Grantee Research Project Results
1999 Progress Report: Intraspecies genetic diversity measures of environmental impacts.
EPA Grant Number: R826599Title: Intraspecies genetic diversity measures of environmental impacts.
Investigators: Krane, Daniel , Grasman, Keith A. , Burton, Jr., G. Allen
Institution: Wright State University - Main Campus
EPA Project Officer: Hahn, Intaek
Project Period: August 1, 1998 through July 31, 2002
Project Period Covered by this Report: August 1, 1998 through July 31, 1999
Project Amount: $420,278
RFA: Ecological Indicators (1998) RFA Text | Recipients Lists
Research Category: Ecological Indicators/Assessment/Restoration , Aquatic Ecosystems
Objective:
The objectives of this project are to: (1) determine the suitability of randomly amplified polymorphic DNA-olymerase chain reaction (RAPD-PCR) based measures of genetic diversity as an alternative to or screening test for U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) acute and chronic toxicity and bioaccumulation tests of ecological risk in a wide variety of resource types; and (2) assess the amenability of a set of organisms from a range of trophic levels to genetic diversity-based measures that sensitively, rapidly, and inexpensively assay the impact of a broad range of environmental stressors.
Progress Summary:
The initial stages of this work have focused on refining the RAPD-PCR DNA profiling technique and determining which native organisms at a variety of local aquatic and terrestrial sites would be most suitable for analyses. Profiles from a total of five different aquatic species [(crayfish, snails, fathead minnows (Pimephales promelas), mosquitofish (Gambusia affinis), damsel flies, and Hyalella azteca)] and five terrestrial species (pill bugs, earth worms, spiders, garlic mustard, and violets) have been generated and evaluated. All organisms studied to date have proven amenable to highly reproducible RAPD-PCR typing.
The important roles played by the species considered to date, in addition to their nonmigratory natures, normally high population densities, broad distribution, and sexual reproduction, make them very well-suited for genetic diversity studies. The extremely high genetic similarity seen in garlic mustard (probably due to its recent introduction and invasive nature) both within and between collection sites makes it unsuitable for subsequent work. All other organisms display statistically significant differences in genetic diversity between populations collected at contaminated and reference sites. In general, populations collected at reference sites have had the highest levels of diversity, and these measures are correlated with the diversity measures of other species collected at the same sites as well as with other measures of ecosystem health including the Index of Biotic Integrity(IBI) and the Invertebrate Community Index (ICI).
Future Activities:
Initial surveys of aquatic systems and their closely associated terrestrial sites have been made upon Dick's Creek in Middletown, Ohio, and the Little Scioto River in Marion, Ohio. Analyses of the DNA profiles from the populations of organisms will be completed and used to determine which will be most suitable for use at other sites. Genetic diversity levels of the most informative sentinel species will be considered in surveys of a third aquatic system that has been contaminated with a different set of pollutants in Year 2 of the proposed study. Specifically, organisms will be collected at one reference and three contaminated sites along the Clark Fork River in southwest Montana. This river transects a variety of agricultural areas along its 120-mile reach. Mining, milling, and smelting activities have occurred extensively throughout its headwater and tributary streams, resulting in substantial heavy metal contamination of the watershed. The system is particularly interesting due to its harboring of a pollution sensitive and high quality benthic macroinvertebrate community, despite extreme metal toxicity levels.
Journal Articles:
No journal articles submitted with this report: View all 35 publications for this projectSupplemental Keywords:
population, genetic polymorphisms, ecological effects, indicators, terrestrial, aquatic, biology, surveys., RFA, Geographic Area, Ecosystem Protection/Environmental Exposure & Risk, exploratory research environmental biology, Ecosystem/Assessment/Indicators, Chemical Mixtures - Environmental Exposure & Risk, Ecosystem Protection, State, Monitoring/Modeling, Ecological Effects - Environmental Exposure & Risk, Ecological Effects - Human Health, Ecological Indicators, ecological exposure, risk assessment, anthropogenic stresses, stressors, biodiversity, stream ecosystems, molecular detection, biotic integrity, ecosystem indicators, terrestrial, Ohio (OH), DNA, RAPD-PCR, water quality, snailsRelevant Websites:
http:/Biology.wright.edu/BioSite/personnel/faculty/Krane.html
http://Biology.wright.edu/BioSite/personnel/faculty/Burton.html
http://Biology.wright.edu/BioSite/personnel/faculty/Grasman.html
Progress and Final Reports:
Original AbstractThe perspectives, information and conclusions conveyed in research project abstracts, progress reports, final reports, journal abstracts and journal publications convey the viewpoints of the principal investigator and may not represent the views and policies of ORD and EPA. Conclusions drawn by the principal investigators have not been reviewed by the Agency.