Meeting Abstract
Bupropion is an atypical antidepressant commonly prescribed in human medicine for the treatment of clinical depression and other mood disorders. Bupropion present in wastewater and hospital effluent has been shown to affect prey behavior of fish, reduce distress in rats, and increase aggression in mice. In order to further examine the effects of this chemical, this study aims to quantify foraging behavior and aggression of crayfish (Orconectes rusticus), a keystone species, when exposed to environmentally relevant concentrations. Crayfish were exposed to varying concentrations (0, 25, 50, 100, and 200 ng/L) of bupropion for 48 hours. For each exposure level, 10 foraging trials were conducted (1 crayfish per trial). Crayfish were acclimated to a Y-maze for 5 minutes, after which they had 15 minutes to move through the maze and seek the source of a food odor. Duration of time spent in each section of the y-maze was quantified. Effects on agonistic interactions were also examined with 10 aggression trials for each exposure level (2 crayfish per trial). The pair acclimated to opposite sides of a divided tank for 10 minutes; the divider was then removed and the crayfish were allowed to interact for 15 minutes. Agonistic encounters were quantified using a modified ethogram to score intensity of aggression and determine encounters’ winners and losers. Preliminary data of foraging and aggression trials is being analyzed with ANOVAs to assess crayfish aggression and foraging in order to demonstrate the effects of bupropion on an aquatic invertebrate. The effects that bupropion have on crayfish behavior could negatively impact its role as a keystone species in aquatic ecosystems.
