Analysis of chronic exposure of physiological endpoints in benthic marine teleost, the Gulf toadfish, tissue

To fully assess the impacts of Deepwater Horizon (DWH) oil on the vertebrate stress response and the trajectory for recovery. Our research integrated molecular, cellular, gland/organ and whole animal physiological and behavioral studies using a benthic marine teleost, the Gulf toadfish, a resident of the Gulf of Mexico. These studies evaluated multiple pathways (e.g., pituitary fatigue, disruption or overstimulation of cortisol biosynthesis) and the consequence of these changes at the whole animal level (e.g., changes in carbohydrate metabolism and responses to natural stresses such as predation). In this series of experiments, tissue endpoints such as head kidney cortisol secretion rate and liver glycogen concentration were evaluated during long-term exposures to DWH oil. Each exposure was followed by a complementary recovery period (i.e., no oil or PAH exposure) to assess the recovery trajectory.
Experiments were completed at RSMAS, University of Miami, MTLSS building room 211. Experiments began 2019-01-01 and were completed on 2019-12-31.