1、Longterm Estuary Assessment Group,NOAA 07 Eco Impacts of Hypoxia,Developing biomarkers of reproductive health in fish and amphibians of the Barataria-Terrebonne Estuary LaFleur, Pitre, Lasseigne, and Nelson nicholls state university,LaFleur Lab,Graphic from Restore or Retreat: www.restoreorretreat.o
2、rg,The Barataria-Terrebonne Estuary is impaired,NOAA 07 Eco Impacts of Hypoxia,Having been isolated from freshwater inputs it is lacks flushing, sheet flow, and an ecological flood pulse,lack of flow saltwater intrusion land-loss,The 46-year mean stage of the Atchafalaya still reflects an ecological
3、 flood pulse,USACE Butte La Rose Gage 03120 (59-04),In the Upper Barataria basin, Hypoxia can occur But it is usually associated with Rainwater events, rather than flood stage,from Estay and Fontenot (thesis),one project proposes diverting 300,000 cfs water into the BTE; up to 6 sq mi / year; at a c
4、ost of $25 / cubic yard,Graphic from Restore or Retreat: www.restoreorretreat.org,Our estuary is slated for largescale hydrologic modifications:,NOAA 07 Eco Impacts of Hypoxia,Pipeline Slurry System,A more recently presented scenario would utilize a sediment pipeline slurry system to build land even
5、 quicker: up to15 sq mi / year; at a cost of $4 /cubic yard,NOAA 07 Eco Impacts of Hypoxia,MY OBJECTIVES,In preparation for hydrologic changes due to further deterioration or restoration activities in our estuary, my lab has begun a surveyto monitor behavioral indicators of reproduction in amphibian
6、s of the estuaryto monitor anatomical indicators of reproduction in amphibians of the estuaryto monitor molecular indicators of reproduction in amphibians of the estuary,NOAA 07 Eco Impacts of Hypoxia,Site 1 Choctaw swamp; Site 2 Chacahoula swamp Site 3 Nicholls Environmental Ag Facility Site 4 Falg
7、out Canal fw / brackish marsh Site 5 fish only at Isle Dernieres Barrier Islands,NOAA 07 Eco Impacts of Hypoxia,Reproductive behavior is being surveyed in three LAMP survey routes:spanning Lafourche and Terrebonne Parishes,NOAA 07 Eco Impacts of Hypoxia,temp,temp,calls,calls,In 2007, Spring Peepers
8、reached peak calling in FebNorthern Cricket frogs peaked in Jan, but are still calling,Confirmed Hyla avivoca,Choctaw Swamp, Lafourche Parish,Proposed Expansion of Geographic Range to the BTES, south of the Mississippi River,Conant and Collins.1991,Selected species are collected, dissected, and anat
9、omical indicators are examined,NOAA 07 Eco Impacts of Hypoxia,Amphibian Survey Matrix,Approach todesigning biomarkers for estrogen-induction,Injection of estradiol into malesIsolation of liver RNART-PCR for Vtg, Chg from homogenates using degenerate and heterologous primers,NOAA 07 Eco Impacts of Hy
10、poxia,vitellogenins and choriogenins,of teleost,choriogenins and vitellogenins,HETEROSYNTHETIC,ORIGIN OF,TELEOSTEAN,EGG PROTEINS,follicle,cells,vitelline envelope precursor to the chorion,yolk of oocyte,Estrogeninduced,Liver synthesis,micropyle,NOAA 07 Eco Impacts of Hypoxia,NOAA 07 Eco Impacts of H
11、ypoxia,a b c d,Choriogenin cDNAs indicating normal female reproductive activity.,choriogenin,F.g. liver,F.c. liver,G.a. liver,A.t. ovary,NOAA 07 Eco Impacts of Hypoxia,(Estrogen-injected males),a= Fundulus grandis liver, b= Fundulus chrysotus liver, c= Amphiuma tridactylum liver,vitellogenin,a b c,N
12、OAA 07 Eco Impacts of Hypoxia,(Non-injected males),Three wild-caught males showing the presence of female specific RNA a= Bufo valliceps liver, b= Amphiuma tridactylum liver c= Gambusia affinis,a b c,vitellogenin,NOAA 07 Eco Impacts of Hypoxia,Through collaborations between the labs of LaFleur, Ferr
13、ara and Fontenot we have established overlapping projects of the estuarine fauna, including monitoring of finfish, larval fish, and amphibians.,Fish andAmphibians,NOAA 07 Eco Impacts of Hypoxia,Summary,Documented reproductive behavior through calls of 12 local Anuran species. Established herpetology
14、 collection.Tracking reproductive seasons by measuring GSI on 4 Anurans, 1 Salamander, 3 fish.Molecular biomarkers were amplified using RT-PCR on 3 anurans, 1 Salamander, 3 fish.Poised to implement reproductive survey to include water quality and expanded sampling regime.Proposed range extension for
15、 Hyla avivoca to include wetlands of the BTES.,LaFleur Lab,Post Katrina DirectionsAmphibian and Fish reproduction will be utilized as a longterm assessment tool for environmental health of the estuaryNicholls has been awarded a grant for restoration planting by NOAA Nicholls has signed an MOU with NRCS for restoration plant propagation at Nicholls FarmLaFleur, Boopathy, and Zou are committed to longterm monitoring programs that will offer consistency over time,NOAA 07 Eco Impacts of Hypoxia,
