Effects of chronic pesticide exposure on an epibenthic oyster reef community

Abstract

In recent decades, oyster reefs have been deteriorating throughout North America as a result of multiple interacting anthropogenic stressors, including pesticide pollution. Here we elucidated the potential chronic effects of the commonly utilized pesticide, carbaryl, on oyster reef communities in the Loxahatchee River Estuary in southeast Florida. Though carbaryl had a limited effect on total epifaunal community diversity, species richness and evenness, the results of this experiment indicate that carbaryl significantly shifted crustacean community composition, resulting in a substantial loss in total crustacean abundance. One crustacean in particular, Americorophium spp. (tube building amphipod), was significantly less abundant within the carbaryl treatment, driving the shift in crustacean community composition. Ultimately, our results signal that pesticide pollution in estuaries will negatively impact crustaceans. Over time, this may shift benthic community composition, potentially disrupting species interactions and threatening valuable economic and ecosystem services.