scholarly journals Hepatic Burdens of PCB and PCDD/F Congeners in Federally Endangered Shortnose Sturgeon and Atlantic Sturgeon from the Hudson River, New York, USA:  Burden Patterns and Potential Consequences in Offspring

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Isaac Wirgin ◽  
R. Christopher Chambers
Keyword(s):  
New York ◽  
Life Stage ◽  
Natural Populations ◽  
Early Life Stage ◽  
Hudson River ◽  
Shortnose Sturgeon ◽  
Life Stages ◽  
Atlantic Sturgeon ◽  
Significant Patterns ◽  
Young Life

Abstract Sturgeon populations worldwide are threatened with extirpation but little is known about their tendency to bioaccumulate contaminants and their sensitivities to environmental burdens of these contaminants. Shortnose sturgeon and Atlantic sturgeon, two species that are federally endangered in the U.S., co-occur in the Hudson River (HR) where high sediment levels of PCBs and PCDD/Fs occur. Previous controlled laboratory studies showed that young life-stages of both species are sensitive to toxicities at low levels of TCDD and PCB126 exposure. The objective here was to measure congener-specific hepatic levels of PCBs and PCDD/Fs in HR specimens in order to determine if in situ bioaccumulation of these compounds was sufficiently high to cause the early life-stage toxicities previously observed. Estimates of hepatic burdens of PCBs and PCDD/Fs were obtained from a small number of specimens of each species collected between 2014 and 2016 and specimens of shortnose sturgeon collected over 30 yr earlier and archived in a museum collection. Several significant patterns emerged. Hepatic levels of legacy PCBs and PCDDs were low in specimens of both species, but typically higher in shortnose than Atlantic sturgeon, a pattern consistent with their habitat use in the HR. Hepatic burdens from archived specimens of shortnose sturgeon tended to be higher than more recently collected ones despite expected reduction in their burdens due to preservation methods. Several inadvertent PCBs congeners were detected, including PCB11, but their possible toxicity to natural populations remains to be determined in future experiments. Levels of select PCDFs congeners, 2,3,7,8-TCDF and 2,3,4,7,8 PeCDF, were elevated in some shortnose sturgeon individuals from the HR. Using Relative Potency (ReP) factors derived from white sturgeon, the observed levels of some hepatic PCDFs in HR shortnose sturgeon may have been sufficiently high to impair recruitment of young life-stages in this ecosystem.

Biology, Management, and Protection of North American Sturgeon

2002 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
New York ◽  
South Carolina ◽  
Chesapeake Bay ◽  
Hudson River ◽  
Delaware Bay ◽  
Late Nineteenth Century ◽  
Atlantic Sturgeon ◽  
Preparation Methods ◽  
Abundance Estimate ◽  
Abundance Estimates

<em>Abstract.</em>—This paper analyzes historical abundances of spawning stocks of Atlantic sturgeon <em>Acipenser oxyrinchus</em> during the late nineteenth century, when peak United States harvest of Atlantic sturgeon occurred (3,200 metric tons in 1888). The advent of preparation methods for caviar, transportation networks that allowed export of caviar to Europe, improvements in fishing technology, and development of a domestic smoked sturgeon market caused rapid emergence of an Atlantic sturgeon industry after the Civil War. The industry originated and was centered in the Delaware Bay, which supported the most abundant population on the U.S. East Coast. Important fisheries also developed in the Chesapeake Bay, the Carolinas, and Georgia. Caviar was the principal marketable product of the fishery and large females were targeted, resulting in fisheries collapse at the turn of the century. No substantial resurgence of Atlantic sturgeon landings has occurred in the twentieth century. A previous analysis of U.S. Fish Commission catch and effort records for the Delaware Bay fishery provided an estimate of 180,000 females prior to 1890. The Delaware Bay abundance estimate was extrapolated to other states by calculating the mean level of each state’s contribution to U.S. yields during the period 1880–1901. This approach led to abundance estimates of 29,000 for the Southern States (North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Florida), 20,000 for the Chesapeake Bay (Maryland, Virginia), 180,000 for the Delaware Bay, and 6,000 for the Hudson River (New York). Although the approaches used to estimate historical biomass and abundance contain untested assumptions and biases, the dominance of the Delaware Bay population in comparison to others is in part confirmed by the industry that developed there. Given the uncertainty in abundance estimates, conservative benchmarks are proposed of 10,000 females each, for systems that previously supported important fisheries.

