Worldwide amphibian declines have been a concern for biologists for the past several decades. The causes of such declines may include habitat loss, invasive species, pathogens, and man-made chemicals. Agricultural herbicides, in particular, are known to interfere with reproduction in amphibians and are likely contributing to population declines. We tested the effects of the herbicide atrazine on developing spotted salamanders (Ambystoma maculatum) and their symbiotic green alga Oophila amblystomatis. We exposed spotted salamander egg masses to atrazine at concentrations of 0 microg/L (control), 50, 100, 200, and 400 microg/L. Algae were eliminated in all atrazine treatments. Hatching success was significantly lower for atrazine-treated egg masses than for the controls, and was inversely related to atrazine concentration. The highest developmental stage reached by the embryos was significantly lower in the atrazine treatments than in the controls, and was inversely related to atrazine concentration. These results indicate that atrazine exposure affected spotted salamanders both directly by causing pathologies and mortality in embryos and indirectly by eliminating their symbiotic alga.

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multiple lines of evidence for impaired reproductive and endocrine function in western mosquitofish due to OWCs and EDCs from the Santa Ana River can be used to identify potential problems for the Santa Ana sucker inhabiting the same and nearby sites.

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Pomacea maculata (formerly P. insularum), an apple snail native to South America, was discovered in Louisiana in 2008. These snails strip vegetation, reproduce at tremendous rates, and have reduced rice production and caused ecosystem changes in Asia. In this pilot study snails were exposed to two molluscicides, a tea (Camellia sinensis) seed derivative (TSD) or niclosamide monohydrate (Pestanal(®), 2',5-dichloro-4'-nitrosalicylanilide, CAS #73360-56-2). Mortality was recorded after exposure to high or low concentrations (0.03 and 0.015 g/L for TSD, 1.3 and 0.13 mg/L for niclosamide). The TSD induced 100 % mortality at both concentrations. Niclosamide caused 100 % and 17 % mortality at high and low concentrations respectively. These molluscicides were also tested on potential biocontrol agents, the red swamp crayfish (Procambarus clarkii) and redear sunfish (Lepomis microlophus). No crayfish mortalities occurred at either concentration for either chemical, but sunfish experienced 100 % mortality with TSD (0.03 g/L), and 21 % mortality with niclosamide (0.13 mg/L).

The diversion of freshwater from the Mississippi River is intended to mitigate saltwater intrusion from the Gulf of Mexico and to lessen the concomitant loss of wetland areas. Though effective, freshwater diversion can affect wildlife and habitat; therefore, prediversion and postdiversion data collections are necessary to identify effects. The Davis Pond freshwater diversion area is located between the Mississippi River and Bayou Lafourche and extends to Barataria Bay Basin, Louisiana. Results and interpretations from the prediversion biomonitoring done in 2001-which included data on fish, eagles, and bivalves-are presented in the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Scientific Investigations Report 2008-5067, "Davis Pond Freshwater Prediversion Biomonitoring Study: Freshwater Fisheries and Eagles." The postdiversion data generated approximately 6 years later from the sampling of fish whole bodies are presented here in this USGS Data Series. An accompanying log of postdiversion study site photographs was also produced in USGS Data Series 605, "Photographic Images Captured While Sampling for Bald Eagles near the Davis Pond Freshwater Diversion Structure in Barataria Bay, Louisiana (2009-10).