Investigating the Role of Environmental Contamination in Teratogenicity Rates of Spotted Salamanders (/Ambystoma maculatum/)
Open Access
- Author:
- Hodgson, Olivia
- Area of Honors:
- Environmental Science
- Degree:
- Bachelor of Science
- Document Type:
- Thesis
- Thesis Supervisors:
- Samuel Anthony Nutile, Thesis Supervisor
Michael David Naber, Thesis Honors Advisor - Keywords:
- amphibians
salamanders
indicator species
habitat quality
environmental science
contamination
organic chemical
pollution
pesticides
habitat stress
teratogen
teratogenicity - Abstract:
- Organic contaminants are anthropogenic chemicals that persist in the environment because they resist degradation through chemical and biological processes. These chemicals can inadvertently affect non-target organisms that live in contaminated soil or water, such as amphibians. If amphibians are exposed to organic chemicals during crucial early life stages, it could lead to teratogenic (i.e., developmental) effects. This study aimed to determine the relationship between contaminants (i.e., herbicides, insecticides, and other organic contaminants) and teratogenic limb malformations in adult spotted salamanders (Ambystoma maculatum) on Penn State Behrend’s campus. Soil and sediment were collected from salamander breeding locations on campus and extracted using 24-hr Tenax extractions. The extracts were analyzed via gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) to identify and quantify the contaminant concentrations within the samples. It was found that four of the six salamander breeding ponds have physical deformities that exceed the 5% threshold for a healthy population, and seventy-four organic contaminants were detected in the soil and sediment at each breeding pond. Like other amphibians, spotted salamanders are an indicator species, which means that the state of the spotted salamander populations on campus reflects the ecosystem. The presence and severity of deformities in the salamander population indicates that these habitats are under stress, with environmental contamination being a likely contributor. As such, this research stands as a case study to better understand the role of organic contaminants in the health of amphibian populations living in suburban areas.