissolved in water (700 mg/l) on the predatory behavior and feeding of smallmouth bass (Micropterus dolomieu). Bass exposed to paroxetine showed increased handling time and reduced prey consumption. Results also suggested an increase in time to first attack and first capture. Behavioral differences between experimental and control groups decreased following the first week, likely due to decreases in the concentration of paroxetine. Such behavioral impacts of PPCPs may have relevant implications for fish growth and development and food web structure.

 

A versatile and economical trap for the capture of wild crayfish.
MANGAN, B., A. CILIBERTO*, and M. HOMEWOOD*.
A growing number of crayfishes are threatened or endangered in North America. Therefore, reliable methods are needed to assess crayfish populations. We designed, built and tested a trap for the capture of wild crayfish. Unlike many commercial crayfish traps, including minnow traps often used for this purpose, our trap has smaller mesh that allows for the capture of a larger size range of crayfish. The rectangular shape of our design makes more contact with the substrate than a cylindrical trap, and the double-ended feature allows crayfish to enter from either side. This trap is also better at retaining trapped crayfish. It is further superior to the minnow trap it that it is not as likely to trap nontarget organisms such as finfishes, amphibians, and water snakes. This trap can be built for one-third to one-eighth the cost of most commercial traps allowing for multiplication of traps and an overall increase in sampling effort.

 

PPCPs in the waterways: The effects of three antidepressants on the locomotion and aggression of the Siamese fighting fish, Beta splendens.
MANGAN, B.*, J. KOHLERT, AND L. MANGAN*.
Pharmaceuticals and personal care products are increasingly reported to be present in our waterways. Research suggests that some of these may be affecting the ecology of these systems through sublethal ecotoxicological effects. We examined the individual sublethal effects of three commonly prescribed selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor antidepressants on the locomotion and aggression of the Siamese fighting fish, Beta splendens. While two of these compounds significantly reduced locomotion and aggression in this fish species at our test concentrations, their dose-response relationships varied considerably. All three compounds required relatively long exposure periods and high concentrations before these effects were observed. Given the small probability of fish in the wild encountering these high concentrations for extended exposure periods, we think it unlikely that these compounds will affect most fish populations. However, synergist reactions between these compounds have yet to be investigated.

 

Profile of an invasion: Density and size-range of the Asian clam (Corbicula fluminea) in the Susquehanna River.
MANGAN, B. and L. MANGAN.*
The Asian clam, Corbicula fluminea, invaded the main stem of the Susquehanna River as early as the 1960s. It was first reported in the north branch of the river in 2002. We examined the current profile of this invasion by measuring clam density and size range at three locations on the main stem of the river and three locations on the north branch. Our results indicate a significant decrease in clam density and size moving from south to north along the river. However, the larger average size of the clams collected at one of the sites in the north branch suggests that this PA Fish and Boat Commission boat launch site was invaded earlier by the clams and was perhaps the introduction point of the clams to the north branch.