Abstract
Bone deformities are one of the main effects of crude oil exposure in marine fish larvae. Craniofacial and jaw deformities, if severe enough, may restrict feeding and ultimately kill the developing larvae. This study aimed to examine the impact of dispersed crude oil on bone development in Atlantic haddock (Melanogrammus aeglefinus) larvae, a fish species spawning in areas approached for oil and gas exploration in the North Atlantic Ocean. Atlantic haddock larvae were exposed to low (60 μg oil/L), high (600 μg oil/L), or pulsed (0–600, average 60 μg oil/L over time) dispersed crude oil from 0 to 18 days post hatch (dph). Endpoints included survival and growth, bone integrity, and transcriptional parameters, which were assessed during (0–18 dph) and after exposure until the fish reached 8 months of age (243 dph). The results showed that the larvae in the high treatment group had reduction in growth at 2–19, 44, 134, and 243 dph. Craniofacial abnormalities were most severe at 8 and 19 dph. These deformities were not present at 44 dph, possibly because the larvae with deformed jaws failed to feed properly and died. Higher prevalence of spinal deformities was observed in haddocks that survived for 243 dph. Three genes encoding proteins critical for osteoblast function, sp7, postn, and col10a1, were downregulated in the high treatment group larvae. We discuss possible mechanisms of action in the developing larvae after oil exposure. In conclusion, this study shows that larval exposure to oil can potentially have long-term effects on growth and bone integrity in Atlantic haddock.
Highlights
Research conducted in the aftermath of major accidental oil spills, such as the 1989 grounding of Exxon Valdez in the Prince William Sound, Alaska, and the 2010 Deepwater Horizon blowout in the Gulf of Mexico, has documented developmental abnormalities in fish larvae exposed to crude oil (Peterson et al, 2003; Rice et al, 2007; Incardona et al, 2013)
In our previous study on Atlantic cod larvae exposed to weathered dispersed crude oil between 9 and 13 dph, we showed that elements in the oil inhibit bone formation and enhance bone resorption mechanisms (Olsvik et al, 2011)
This study shows that haddocks exposed to oil for 18 days at the early larval stage had reduced growth and developed skeletal malformations
Summary
Research conducted in the aftermath of major accidental oil spills, such as the 1989 grounding of Exxon Valdez in the Prince William Sound, Alaska, and the 2010 Deepwater Horizon blowout in the Gulf of Mexico, has documented developmental abnormalities in fish larvae exposed to crude oil (Peterson et al, 2003; Rice et al, 2007; Incardona et al, 2013). Developmental abnormalities related to bone formation, appear to be one of the major impacts of the components in crude oil on fish larvae. With changing climate and melting sea ice, several Arctic nations have planned to expand oil and gas exploration northward into pristine northern waters. This new use of the marine environment raises competing interests and concerns regarding potential impacts on fisheries. As oil exploration in the Lofoten and Vesterålen area has been a hotly debated issue, there is a need for more knowledge of the potential impact of major oil spills on early life stages of fish species spawning in this region
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