Major Goals and Objectives

This study will evaluate the extent to which exposure to environmentally relevant concentrations of a representative SSRI (citalopram) during early development (embryonic and larval stages) impairs learning and cognition and alters innate behaviors in a model species for ecotoxicological research, fathead minnow (Pimephales promelas). Specifically, this study will test the hypothesis that exposure to SSRIs alters the behavior of fish at vulnerable early life stages in ways that reduce fitness (i.e., reduced ability to learn during foraging, impaired risk perception and social behavior).

This research will expand our comprehension of pharmaceutical water pollution in the Great Lakes— specifically behavioral effects on key prey species–which is relevant to the IISG’s focus on healthy coastal ecosystems. Forage fish are primary food sources for many important recreational fish species in the Great Lakes. Individual-level changes in learning, cognition, and perceptions of fear that increase early mortality, can translate into long-term population and community impacts. Furthermore, this work will aid in efforts to address threats like legacy contaminants and emerging pollutants, to mitigate environmental degradation in these crucial waterbodies. The outcomes of this research will allow a more complete understanding of organismal health and fitness in urban-impacted waters and improve ecosystem stability in lake Michigan.