P1252428256hTsAc

1
Determine Effects of Contaminants on White
Sturgeon Reproduction and Parental Transfer of
Contaminants to Embryos in the Columbia River
Basin
Molly Webb (OSU) Eugene Foster (DEQ/PSU) Alec
Maule (USGS) Deke Gundersen (PU) Martin
Fitzpatrick (DEQ) Grant Feist (OSU) Carl Schreck
(OCFRU)
2
Project Cooperators
WDFW ODFW CRITFC Spokane Tribe B.C. Ministry of
the Environment Kootenai Tribe
3
Project Goal
Determine if contaminants are contributing to
the poor recruitment seen in white sturgeon
populations in the Columbia River Basin
4
(No Transcript)
5
Factors Affecting Poor Recruitment Habitat Fl
ow Temperature
Contaminants
6
Contaminants Detected in the Columbia River
PCBs
Chlorinated Pesticides
Dioxins and Furans
PBDE
Heavy Metals
Persistent, Bind to Organic Material,
Lipophilic, and Bioaccumulating
7
Immature White Sturgeon
8
Few Contaminant Studies Conducted with Adult
White Sturgeon...

• PCBs, heavy metals, and DDT DDE
• bioaccumulate in ovarian tissue

• Larger eggs had higher total OCs

• Significant positive correlation between
• PCBs in embryos and mortality
• (Kruse, 2000 Kootenai white sturgeon)

9
Action Agencies Future Needs
All Ranked as 1 Needs Immediate
Implementation 1. Evaluate the effects of
environmental contaminants on the
reproductive physiology of white sturgeon in the
Columbia River... 2. Collect
information on older reproductively cycling
white sturgeon in order to fully assess
potential effect of these environmental
contaminants... 3. Evaluate contaminant
concentrations in tissues important for
reproduction and development of mature and
immature sturgeon 4. Research the relative
contribution of contaminant stress to white
sturgeon reproduction... 5. Develop adequate
knowledge of the abiotic and biotic factors
that influence spawning and cause mortality 6.
Research to understand the factors affecting
reproduction and early life history of white
sturgeon. 7. Research to understand recruitment
variability...
10
USFWS Biological Opinion Findings in this
project will be helpful for recovery of
endangered Kootenai River white sturgeon
And recovery of the Upper Columbia River
white sturgeon
11
Objective 1
Determine environmental contaminant
concentrations and physiological measures
indicative of contaminant exposure in adult
white sturgeon in the Columbia River Basin
12
sample sites (n12 fish/site)








13
Objective 1 Analyses

• Contaminants in gonad and blood
• (PCBs, dioxins, furans, heavy metals, OCs)

• Plasma sex steroid concentrations

• Liver enzymes

• Statistical Analyses
• (correlations, site differences)

14
Objective 2
Determine if the environmental contaminant load
in white sturgeon gonadal tissue may be assessed
non-lethally
15
Objective 2 Analyses

• Close relationship between contaminant
• levels in blood and tissue in several
• studies with mammals and birds

• Utilizes samples collected in Objective 1

• Regression Analysis

16
Objective 3
Determine if parental transfer of environmental
contaminants and non-specific immune factors to
offspring occurs in wild white sturgeon spawned
in aquaculture and conservation propagation
programs in the Columbia River Basin
17
Mechanism of Bioaccumulation in Eggs
Estradiol
liver
Vg
Vg
Vg

Lysozyme
Vg
Lectin
Macrophages
Vg-Hg2
Vg-PCB
18
Objective 3 Analyses

• Contaminant load in ovulated eggs, sperm,
• fertilized eggs (n lt 4 at 3 - 4 sites)

• Non-specific immune factors in ovulating
• females and ovulated eggs
• (n lt 4 at 3 - 4 sites)

• Statistical Analysis
• (site differences)

19
Objective 4 Determine if parentally transferred
environmental contaminant load in white
sturgeon offspring reduces fitness
20
Objective 4 Analyses

• Follow fate of full-sibs from Objective 3

• Examine cleavage patterns, embryo survival,
• rate of hatch, hatch success, mortality
• at initiation of feeding, and body
• deformities

• Statistical Analyses
• (correlations, site differences)

21
Objective 5 Assess survival and performance of
embryonic, larval, and juvenile white sturgeon
exposed to single contaminants
22
Objective 5 Analyses

• Develop technique for microinjection
• of individual contaminants into
• embryos

• Assess survival and performance of
• embryos and larvae following
• microinjection

23
Expected Results

• What is the contaminant load in adults?

• Is load correlated with reproductive
• development or site?

• Does parental transfer of contaminants
• and non-specific immune factors
• occur, and if so, does it affect offspring
• fitness?

• Initial development of nondestructive
• tool to monitor contaminant load

24
Resulting Mitigative Actions

• Identify clean-up sites

• Screen areas of the river for compounds
• known to have deleterious effects on
• recruitment

• Identify sites for broodstock collection
• and supplementation that will increase
• survival