Effects of oil exposure and oil-related compounds on the immune system of the arctic and temperate scallops, chlamysislandica and pecten maximus ...

• Main Author: Lynhannam, Marie Lyn
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: unknown
• Published: University of Plymouth 2010
• Subjects: Arctic
• Online Access: https://dx.doi.org/10.24382/2828; https://pearl.plymouth.ac.uk/handle/10026.1/811

With the current expansion of offshore oil activities in Arctic regions, there is an urgent need to establish the potential effects of oil-related compounds on Arctic organisms. The scallop Chlamys islandica is distributed throughout the sub-Arctic and has been proposed as a sentinel species for this region. In addition, the temperate scallop Pecten maximus occurs in regions of oil activity and, with increasing sea temperatures, the limit of its distribution may extend further into sub-Arctic regions. P. maximus also accumulates contaminants to a greater extent than the current temperate sentinel Mytilus edulis. A hierarchical approach, similar to that adopted to assess vertebrate immune function, was used to determine immunocompetence in the Arctic scallop C. islandica and the temperate scallop P. maximus following exposure to oil and oil-related compounds. The Arctic scallop C. islandica demonstrated a reduced immunocompetence following both dispersed and acute oil exposure. Immunomodulation in the ...