Dr. Nathaniel Scholz
Supervisory Team Leader
Team Staff Directory
Projects
The impacts of dissolved copper on olfactory function in juvenile coho salmon
Sublethal effects of carbaryl on seawater-phase coastal cutthroat trout
Acute die-offs of adult coho salmon returning to spawn in restored urban streams
Rapid phenotypic screens for developmental toxicity using the zebrafish model
Cardiovascular defects in fish embryos exposed to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons
Mechanosensory impacts of non-point source pollutants in fish
Developmental consequences of marine biotoxin exposure in fish embryos and larvae
Mechanisms of olfactory imprinting in salmon
Research Publications
• By year
• By document type
|
|
 | Fish Neurobiology and Development |
 |
River systems and estuaries in the Pacific Northwest are often contaminated with a diverse array of environmental pollutants that are potentially toxic to native fish species. These include threatened or endangered populations of Pacific salmon as well as herring, rockfish, and other at-risk marine stocks. Our team investigates the neurotoxicity and developmental toxicity of common contaminants, with an emphasis on biological mechanisms and health impacts that may ultimately reduce the survival or reproductive success of fish under natural exposure conditions. At present, our major focus is on non-point source pollution. This includes stormwater runoff and other common sources of contaminants (e.g., pesticides, metals, and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons) in urbanizing coastal environments and some agricultural watersheds.
The team is taking an interdisciplinary and integrated approach to the problem of pollution and fish health. Our work is conducted in laboratories at the NWFSC, at field stations, and also in local watersheds and coastal embayments. Salmon, herring, and zebrafish are the focus of ongoing investigations, with the latter used primarily as an experimental model for studying specific mechanisms of developmental toxicity in fish. Current laboratory techniques include genetic manipulations of fish embryos, molecular biology, enzyme biochemistry, time-lapse developmental imaging, histology, scanning electron microscopy, confocal and fluorescence imaging, immunohistochemistry, neurophysiology, and three-dimensional digital analyses of fish behavior. We also conduct field investigations to monitor the health and survival of fish in polluted habitats. We work closely with other researchers in the Ecotoxicology and Environmental Fish Health Program, as well as other programs at the NWFSC. In addition, we are collaborating with investigators from regional universities and other federal agencies.
In the broad context of chemical habitat quality, our primary objective is to identify key data gaps, conduct new research, and communicate new scientific information to help NOAA Fisheries manage the conservation and recovery of wild fish species in the Pacific Northwest.
Please direct all inquiries regarding team research to Nathaniel Scholz.
|
