The Effects Of Exposure On Male Fighting Fish, Betta Splendens

From 1947 to 1977, these two plants legally discharged from 500,000 to 1.5 million pounds of PCBs into the Hudson, and unknowingly saturated the bedrock beneath both sites with at least that much again. There are PCBs in Hudson River water, biota, and sediment from Hudson Falls to New York City - 200 miles that comprise the nations largest Superfund site. Pure PCBs are oozing out of the bedrock to this day, constantly recontaminating the river and over 300,000 pounds remain concentrated in bottom sediments of the river today. The spread of PCBs throughout the Hudson River and the food chain, which it supports, has created one of the most extensive hazardous waste problems in the nation. Polychlorinated biphenyl’s (PCBs) are a group of synthetic oil-like chemicals (therefore insoluble in water) of the organochlorine family. Until their toxic nature was recognized and their use was banned in the 1970s, they were widely used as insulation in electrical equipment, particularly transformers. Reputable chemists have since concluded, “it was probably a mistake ever to make or use PCBs.” These are serious poisons, which have been shown to cause damage to the reproductive, neurological and immune systems of wildlife and humans and are known to cause cancer. Exposure has also been linked to behavioral damage. Specifically, because PCBs in the body mimic estrogen, women of childbearing age and their infants are particularly susceptible

Rain washes the pesticides that are used in our Australians households and then become run-off in drains and sewers. They then make their way into nearby water bodies, wether that be creeks, rivers or even oceans and settle within the soil by sticking to small particles, including tiny living organisms like phytoplankton (M. Barwick, 2003, pp. 471-502). Small fish consume these tiny organisms, which may then be eaten by a larger organism and this continues until the top order consumer is reached. The concentration that first began in the phytoplankton and has multiplied sufficiently as it moves along the food chain. The amount of the pesticide has reached a highly toxic level in the top order predator, whether that is birds or even humans. As a result of the biomagnification of pesticides and other chemical the marine environment and the organisms that live within it are heavily affected. The build up of heavy metals, for example, it interferes with the formation of red blood cells, creates liver and kidney implications and forms reproductive defects in many organisms. This hinders an organism’s ability to survive and reproduce and can create a decline in species

Oils, smoke, and pesticides often have different chemicals. When these substances are dumped into the environment by factories and other corporations, they pollute the environment. The chemicals in these substances can often reside in an area for extended periods of time, with even longer lasting side effects (Martinez-Haro, et. al., 2013). This means that if the soil of a pillbug habitat is contaminated to become more or less acidic by these chemicals, the effects on that population of pillbugs may be permanent, and should be investigated to see their long term effect. Lastly, concrete, which is often poured onto the ground and hardened by humans in cities, can cause a potentially harmful change in pH. Concrete has a pH of about 9. Over time, concrete may erode into the ecosystem of a pillbug, increasing the normal pH of it’s habitat. This may harm the organisms in that soil, including pillbugs (Kawahara, et. al., 2016). Pillbugs (Armadillidium vulgare) are a terrestrial isopod that live under rotting wood and fallen leaves, in a habitat whose water content is greater than 10% (Smigel & Gibbs,

The problem with plastic ending up in the ocean is that marine life is being harmed by the presence of it. A study done on the harbor seals in the Netherlands found that more than 12% had plastic in the digestive system (California Coastal Commission). The list of affected species indicates that marine debris is affecting a significant number of species. It affects at least 267 species worldwide, including 86% of all sea turtle species, 44% of all seabird species, and 43% of all marine mammal species (Save our shores). The problem is underestimated because the marine life that ingests plastic or dies from entanglement often goes undiscovered due to the vastness of the ocean, as they either sink or are eaten by predators before they are discovered (Plastic Debris). The potential harm from ingestion of plastics is not restricted to seabirds. Plastic bags drifting on ocean currents resemble the prey of turtles. There is evidence that their survival is being hindered by plastic debris with young sea turtles being vulnerable (Ocean pollution). Over the past 20 years polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) have polluted marine food webs at an increasing rate, and are prevalent in seabirds. Though their adverse effects may not always be apparent, PCBs lead to reproductive disorders, increase the risk of disease and alter hormone levels. These chemicals have a detrimental effect on marine organisms even at very low levels and plastic pellets could be a route for PCBs into marine food

There are many destructive ways that the Florida red tide harms the living things along the Gulf Coast. Documented evidence in the past decade indicates that Karenia brevis red tide blooms exposures of brevetoxins were responsible for massive deaths among sea mammals, fishes, birds and sea turtles. These poisonous chemicals transferred through the food chain and all

The main intention of this experiment is to distinguish whether the chemical Bisphenol A (BPA) has effects on Atlantic Croaker fish. Samples from Atlantic Croaker were taken from both tributaries, one being a Bisphenol A (BPA) free tributary, and the other being filled with Bisphenol A (BPA). In which data was recorded, analyzed, and had astonishing results. The results displayed that when the female Atlantic Croaker hepatic system were exposed to high dosages of Bisphenol A they showed physical abnormalities

