Embryonic Crude Oil Exposure Impairs Growth and Lipid Allocation in a Keystone Arctic Forage Fish

• Published in: iScience Vol. 19; pp. 1101 - 1113
• Main Authors: Laurel, Benjamin J., Copeman, Louise A., Iseri, Paul, Spencer, Mara L., Hutchinson, Greg, Nordtug, Trond, Donald, Carey E., Meier, Sonnich, Allan, Sarah E., Boyd, Daryle T., Ylitalo, Gina M., Cameron, James R., French, Barbara L., Linbo, Tiffany L., Scholz, Nathaniel L., Incardona, John P.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Elsevier Inc 27.09.2019; Elsevier
• Subjects: Biological Sciences; Developmental System Toxicology; Ecology; Environmental Science; Biological Sciences; Ecology; Environmental Science; Developmental System Toxicology
• ISSN: 2589-0042; 2589-0042
• DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2019.08.051

As Arctic ice recedes, future oil spills pose increasing risk to keystone species and the ecosystems they support. We show that Polar cod (Boreogadus saida), an energy-rich forage fish for marine mammals, seabirds, and other fish, are highly sensitive to developmental impacts of crude oil. Transient oil exposures ≥300 μg/L during mid-organogenesis disrupted the normal patterning of the jaw as well as the formation and function of the heart, in a manner expected to be lethal to post-hatch larvae. More importantly, we found that exposure to lower levels of oil caused a dysregulation of lipid metabolism and growth that persisted in morphologically normal juveniles. As lipid content is critical for overwinter survival and recruitment, we anticipate Polar cod losses following Arctic oil spills as a consequence of both near-term and delayed mortality. These losses will likely influence energy flow within Arctic food webs in ways that are as-yet poorly understood. [Display omitted] •Polar cod eggs are buoyant and accumulate crude oil droplets on the chorion•Crude oil disrupts embryonic cardiac function and larval lipid metabolism•Juvenile growth and lipid content are reduced following brief embryonic oil exposure•Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons are toxic to cod in parts per trillion concentrations Environmental Science; Ecology; Biological Sciences; Developmental System Toxicology