Growth and Survival of Hatchery-Produced Atlantic Sturgeon Released as Young-of-Year into the Hudson River, New York

2012 ◽  
Vol 3 (1) ◽  
pp. 23-32 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jerre W. Mohler ◽  
John A. Sweka ◽  
Andrew Kahnle ◽  
Kathryn Hattala ◽  
Amanda Higgs ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
New York ◽  
Atlantic Coast ◽  
Hudson River ◽  
Atlantic Sturgeon ◽  
Growth And Survival ◽  
New York Bight ◽  
Hatchery Fish ◽  
Pectoral Spine ◽  
Acipenser Oxyrinchus ◽  
Pelvic Fin

Abstract In 2007, a team of U.S. scientists performed a status review of Atlantic sturgeon Acipenser oxyrinchus oxyrinchus and concluded that the species would likely become endangered (U.S. Endangered Species Act 1973, as amended) in the foreseeable future over much of its range, including populations of the New York Bight, which is comprised of the Hudson and Delaware rivers. Therefore, we evaluated an experimental release of hatchery-produced Atlantic sturgeon that took place in 1994 to determine the value of using stocked fish as a population recovery tool. We obtained recapture data on hatchery fish (identified by presence of pelvic fin removal) from the Atlantic Coast Sturgeon Tagging Database. Our evaluation of retention for a pelvic fin removal mark on hatchery fish showed that 36% of clipped individuals retained a clean fin clip after 49 d. The minimum survival rate for hatchery fish to age 5 was estimated to be in the range of 0.49–0.66% using documented recaptures (N  =  24), known number of fish stocked, and results of the pelvic fin removal evaluation. Length and weight-at-age for recaptured hatchery fish at known ages 5–17 were within the range of values reported for wild fish whose ages were estimated by pectoral spine analysis. We also report that one ripe male hatchery fish at age 15 was captured along with other spermiating males at its parental spawning area in the Hudson River in 2009.

Lethality of Low pH and Al to Early Life Stages of Six Fish Species Inhabiting PreCambrian Shield Waters in Ontario

1989 ◽  
Vol 46 (7) ◽  
pp. 1188-1202 ◽  
Author(s):  
K. E. Holtze ◽  
N. J. Hutchinson
Keyword(s):  
Largemouth Bass ◽  
Early Life ◽  
Life Stage ◽  
Early Life Stage ◽  
Low Ph ◽  
Smallmouth Bass ◽  
Life Stages ◽  
White Sucker ◽  
Lake Whitefish ◽  
Early Life Stages

Lethality of low pH and Al to egg and fry stages of common shiner (Notropis cornutus), white sucker (Catostomus commersoni), walleye (Stizostedion vitreum), lake whitefish (Coregonus clupeaformis), smallmouth bass (Micropterus dolomieui), and largemouth bass (M. salmoides) was determined in a series of laboratory tests in soft (Ca = 4.0 mg/L) water. Low pH was lethal to cleavage eggs in the first 4 d of exposure, to eyed eggs in the immediate prehatch period and to fry following their transition to branchial respiration. Early life stage response to Al was determined by their sensitivity to low pH. Al prolonged survival of cleavage eggs at pH = 4.2, was detrimental to eyed eggs and fry at pH 4.4–5.4 and was most lethal within 0.3 pH units of the pH which was lethal in the absence of Al. In situ distribution of four of the six species was adequately explained by lethality of low pH alone to cleavage eggs or fry. Sensitivity to low pH and Al produced estimates of pH > 5.9 (common shiner), pH > 5.4 (lake whitefish, white sucker, walleye), and pH > 5.1 (smallmouth and largemouth bass) for survival of early life stages in acidified waters.

scholarly journals The effect of life stages on needs satisfied by credit used, according to Alderfer’s existence relatedness growth theory

2016 ◽  
Vol 6 (4) ◽  
pp. 324-333
Author(s):  
A. Botha ◽  
J.M.P. Venter
Keyword(s):  
Family Life ◽  
Early Life ◽  
Life Stage ◽  
Early Life Stage ◽  
Growth Theory ◽  
Life Stages ◽  
Early Life Stages ◽  
Product Usage ◽  
The Past ◽  
Educational Programmes

The increase in household debt in South Africa over the past decade illustrates the importance of analysing credit usage. This study investigated the individual’s financial needs satisfied when using credit and the effect of life stage on the needs satisfied. The financial needs satisfied when using credit were analysed according to life stages using Alderfer’s existence relatedness growth (ERG) theory as a framework. The results indicated that credit usage is influenced by an individual’s life stage. This study found that individuals across all life stages mainly use credit to satisfy their existence needs. Although individuals in their single life stages used less credit products than individuals in their family life stages, it was worrisome to ascertain that mature couples had the highest average credit product usage. The findings suggest that individuals fall into the debt trap in their early life stage, resulting in them being unable to save income in the high-income-producing years in order to be able to dissave after retirement. It is suggested that educational programmes targeting the early life stages should be introduced to prevent individuals from becoming overindebted.

scholarly journals Differences among families in craniofacial shape at early life-stages of Arctic charr (Salvelinus alpinus)

