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Avoidance response of the estuarine amphipod Eohaustorius estuarius to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon‐contaminated, field‐collected sediments
Author(s) -
Kravitz Michael J.,
Lamberson Janet O.,
Ferraro Steven P.,
Swartz Richard C.,
Boese Bruce L.,
Specht David T.
Publication year - 1999
Publication title -
environmental toxicology and chemistry
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.1
H-Index - 171
eISSN - 1552-8618
pISSN - 0730-7268
DOI - 10.1002/etc.5620180623
Subject(s) - sediment , contamination , amphipoda , environmental chemistry , estuary , population , environmental science , polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon , ecology , biology , chemistry , crustacean , paleontology , demography , sociology
Amphipods ( Eohaustorius estuarius ) were placed in two‐chamber containers with different combinations of three contaminated sediments and a control sediment, and their distribution was determined after 2 or 3 d. Amphipods avoided the sediment with the highest PAH contamination and one of two sediments with moderate PAH concentrations. In the moderately contaminated sediment avoided by amphipods, the (avoidance) response was more sensitive than mortality as a biological indicator of unacceptable sediment contamination (over the 2–3‐d exposure). The avoidance response in this case likely represents an early indication of potential mortality from sediment exposure. Population levels of amphipods in moderately to heavily PAH‐contaminated sediments may be influenced by a combination of avoidance behavior and toxicity/lethality.