Abstract
Coastal systems are ecologically important environments due to their diversity and productivity, but they can also serve as sinks for pollutants transported via runoff and atmospheric deposition. Grass shrimp, of the genus Palaemonetes, are a common inhabitant of East and Gulf coast estuaries of the United States and are proposed in this paper as a bioindicator of human impacts on estuarine systems. Using grass shrimp as such would involve their entire life cycle and consist of biomonitoring studies, in situ and laboratory toxicity tests, and development of biomarkers of exposure. The current interest in developing ecological indicators has put a renewed relevance on grass shrimp research. This paper reviews ecologically based studies, toxicity testing, and sublethal assessments in grass shrimp and shows how they have laid the groundwork for this genus to be an indicator species. It is concluded that correlating traditional grass shrimp assays with ecological monitoring and biomarkers of exposure is a goal that will have to be met if environmental managers are to make informed decisions on the use of this crustacean as a model species.
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Acknowledgments
This paper was developed in part from the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, National Ocean Service, National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science and Office of Response and Restoration workshop “The Use of Grass Shrimp as an Indicator of Injury to Estuarine Ecosystems,” Charleston, SC, 21–22 May 2003. The National Ocean Service (NOS) does not approve, recommend, or endorse any proprietary product or material mentioned in this publication. No reference shall be made to NOS, or to this publication furnished by NOS, in any advertising or sales promotion, which would indicate or imply that NOS approves, recommends, or endorses any proprietary product or proprietary material mentioned herein or which has as its purpose any intent to cause directly or indirectly the advertised product to be used or purchased because of NOS publication.
Notes
This article not subject to United States copyright law.
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