Bioenergetic consequences of PAH exposure and increased temperature in Atlantic killifish from the Elizabeth River

Understanding tradeoffs of rapid adaptation to environmental chemicals following chronic exposure is critical for ecological risk assessment. Atlantic killifish that reside in the Elizabeth River (ER), an estuary with significant PAH contamination from decades of creosote pollution, provide a model to study these energetic costs. These fish exhibit a PAH-adapted phenotype that has been associated with organismal-level bioenergetic shifts, including decreased aerobic scope and reduced thermal tolerance. We seek to understand the bioenergetic fitness of offspring from sites with a gradient of PAH pollution and the later-life mitochondrial effects of early life PAH exposure. These data provide important risk assessment data for Atlantic killifish, an integral species in the ER ecosystem.

This seminar will be held in Field Auditorium (room 1112), Grainger Hall.
Visit the seminar website for a livestream link to tune in virtually.

https://sites.nicholas.duke.edu/envhealth/seminars-symposia/spring2023seminar/19jan2023/