Grantee Research Project Results
1999 Progress Report: Sediment Contaminant Effects on Genetic Diversity: New Approach using DNA Analyses of Meiobenthos
EPA Grant Number: R825439Title: Sediment Contaminant Effects on Genetic Diversity: New Approach using DNA Analyses of Meiobenthos
Investigators: Coull, Bruce C. , Quattro, Joseph M. , Chandler, G. Thomas
Institution: University of South Carolina at Columbia
EPA Project Officer: Aja, Hayley
Project Period: February 24, 1997 through February 23, 2000 (Extended to February 23, 2001)
Project Period Covered by this Report: February 24, 1998 through February 23, 1999
Project Amount: $372,642
RFA: Exploratory Research - Environmental Biology (1996) RFA Text | Recipients Lists
Research Category: Aquatic Ecosystems , Biology/Life Sciences
Objective:
The objective of this research project is to develop a population-genetics level bioassay that is more sensitive and more relevant to long-term benthic community protection than current Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) acute, chronic, and subchronic toxicity test standards. Chronic toxicant loads in sediments may drive populations toward a limited set of tolerant genotypes over time. Such reductions in genetic diversity reduce a population's plasticity to adapt to the new stresses that can arise as anthropogenic stress on aquatic ecosystems increases.Progress Summary:
In the past year, we have completed a detailed examination of the South Carolina/Georgia group of the copepod Microarthridion littorale collected from 10 creeks with either "contaminated" or "clean" sediments using a rapid and reliable method (restriction fragment length polymorphism) to identify the three major haplotype groups. Results indicate there is a correlation between haplotype and level of contamination at a given site. Two of the three haplotypes are much reduced in frequency at sites with higher contaminant loads.We also have completed parallel laboratory experiments on M. littorale exposed to a combination of DDT and Chlorpyriphos. At concentrations that induced intermediate mortalites, the same haplotypes survived the pesticide treatment that occurred in natural systems that had higher contaminant levels.
Future Activities:
We requested and received an extension to this grant (December 1999). We will be attempting to develop a nuclear marker and isolate genes that are directly impacted by contaminants in M. littorale. These will increase our potential to develop a polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-based assay of contaminant influence for estuaries in the Southeastern United States.Journal Articles on this Report : 5 Displayed | Download in RIS Format
| Other project views: | All 11 publications | 6 publications in selected types | All 5 journal articles |
|---|
| Type | Citation | ||
|---|---|---|---|
|
|
Kovatch CE, Schizas NV, Chandler GT, Coull BC, Quattro JM. Tolerance and genetic relatedness of three meiobenthic copepod populations exposed to sediment-associated contaminant mixtures: role of environmental history. Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry 2000;19(4):912-919. |
R825439 (1999) R825439 (Final) R826399E02 (Final) |
Exit Exit |
|
|
Schizas NV, Street GT, Coull BC, Chandler GT, Quattro JM. An efficient DNA extraction method for small metazoans. Molecular Marine Biology and Biotechnology 1997;6(4):381-383. |
R825439 (1999) R825439 (Final) |
Exit Exit |
|
|
Schizas NV, Street GT, Coull BC, Chandler GT, Quattro JM. Molecular population structure of the marine benthic copepod Microarthridion littorale along the southeastern and Gulf coasts of the USA. Marine Biology 1999;135(3):399-405. |
R825439 (1999) R825439 (Final) R826399E02 (Final) |
Exit |
|
|
Schizas NV, Chandler GT, Coull BC, Klosterhaus SL, Quattro JM. Differential survival of three mitochondrial lineages of a marine benthic copepod exposed to a pesticide mixture. Environmental Science & Technology 2001;35(3):535-538. |
R825439 (1999) R825439 (Final) R825279 (Final) R826399E02 (Final) R827397 (2002) R827397 (Final) |
Exit Exit Exit |
|
|
Schizas N, Coull B, Chandler G, Quattro J. Sympatry of distinct mitochondrial DNA lineages in a copepod inhabiting estuarine creeks in the southeastern USA. Marine Biology 2002;140(3):585-594. |
R825439 (1999) R825439 (Final) R826399E02 (Final) R827397 (2002) R827397 (Final) |
Exit |
Supplemental Keywords:
estuary, water, pesticides, exposure, bioavailability, vulnerability, animal, aquatic, habitat, conservation, zoology, SC, GA, FL, LA., RFA, Scientific Discipline, Toxics, Water, Waste, Geographic Area, Ecosystem Protection/Environmental Exposure & Risk, Water & Watershed, Bioavailability, Ecology, Ecosystem/Assessment/Indicators, Ecosystem Protection, exploratory research environmental biology, Chemical Mixtures - Environmental Exposure & Risk, Contaminated Sediments, Environmental Chemistry, Genetics, pesticides, State, Chemistry, Ecological Effects - Environmental Exposure & Risk, Zoology, chemical mixtures, Ecological Effects - Human Health, Watersheds, Ecological Indicators, ecological exposure, habitat, sediment bioassay, aquatic ecosystem, genetic sequencing, contaminant transport, sediment contaminant effects, vulnerability, contaminated sediment, DNA analyses of meiobenthos, Georgia (GA), chemical contaminants, polymerase chain reaction, Louisiana (LA), ecological impacts, superfund site, aquatic ecosystems, bioassay, DNA, South Carolina (SC), pesticide runoff, Florida, FL, meiobenthos, exposure assessment, genetic diversity, DNA analysisRelevant Websites:
http://www.biol.sc.edu/~coull_lab/
http://enhs.sph.sc.edu/faculty/Chandler/chandler.html
http://www.mtsu.edu/meio/
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.