Fish tissue samples to assess reproductive and developmental abnormalities, Barataria Bay, LA, 2011

We sampled fish from 10+ sites in and around Barataria Bay, Louisiana and from reference sites in Texas between August and October 2011. Fish were collected using minnow traps or seine at each field site. Sediment was collected using a sediment sampler at each site. Water samples at each site were collected into pre-cleaned Qorpak bottles. Data on phenotypic sex were collected by analysis of secondary sex characteristics and visual inspection of gonadal morphology. Fish weight was determined using a digital balance. Total and standard length were determined using a metric ruler. Blood was collected from euthanized fish by severing the caudal vein. Blood hematocrit was determined using a hematocrit centrifuge and standard hematocrit scale. Water quality measurements were collected using a YSI water quality meter.

2011年8月至10月，研究团队于路易斯安那州巴拉塔里亚湾（Barataria Bay）及其周边共10余个采样点，以及德克萨斯州的对照参考采样点采集鱼类样本。各野外采样点均采用小鱼笼或围网采集鱼类样本；底泥样本通过沉积物采样器在各采样点获取，水样则采集至预先清洁的Qorpak瓶中。研究人员通过分析第二性征并目视观察性腺形态，获取鱼类表型性别数据；使用电子天平测定鱼类体重，以米尺测量鱼类总长度与标准体长。对经安乐死处理的鱼类，通过切断尾静脉采集血液样本，并利用红细胞比容（hematocrit）离心机与标准红细胞比容标尺测定血液红细胞比容。水质参数采用YSI水质分析仪完成测定。