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Digestive toxicity in grass shrimp collected along an impact gradient
David R Seebaugh1, William J L'Amoreaux, William G Wallace
1Department of Biology, College of Staten Island, 6S-143, City University of New York, 2800 Victory Boulevard, Staten Island, NY 10314, USA. david.seebaugh@csi.cuny.edu
Aquatic Toxicology (Amsterdam, Netherlands)
|September 28, 2011
Summary
Chronic exposure to environmental pollutants impacts grass shrimp digestion. Reduced digestive enzyme activity was observed, but shrimp adapted by increasing gut residence time to maintain nutrient absorption.
Area of Science:
- Environmental toxicology
- Marine biology
- Crustacean physiology
Background:
- Pollutants ingested by organisms can cause digestive toxicity after tissue incorporation.
- This toxicity affects digestive enzymes, nutrient absorption, and gut transit time.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the effects of chronic environmental exposure on digestive parameters in grass shrimp (Palaemonetes pugio).
- To analyze relationships between digestive physiology and pollutant assimilation efficiencies.
Main Methods:
- Adult grass shrimp were collected from impacted and reference sites in the New York/New Jersey Harbor Estuary.
- Shrimp were fed meals containing markers, and digestive toxicity was analyzed.
- Gut residence time (GRT), feces elimination rate (FER), protease activity, and gut pH were measured.
Main Results:
- GRT did not significantly vary but positively correlated with Cadmium (Cd) assimilation efficiency.
- FER remained unaffected by field exposure.
- Digestive protease activities were significantly lower in shrimp from impacted sites.
Conclusions:
- Digestive plasticity, such as increased GRT, may help shrimp compensate for reduced protease activity and maintain nutrient assimilation.
- Environmental stress can alter digestive function, potentially increasing the assimilation of non-essential elements like Cd.
