Homework!

In preparation for some of the synthesis activities on the second and third days, we would like each of the participants to spend 15 minutes before the meeting providing their thoughts on the two topics below. We will then collate those data and use the results to stimulate discussion amongst the group. Please send your thoughts to Ryan Takeshita (ryan.takeshita [at] nmmf.org).

We would also like each of the participants to come to the workshop ready to contribute to a bibliography of the best evidence for the types of physiological effects of oil on their taxa of interest. This need not be exhaustive. Participants are encouraged to share their preliminary findings, works in progress, and negative results; we hope all attendees will respect and embrace an open and collaborative discussion. None of the activities will be recorded or shared beyond the group, until we (the larger group) decide on and develop post-workshop summary documents.

Below, we've included the constellation figure developed for the PDARP. This figure is now out of date, but is a good starting place for looking across taxa and across biological levels of organization. Also, note that the NRDA did not include human toxicology considerations. Participants can use this framework to think about what labels need to be added, which effects have been observed in your taxa of interest, and what specific citations/evidence support those effects.

Please provide at least 3 examples of what you consider the most important and/or most interesting exposure pathways to your taxa/species of interest. For example:

• Surface oil, in the form of volatiles or as small droplets, can be inhaled or aspirated by surfacing cetaceans, and therefore delivered to lung tissues and the bloodstream.
• Weathered oil can coat bird feathers, causing physical injury, but then during preening, can be ingested.
• Early life-stage fish at the ocean surface can become mired in surface oil/sub-surface mixed oil droplets, absorb/adsorb PAH components, then suffer adverse phototoxic effects after subsequent UV exposure.

Please provide at least 3 examples of what you consider the most important and/or most interesting data gaps/limitations in our understanding of oil toxicity for your taxa/species of interest. For example:

• Is the adrenal dysfunction in cetaceans a result of direct oil toxicity on HPA tissue or a result of chronic stress?
• Does oil affect early life-stage turtles differently than adult turtles, and by which physiological mechanisms?
• How can abnormal cardiac development impact oil's effects on other physiological systems?