Elizabeth Kennedy, Iowa State University

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Abstract:

Sediment toxicity is a major area of current research in the Chesapeake Bay region. Much research has focused on the lethal effects of contaminants on benthic organisms. Sub-lethal effects of such contaminants, however, also need to be taken into consideration. To begin to understand the effects of these contaminants on a population of organisms, a long-term, multi-generational model named BAMM, Benthic Amphipod Multi-generational Model, was employed to focus on the sub-lethal effects of sediment contaminants on the amphipod Leptocheirus plumulosus.