Upcoming in Rocheport, Mo.
Intersex Sturgeon on the Missouri River?
The effects of emerging contaminants on a big river
Shovelnose Sturgeon, on the left, and the larger, endangered Pallid Sturgeon on the right. courtesy of USGS.
Presentation by – Diana Papoulias, PhD, Research Fish Biologist – US Geological Survey Columbia Environmental Research Center
Come early to purchase a great dinner upstairs at the Bistro!
In 2000, research fish biologist Diana Papoulias began documenting an uptick in previously rare cases of intersex shovelnose sturgeon. These Missouri River fish were developing both male and female reproductive organs.
Those fish were shovelnose sturgeon, which are considered a valid experimental surrogate for the federally endangered pallid sturgeon. Diana’s discovery began more than a decade of research into this phenomena, focusing on finding the chemical and environmental causes that are present in Missouri River water that might be effecting the reproduction of the pallid.
This research has been ongoing during a period when a lot of research into “emerging contaminants” in our water supply has shown disturbing effects of phyto-estrogen compounds and other endocrine disrupting chemicals.
This dissection of an intersex sturgeon shows both male and female reproductive tissue. photo courtesy of Diana Papoulias, USGS.
Diane will describe the reproductive effects they’ve documented in fish, what is known about the chemical contaminants in the Missouri River, and the pathways for how these chemicals are causing such dramatic changes in fish.
Diana Papoulias, PhD, is a Research Fish Biologist at the USGS Columbia Environmental Research Center. The primary focus of her study is to investigate factors that disrupt normal developmental and reproductive processes in fishes.
Directions
- Take I-70 to the Rocheport, MO, exit (Exit #115). It’s the first exit east of the Missouri River.
- Head north toward Rocheport.
- After about a mile, turn left at the sign for Les Bourgeois Bistro. Follow the signs to the Bistro. You will probably need to park in the lot above the Bistro and walk the trail down.
- The presentations are held in the lower level. You can either enter at the restaurant entrance then go down the stairs to your left past the bar, or you can follow the walk to the right of the restaurant and enter through a glass door into the lower level.
- 14020 W. Hwy BB, Rocheport, MO (click for Google Map)
Directions
- 14020 W. Hwy BB, Rocheport, MO
- Take I-70 to the Rocheport, MO, exit (Exit #115). It’s the first exit east of the Missouri River.
- Head north toward Rocheport.
- After about a mile, turn left at the sign for Les Bourgeois Bistro. Follow the signs to the Bistro. You will probably need to park in the lot above the Bistro and walk the trail down.
- The presentations are held in upstairs in the restaurant. The restaurant is no longer open on Tuesdays but the bar is! You are welcome to bring your own food or snacks.
Resources and Links
- Diana Papoulias, PhD, USGS – staff bio
- “Columbia Researchers Study Intersex Sturgeon in Missouri River” – by Katy Bergen, Columbia Missourian, Dec. 6, 2010
- “Feminized Fish: A Side Effect of Emerging Contaminants” (audio – Sept. 6, 2012, KAOW)
- FAQs on endocrine disrupting chemicals (EnToxNet)
- “Emerging Contaminants in the Environment” (USGS) – a wealth of links to articles and studies.
- “Endocrine Disruption” (USGS) – links to articles and studies.
- “Estrogen in Waterways Worse than Thought” (by Allison Winter, Scientific American – June 4, 2009)
