Biological Impacts in Fathead Minnow Larvae Following a 7-Day Exposure to Agricultural Runoff: A Microcosm Study

  • Jonathan M. Ali
  • Yasmine A. Farhat
  • Alan S. Kolok
Article
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Accepted:

Abstract

The objective of this study was to investigate the impact of agricultural runoff on growth and development in fathead minnow larvae. Identifying these impacts in the field is difficult due to the complexity of pulsatile events and the challenge of maintaining larval fish under environmental conditions. This paper presents evidence of sublethal impacts on minnow larvae, maintained in microcosms, following a 7-day exposure to agricultural runoff. Fathead minnow larvae (5–12 dph) were exposed to agricultural runoff in the Elkhorn River, NE, USA. At 28 dph, 16 days after the field exposure, river exposed larvae showed reductions in body mass and length compared to controls. Female larvae exposed to river water also showed a reduction in the expression of cyp19a compared to controls. Further research will be necessary to separate the impact of agrichemicals from that of other stressors, such as suspended sediment and daily oscillation in water temperature.

Keywords

Pimphalespromelas Microcosms Agricultural runoff Herbicides Early-life stages Gene expression 
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Notes

Acknowledgments

This project was partially supported by National Science Foundation Grant award 0966858 to AK. JA was supported by the Robert G. Daugherty Water for Food Institute Graduate Assistantship, University of Nebraska. YF was partially supported by Fund for Undergraduate Scholarly Experiences from the University of Nebraska at Omaha. The Elkhorn River Research Station is owned and operated by the Nebraska Watershed Network, Department of Biology, College of Arts and Sciences, University of Nebraska at Omaha.

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Copyright information

© Springer Science+Business Media New York 2016

Authors and Affiliations

  • Jonathan M. Ali
    • 1
  • Yasmine A. Farhat
    • 2
  • Alan S. Kolok
    • 1
    • 2
  1. 1.Department of Environmental, Agricultural and Occupational HealthUniversity of Nebraska Medical CenterOmahaUSA
  2. 2.Department of BiologyUniversity of Nebraska at OmahaOmahaUSA

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