Abstract:
The primary goal of this project is to determine the degree to which infertility observed in the bonnethead shark in the Tampa Bay/Anclote River area of Florida is caused by disruption of the shark's endocrine system. There is a discussion of the mechanism of disruption. Also, the project seeks to determine if this infertility is correlated with organochlorine levels in the shark's serum and/or liver. Finally, the research activities will include an estimation of the effects that the infertility rates, as well as other possible effects of the contaminants, observed in three different geographical areas, may have on the rate of population growth of the species in the different areas. Activities include sample collection and analysis and data analysis.
