| Abstract Detail
Environmental Physiology Bruce, Jacqueline D [1], Summy, K. Rod [1], Whelan III, Thomas [2], Cavazos, Eloy [1], Lahner, Brett [3], Li, Nanbing [1], Legas, Sheenalay [1], Adame, John [1], Peer, Wendy [3], Murphy, Angus [3], Persans, Michael W [4]. Oxidative Stress Response in Two Populations of Thalassia testudinum in the Lower Laguna Madre Texas USA. Thalassia testudinum (turtle grass) is one of the dominant seagrass species in the Lower Laguna Madre, Texas. Because of its proximity to urban and industrial developments, T. testudinum is exposed to both natural and anthropogenic stresses. Water quality, turbidity, dissolved oxygen, salinity, and temperature are contributing sources of environmental stress in the marine environment. Anthropogenic sources of stress include dredging, boating, agricultural runoff, and treated sewage effluent from the South Padre Island water treatment plant. A combination of these stressors can affect the Laguna’s marine ecosystem and may have possibly contributed to a decline in seagrass populations in recent years. In this study, environmental and metal induced oxidative stress was examined in T. testudinum collected from two locations in the Lower Laguna Madre, TX, site LMT-050, in close proximity to South Padre Island’s sewage water treatment plant, and site ABC, a pristine area some distance from the sewage treatment plant. The impact of environmental and metal induced oxidative stress to the health of T. testudinum was measured by protein carbonylation, lipid peroxidation and changes in spectral reflectance. Non differential vegetative index ratios (NDVI) were used to assess the effect of oxidative stress on the seagrass photosynthetic pigments and leaf structure. Environmental accumulation of copper and manganese in T. testudinum was also investigated and in the laboratory the seagrass was exposed to various concentrations of these metals to assess if laboratory tank studies could simulate field conditions. The over arching goal of this research is to assess the applicability of the use of T. testudinum as a bio-indicator of environmental stress in the Lower Laguna Madre TX.
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Related Links:
University of Texas Pan American Biology Department
Purdue University Department of Hortuculture and Landscape Architecture
1 - University of Texas Pan American, Biology
2 - University of Texas Pan American, Chemistry
3 - Purdue University, Horticulture and Landscape Architecture
4 - University of Texas Pan American, Biology, 1201 West University Drive, Edinburg, TX, 78541, USA
Keywords:
seagrasses
oxidative stress
Lipid peroxidation
heavy metal
bioindicator
remote sensing.
Presentation Type: Plant Biology Abstract
Session: P
Location: Exhibit Hall (Northeast, Southwest & Southeast)/Hilton
Date: Sunday, July 8th, 2007
Time: 8:00 AM
Number: P01026
Abstract ID:1561 |
