2022 Symposium for Student Research, Scholarship, and Creative Activity

Globally, many amphibian populations are in decline and some populations face the potential of extinction. Previous research supports that localized amphibian population declines may be attributed to chemical contaminant exposure. However, the connection between contaminant exposure and changes in individual or population success may be more difficult to discern in the absence of overt toxicity or mortality. We examined the sublethal influence of exposure to a common contaminant of surface waters on metabolic changes in adult African clawed frogs (Xenopus laevis). Adult male X. laevis were exposed to environmentally relevant concentrations of the commonly used neonicotinoid insecticide, imidacloprid, by immersion for 48 days. Following exposure, we determined plasma glucose, glycerol, and triglycerides from samples collected in baseline and handling-stressed conditions. This ongoing research will contribute to our knowledge of the factors influencing amphibian decline by providing insight into sublethal influences of chemical exposure on amphibian metabolism.