Angie Hoover wants to know how large freshwater pulses and other environmental stressors affect the diet, growth, and condition of larval fishes. “The main motivation behind my work is to do something that betters the planet,” said Angie. “There is a lot of anthropogenic-sourced stress on the Earth, and I want to provide data and information that can help mitigate these issues.”
Researchers from the United States, Australia, and Europe conducted mesocosm experiments to assess how larval reef fishes respond physiologically and cognitively to low crude oil concentrations. The team observed that polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), at levels recorded in industrialized sections of tropical coral reefs worldwide, increased larvae mortality and stunted growth rates.
Emily Chancellor is applying her engineering and computer science background to a field that inspires her – marine science – focusing on how the oil spill may have impacted larval fish populations.