Interplay Between Zinc Exposure and Competition on the Life History and Physiology of Two Benthic Marine Species
Description/Abstract/Artist Statement
Heavy metal pollution is increasingly becoming of concern in benthic environments. The facility with which they sink and are trapped in the sediment poses significant risks to the persistence of bioturbating invertebrates, especially deposit feeders and interstitial species, who rely on the sediment for acquiring energy. Zinc, a highly toxic heavy metal, can bioaccumulate in tissues, causing deleterious effects on their growth and fecundity or negatively impacting their metabolic processes, energy storage, and hormonal signaling. Most studies testing zinc or, in general, heavy metal pollutions, have been carried out on single species, overlooking the indirect effect that contaminant-related responses can have on other aspects of marine organisms’ ecology, such as species interactions. This study will assess the interplay between increasing levels of zinc exposure (no, chronic, and high-level exposure) and competitive interactions in driving the physiological (metabolic rates, bioaccumulation) and life-history (survival, growth, fecundity) responses of the studied species. This study will contribute to gaining a more holistic and realistic view of the impact of heavy metal contamination on benthic invertebrates, a contemporary issue due to the increasing usage of inorganic metal products releasing zinc into the environment.
Faculty Advisor/Mentor
Dr. Gloria Massamba N'Siala
Faculty Advisor/Mentor Department
Department of Biological Sciences
College Affiliation
College of Sciences
Presentation Type
Oral Presentation
Disciplines
Marine Biology
Session Title
College of Sciences 1
Location
Learning Commons @Perry Library, Room 1310
Start Date
3-30-2024 9:30 AM
End Date
3-30-2024 10:30 AM
Interplay Between Zinc Exposure and Competition on the Life History and Physiology of Two Benthic Marine Species
Learning Commons @Perry Library, Room 1310
Heavy metal pollution is increasingly becoming of concern in benthic environments. The facility with which they sink and are trapped in the sediment poses significant risks to the persistence of bioturbating invertebrates, especially deposit feeders and interstitial species, who rely on the sediment for acquiring energy. Zinc, a highly toxic heavy metal, can bioaccumulate in tissues, causing deleterious effects on their growth and fecundity or negatively impacting their metabolic processes, energy storage, and hormonal signaling. Most studies testing zinc or, in general, heavy metal pollutions, have been carried out on single species, overlooking the indirect effect that contaminant-related responses can have on other aspects of marine organisms’ ecology, such as species interactions. This study will assess the interplay between increasing levels of zinc exposure (no, chronic, and high-level exposure) and competitive interactions in driving the physiological (metabolic rates, bioaccumulation) and life-history (survival, growth, fecundity) responses of the studied species. This study will contribute to gaining a more holistic and realistic view of the impact of heavy metal contamination on benthic invertebrates, a contemporary issue due to the increasing usage of inorganic metal products releasing zinc into the environment.