Spatial and temporal sensitivity of purple sea urchins (Strongylocentrotus purpuratus) to zinc
- Univ. of California, Santa Cruz, CA (United States)
Purple sea urchins (Strongylocentrotus purpuratus) are commonly used in toxicity tests on the west coast for permit monitoring and other applications. They have variable spawning seasons that usually peak in the winter months, but recent work suggests sea urchins can be kept in spawning condition year-round. In this study adult broodstock sea urchins were kept in spawning condition in the laboratory. The gametes from these animals were used in fertilization and larval development experiments designed to assess temporal variability in response to zinc sulfate over a year-long period. The results of these tests were compared to concurrent experiments using gametes from a wild population. Similar tests were conducted comparing urchins from three geographically isolated groups on the west coast. Fertilization tests for the temporal study produced variable EC50`s ranging from 4.1 mg/l to > 100 {micro}g/l zinc. Urchins demonstrated decreased sensitivity during summer months with lab animals showing a more dramatic trend. Larval development tests resulted in EC50`s averaging 107.4 {+-} 21.9 {micro}g/l zinc for laboratory urchins and 97.2 {+-} 19.2 {micro}g/l zinc for wild urchins. Interpopulation larval development results were not significantly different. EC50`s were 133.0 {+-} 19.2 {micro}g/l for Newport, Oregon urchins, 116.1 {+-} 16.8 {micro}g/l for Carmel, California, and 94.3 {+-} 28.8 {micro}g/l for San Diego, California. Similar variability was encountered in the interpopulation fertilization tests. Methods to reduce fertilization test variability have been investigated, and will be discussed in terms of sperm to egg ratios and sperm collection techniques.
- OSTI ID:
- 392352
- Report Number(s):
- CONF-9511137-; ISBN 1-880611-03-1; TRN: IM9647%%206
- Resource Relation:
- Conference: 2. Society of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry (SETAC) world conference, Vancouver (Canada), 5-9 Nov 1995; Other Information: PBD: 1995; Related Information: Is Part Of Second SETAC world congress (16. annual meeting): Abstract book. Global environmental protection: Science, politics, and common sense; PB: 378 p.
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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