This analysis of case studies from Los Alamos National Laboratory, and the case study to predict the effects of pesticides on aquatic systems and the waterfowl that uses them. Comparing the two processes of these case studies, along with analysis of the assessments. Describing the case study on the effects of pesticides in aquatic ecosystem, the risk assessment correlated to observed field studies and evaluate the importance of this type of correlation in general for all risk assessment efforts. Breaking down the ecological and social

A male Betta is to be placed on the opposite side of the bowl, so that they can see each other but no contact. The fish were observed for two minutes. After the two minutes passed, the barrier was lifted and observations were recorded for one minute before the male was removed from the bowl. This was then repeated with the female Betta. These two constitute one trial. There was a total of three trials, so both the male and female were in the primary bowl thrice

Bioassays, Daphnia magna, were used to monitor water for the presence of toxic compounds in various water samples, including samples 1 mile upstream from the Fletcher’s Paint dump site and one mile downstream. A bioassay is a living organism that serves as a detector for toxins. It is hypothesized that if the Daphnia mortality rate when exposed to water samples from various locations is higher in greater solutions, then their deaths' indicate that the water contains toxic compounds due to the harmful toxins that originated from human pollution. This is the same hypothesis for the Fletcher’s Paint experiment.

When I was about six years old, my older brother and a few of his friends thought it would be funny if they removed the divider between to the two betta fish we had in the tank. Bettas are very aggressive and territorial fish and like to be left alone, so the second that they removed the border, they started attacking each other. Even though they are just fish and are very small, but it was blatantly obvious that they were doing harm to each other. He later put the borders back up but a few hours later, one of them had died. I blamed it on the fact that my brother had done that to the fish and told my dad. My brother, of course, got in trouble but my dad told me that the reason why one of them died because he was too weak and could no longer

Many different species of animals are threatened by harmful chemicals and pollution that hinder said species literal existence. DDT, PCBs, organophosphate pesticides, and mercury, for instance, sneak into many different predators, including the barn owl. The barn owl preys on specific species of animals; however, the barn owl is not embedded with the chemicals themselves. Chemicals like DDT, PCBs, etc. are within creatures called mice, moles, shrews, and voles; therefore, the owls retrieve these deadly chemicals when they prey on these specific animals. Ecologists fear for the barn owls existence because of the insecticidal chemicals and their impact on the bird.

One of the most noticeable forms of homeostasis in Betta splendens is temperature regulation. This is because alterations in water temperature change the metabolic and biochemical functions in fish. (Ostrander, 2000) Enzymes within cells require an optimal temperature for them to function efficiently. The internal temperature of an animal is constantly being reported by sensors in blood vessels to the hypothalamus. After the temperature has been analysed by the hypothalamus, appropriate changes are made, often in the form of behavioural adjustments. The Betta splendens is a poikilothermic animal, an animal whose temperature is dependent on the temperature of their external environment.

Do you like to visit Lake Erie? Of course you don’t! The water is so unsanitary from pollution. Well, the fish feel the same way, and that is their environment. Many people think that washing down products with chemicals in them will not harm anything.Well, it does. The water dumps into Lake Erie. Then with all of the chemicals, the water starts to get polluted along with the animal’s environment. Fish deserve a healthier environment. Just because fish are animals does not mean that they should live in unhealthy water.

Fry and Toone (1986) found when they inject fertilised seabird eggs with DDT and its metabolites. The male chicks produced have varying degrees of intersexuality depending on dosage, reproductive system with both male and female structures. The female chicks had a partial to full developed right oviducts, instead of just left functional structures. In the area where the eggs were collected, there was multiple female-female pairing and low hatchability of eggs. Males exposed as embryos to estrogenic pesticides showed decreased to no sexual behaviour. (Fry and Toone, 1981) Louis Guillette noticed that male alligators from Lake Apopka in Florida have vestigial penis, follicle-like testis and elevated estrogens/testosterone ratios and the female hatching’s ovaries were producing multiple egg follicles and eggs with several nuclei (Luoma, 1995, Guillette et al., 1995) The females also had above normal estrogens levels. When he and his colleagues did a similar injection study with DDT and DDE, they produced results similar to those found in the field. The reduction in penis length and the abnormal gonads made the hatchlings reproductively incapable. Both the bird and alligator studies were prompted by the contamination of large water bodies by organochlorins and the low breeding success of the animals living and feeding in these areas.

Benthic macroinvertebrates have been used to assess the health of aquatic environments. Quality analysis involves looking at benthic species composition and organization within the stream (Resh and Unzicke 1975). Different macroinvertebrates have differing sensitivities to pollutant, with some being more susceptible to environmental toxins than others (Metcalfe 1989). Such methods group macroinvertebrates in regards to their tolerance to pollution.