Effects of turbidity, temperature and predation cue on the stress response of juvenile delta smelt.

The San Francisco Estuary (SFE) is one of the most degraded ecosystems in the United States, and organisms that inhabit it are exposed to a suite of environmental stressors. The delta smelt (Hypomesus transpacificus), a small semi-anadromous fish endemic to the SFE and considered an indicator species, is close to extinction in the wild. The goal of this study was to investigate how environmental alterations to the SFE, such as reductions in turbidities, higher temperatures and increased prevalence of invasive predators affect the physiology and stress response of juvenile delta smelt. Juvenile delta smelt were exposed to two temperatures (17 and 21°C) and two turbidities (1-2 and 10-11 NTU) for 2 weeks. After the first week of exposure, delta smelt were exposed to a largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides) predator cue at the same time every day for 7 days. Fish were measured and sampled on the first (acute) and final (chronic) day of exposures to predator cues and later analyzed for whole-body cortisol, glucose, lactate, and protein. Length and mass measurements were used to calculate condition factor of fish in each treatment. Turbidity had the greatest effect on juvenile delta smelt and resulted in reduced cortisol, increased glucose and lactate, and greater condition factor. Elevated temperatures reduced available energy in delta smelt, indicated by lower glucose and total protein, whereas predator cue exposure had negligible effects on their stress response. This is the first study to show reduced cortisol in juvenile delta smelt held in turbid conditions and adds to the growing data that suggest this species performs best in moderate temperatures and turbidities. Multistressor experiments are necessary to understand the capacity of delta smelt to respond to the multivariate and dynamic changes in their natural environment, and results from this study should be considered for management-based conservation efforts.

Salinity Changes the Dynamics of Pyrethroid Toxicity in Terms of Behavioral Effects on Newly Hatched Delta Smelt Larvae.

Salinity can interact with organic compounds and modulate their toxicity. Studies have shown that the fraction of pyrethroid insecticides in the aqueous phase increases with increasing salinity, potentially increasing the risk of exposure for aquatic organisms at higher salinities. In the San Francisco Bay Delta (SFBD) estuary, pyrethroid concentrations increase during the rainy season, coinciding with the spawning season of Delta Smelt (Hypomesus transpacificus), an endangered, endemic fish. Furthermore, salinity intrusion in the SFBD is exacerbated by global climate change, which may change the dynamics of pyrethroid toxicity on aquatic animals. Therefore, examining the effect of salinity on the sublethal toxicity of pyrethroids is essential for risk assessments, especially during the early life stages of estuarine fishes. To address this, we investigated behavioral effects of permethrin and bifenthrin at three environmentally relevant concentrations across a salinity gradient (0.5, 2 and 6 PSU) on Delta Smelt yolk-sac larvae. Our results suggest that environmentally relevant concentrations of pyrethroids can perturb Delta Smelt larvae behavior even at the lowest concentrations (<1 ng/L) and that salinity can change the dynamic of pyrethroid toxicity in terms of behavioral effects, especially for bifenthrin, where salinity was positively correlated with anti-thigmotaxis at each concentration.

Queen Recognition Signals in Two Primitively Eusocial Halictid Bees: Evolutionary Conservation and Caste-Specific Perception.

Queen signals are known to regulate reproductive harmony within eusocial colonies by influencing worker behavior and ovarian physiology. However, decades of research have resulted in the identification of just a few queen signals, and studies of their mode of action are rare. Our aim was to identify queen recognition signals in the halictid bee Lasioglossum pauxillum and to analyze caste differences in the olfactory perception of queen signals in L. pauxillum and the closely related species L. malachurum. We performed chemical analyses and bioassays to test for caste differences in chemical profiles and worker behavior influenced by queen-specific compounds in L. pauxillum. Our results indicated that caste differences in the chemical profiles were mainly attributable to higher amounts of macrocyclic lactones in queens. Bioassays demonstrated a higher frequency of subordinate behavior in workers elicited by queen-specific amounts of macrocyclic lactones. Thus, macrocyclic lactones function as queen recognition signals in L. pauxillum, as in L. malachurum. Using electrophysiological analyses, we have demonstrated that queens of both tested species lack antennal reactions to certain macrocyclic lactones. Therefore, we assume that this is a mechanism to prevent reproductive self-inhibition in queens. Our results should stimulate debate on the conservation and mode of action of queen signals.