Laina Lockett

Participant: PROMISE AGEP Research Symposium

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Laina Lockett
Department: Environmental Science Department
Institution: Towson University

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ABSTRACT

Toxicological impacts of the fungicide pyraclostrobin on the model organism Daphnia magna

Eco-toxicological studies are used to determine the lethal and sub-lethal impacts of manufactured chemicals on ecologically relevant organisms. The results obtained from these studies are then used to support environmental regulations. In this study, we determined the impacts of pyraclostrobin on Daphnia magna, a parthenogenetic, freshwater Pyraclostrobin is a strobilurin fungicide used nationally to combat 19 different fungal diseases that impact a variety of crops. Acute (96 hour) and chronic (21 day) studies were conducted following the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) standardized protocols and including environmentally relevant concentrations of pyraclostrobin. Results show that with increasing concentrations pyraclostrobin caused substantial mortality in parental generations. Data collect in addition to the OECD protocol showed that there was also F1 mortality in the higher concentration treatment groups. Additionally, pyraclostrobin caused significant decreases in final adult sizes compared to the controls. This study showed that even at relatively low concentrations, pyraclostrobin could impact freshwater ecological systems by negatively affecting invertebrates. Additional studies incorporating greater ecological realism would be valuable in further improving our understanding of the potential environmental effects of pyraclostrobin.

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BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH

Laina Lockett is an active member at Community Christian Church in White Marsh, MD. She plays the piano for their church band and participates in a small group there as well. She also enjoys watching and participating in musical theatre productions. Her favorite role to date has been Kathy in a production of Company by Stephen Sondheim. Laina also is an advocate of world travel. This past fall she went to London and will be going to Johannesburg this March and Rio de Janeiro in August for the Olympics. When she has time, Laina also serves as a substitute teacher in St. Mary’s county, Maryland where she focuses primarily on teaching STEM classes to middle and high school students.

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GENERAL SUMMARY OF GRADUATE RESEARCH

Laina Lockett is a second year master’s student studying environmental science with a concentration in biological research management. The laboratory she works in studies ecotoxicology and applied ecology using a variety of chemical stressors including NaCl, phosphates and various pesticides on Daphnia magna and two species of snails. Her current research focuses on assessing OECD protocols and how they might be influenced by additional stressors. The three factors that she is focusing on are how pyraclostrobin, temperature (climate change), and intraspecific competition impact the lethal and sub-lethal impacts on Daphnia magna when compared to standard testing procedures.