Meeting Abstract

P3.106  Monday, Jan. 6 15:30  Physiological responses of Seaside Sparrows to the Deepwater Horizon oil spill BERGEON BURNS, C.M.*; WOLTMANN, S.; STOUFFER, P.C.; TAYLOR, S.S.; Louisiana State University and Agricultural Center, Baton Rouge; Austin Peay State University, Clarksville, TN; Louisiana State University and Agricultural Center, Baton Rouge; Louisiana State University and Agricultural Center, Baton Rouge cbburns@agcenter.lsu.edu

Oil pollution is known to have immediate and often lethal effects on resident organisms. However, a full understanding of the effects oil exposure on wildlife also requires assessment of sublethal effects over longer timescales. Contaminants including polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) contained in crude oil can persist in the environment for many years, where they have pronounced effects on the physiology of organisms residing in affected ecosystems. We examined responses of Seaside Sparrows (Ammodramus maritimus) residing in coastal Louisiana salt marshes to the Deepwater Horizon oil spill, which occurred in the Gulf of Mexico in spring of 2010. Seaside Sparrows are abundant passerine birds that have narrow habitat requirements, and so may be a valuable indicator of the impact of environmental disturbance in coastal marshes. In 2012 and 2013, we collected adult birds breeding in areas that varied in the degree of contamination from the oil spill, and we asked whether those exposed to oiled habitats showed increased expression of CYP1A, a gene commonly used as a biomarker for PAH exposure. Further, we sought to link oil exposure with biological impacts and fitness measures by comparing stress hormone (corticosterone) levels, population density, and outcomes of nesting attempts of free-living birds across heavily and lightly oiled areas. Preliminary data indicate a negative impact of oil exposure on reproductive outcome.