Meeting Abstract
Nonylphenol (NP) is a compound used as a surfactant in a variety of industrial, domestic, and agricultural products. NP is abundantly found in deoxygenated areas containing sediment, an ideal habitat for crayfish. It acts as an endocrine disruptor by mimicking estrogen, influencing the behavior of organisms like crayfish. Crayfish utilize aggressive behaviors to find food, mates, and establish social hierarchies. We hypothesize that crayfish will alter the frequency of aggressive behavior over extended periods of chronic nonylphenol exposure. To test this hypothesis, 60 male adult crayfish, Orconectes propinquus, were randomly separated into three treatment groups: high exposure (0.3 ng/L), low exposure (0.15 ng/L), and control (vehicle agent). To measure aggressive behavior, fight trials were conducted and recorded for subsequent analysis. During fight trials, crayfish were size matched to decrease any confounding effects of size. Interactions were later analyzed by observing the behavior of the pair of crayfish. We recorded the temporal mechanics by measuring fight intensity and duration of encounters. Preliminary results indicate changes in aggression intensity in nonylphenol exposed crayfish.