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Samantha Victoria Beck ◽  
Katja Räsänen ◽  
Camille A. Leblanc ◽  
Skúli Skúlason ◽  
Zophonías O. Jónsson ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Early Life ◽  
Egg Size ◽  
Developmental Stages ◽  
Salvelinus Alpinus ◽  
Arctic Charr ◽  
Life Stage ◽  
Early Life Stage ◽  
Offspring Size ◽  
Life Stages ◽  
Early Life Stages

Abstract Background Organismal fitness can be determined at early life-stages, but phenotypic variation at early life-stages is rarely considered in studies on evolutionary diversification. The trophic apparatus has been shown to contribute to sympatric resource-mediated divergence in several taxa. However, processes underlying diversification in trophic traits are poorly understood. Using phenotypically variable Icelandic Arctic charr (Salvelinus alpinus), we reared offspring from multiple families under standardized laboratory conditions and tested to what extent family (i.e. direct genetic and maternal effects) contributes to offspring morphology at hatching (H) and first feeding (FF). To understand the underlying mechanisms behind early life-stage variation in morphology, we examined how craniofacial shape varied according to family, offspring size, egg size and candidate gene expression. Results Craniofacial shape (i.e. the Meckel’s cartilage and hyoid arch) was more variable between families than within families both across and within developmental stages. Differences in craniofacial morphology between developmental stages correlated with offspring size, whilst within developmental stages only shape at FF correlated with offspring size, as well as female mean egg size. Larger offspring and offspring from females with larger eggs consistently had a wider hyoid arch and contracted Meckel’s cartilage in comparison to smaller offspring.Conclusions This study provides evidence for family-level variation in early life-stage trophic morphology, indicating the potential for parental effects to facilitate resource polymorphism.

scholarly journals Divergent Immune Priming Responses Across Flour Beetle Life Stages and Populations

2016 ◽  
Author(s):  
Imroze Khan ◽  
Arun Prakash ◽  
Deepa Agashe
Keyword(s):  
Life Stage ◽  
Natural Populations ◽  
Life Stages ◽  
Fitness Components ◽  
Immune Priming ◽  
Flour Beetle ◽  
Selective Pressures ◽  
Maximum Protection ◽  
Mechanistic Basis ◽  
Protection Against Infection

ABSTRACTGrowing evidence shows that low doses of pathogens may prime the immune response in many insects, conferring subsequent protection against infection in the same developmental stage (within life stage priming), across life stages (ontogenic priming), or to offspring (trans-generational priming). Recent work also suggests that immune priming is a costly response. Thus, depending on host and pathogen ecology and evolutionary history, tradeoffs with other fitness components may constrain the evolution of priming. However, the relative impacts of priming at different life stages and across natural populations remain unknown. We quantified immune priming responses of 10 natural populations of the red flour beetleTribolium castaneum, primed and infected with the natural insect pathogenBacillus thuringiensis. We found that priming responses were highly variable both across life stages and populations, ranging from no detectable response to a 13-fold survival benefit. Comparing across stages, we found that ontogenic immune priming at the larval stage conferred maximum protection against infection. Finally, we found that various forms of priming showed sex-specific associations that may represent tradeoffs or shared mechanisms. These results suggest that sex-, life stage-, and pathogen-specific selective pressures can cause substantial divergence in priming responses even within a species. Our work highlights the necessity of further work to understand the mechanistic basis of this variability.

scholarly journals Contrasting selection at multiple life stages maintains divergent adaptation between sunflower ecotypes

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
April M. Goebl ◽  
Nolan C. Kane ◽  
Daniel F. Doak ◽  
Loren H. Rieseberg ◽  
Kate L. Ostevik
Keyword(s):  
Sequence Data ◽  
Life Stage ◽  
Natural Populations ◽  
Common Garden ◽  
Life History Strategies ◽  
Frequency Change ◽  
Life Stages ◽  
Fitness Components ◽  
Demographic Models ◽  
Genomic Studies

AbstractConspecific populations living in adjacent, but contrasting, microenvironments represent excellent systems for studying natural selection. These systems are valuable because gene flow maintains genetic homogeneity except at loci experiencing strong, divergent selection. A history of reciprocal transplant and common garden studies in such systems, and a growing number of genomic studies, have contributed to understanding how selection operates in natural populations. While selection can vary across different fitness components and life stages, few studies have investigated how this ultimately affects allele frequencies and persistence of divergent populations. Here, we study two sunflower ecotypes in distinct, adjacent habitats by combining demographic models with genome-wide sequence data to estimate fitness components, absolute fitness, and allele frequency change at multiple life stages. This framework allows us to demonstrate that only local ecotypes experience positive population growth (lambda>1) and that the maintenance of divergent adaptation is mediated via habitat- and life stage-specific selection. We identify genetic variation, significantly driven by loci in chromosomal inversions, associated with different life history strategies in neighbouring ecotypes that optimize different fitness components and contribute to the persistence of each ecotype in its respective habitat.

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