Low oxygen in coastal waters impairs fish re...( PORT ARANSAS TexasLow oxygen levels ...)

PORT ARANSAS, TexasLow oxygen levels in coastal waters interfere with fish reproduction by disrupting the fishes hormones, a marine scientist from The University of Texas at Austin Marine Science Institute has found.

Incidents of seasonal low levels of oxygen, known as hypoxia, have increased dramatically in coastal waters throughout the world over the past few decades, largely as a result of increased run-off from human agricultural and industrial activities. Hypoxias long-term impact on marine animal populations is unknown.

Dr. Peter Thomas found that both male and female fish collected from seasonally hypoxic waters in Floridas Pensacola Bay estuaries had little ovarian and testicular growth, low egg and sperm production, and low levels of reproductive hormones during a time a year when they would normally be increasing in preparation for reproduction.

This study provides the first clear evidence that a wild population of estuarine fish has experienced reproductive impairment through hypoxia, said Thomas, professor of marine science. We rarely find such a dramatic reproductive impairment in both male and female fish collected from degraded environments, such as those contaminated with pollutants.

Thomas research was published online this week in Proceedings of the Royal Society B.

Laboratory studies showed that hypoxia caused endocrine disruption through decreasing levels in the brain of a chemical important for brain function called serotonin. The decrease in serotonin was caused by a decrease in an enzyme that plays a role in the serotonin synthesis pathway.

Atlantic croaker is one of the most common inshore fish species along the coasts of the southeastern Atlantic Ocean and Gulf of Mexico, and Thomas said that the croaker is representative of many inshore fish.

This study suggests that when persistent coastal hypoxia occurs, there is a potential long-term threat to fish populations and fish
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