Potential Effects of Chemical Contamination on South Florida Bonefish Albula vulpes

Authors

Christine P. Beck, Florida International UniversityFollow

Document Type

Thesis

Degree

Master of Science (MS)

Major/Program

Environmental Studies

First Advisor's Name

Jennifer Rehage

First Advisor's Committee Title

Committee chair

Second Advisor's Name

Henry Briceno

Second Advisor's Committee Title

Committee member

Third Advisor's Name

Piero Gardinali

Third Advisor's Committee Title

Committee member

Keywords

risk assessment, biscayne bay, florida bay, coastal contaminants

Date of Defense

2016

Abstract

An ecological risk assessment was conducted on the risk to fish of chemical contaminants detected in the habitat of Albula vulpes in South Florida, to evaluate whether contaminants may be a driver of declines in the recreational bonefish fishery. All available contaminant detection data from Biscayne Bay, Florida Bay, and the Florida Keys were compared to federal and state guidelines for aquatic health to identify Contaminants of Potential Ecological Concern (COPECS). For these COPECs, species sensitivity distributions were constructed and compared with recent detections at the 90^th centile of exposure. Copper in Biscayne Bay was identified as the highest risk of acute and chronic effects to fish, followed by a risk of chronic effects from both the recently phased-out pesticide endosulfan in Florida Bay, and the pharmaceutical hormone estrone in the Florida Keys.

Identifier

FIDC001245

ORCID

0000-0003-3576-592X

Recommended Citation

Beck, Christine P., "Potential Effects of Chemical Contamination on South Florida Bonefish Albula vulpes" (2016). FIU Electronic Theses and Dissertations. 2980.
https://digitalcommons.fiu.edu/etd/2980