Emma Rogers

Biology and Behavioral Science

I am a Sophomore at BLHS, and I am most interested in behavioral science because of its real-world applications. I am also on the cheer team, as well as being a part of the colorguard and the only baton twirler at BLHS

My post high school goals include: PhD in Biology or Genetics

STEM courses I have taken: Honors Biology, Honors Integrated Math I, and II, and Human Growth and Development. I am currently enrolled in: Honors Chemistry, Honors Integrated Math III and Honors Scientific Research.

Current research overview: I am researching how the herbicide Glyphosate, (also known as Roundup) affects stress responses. I will be using a light-dark plus maze to measure the amount of time spent in light vs dark areas. Since crayfish are burrowing species, they hang out in darkness more than light. When a crayfish is stressed, they hang out in dark areas more than light areas. Using this method, we can see how the glyphosate affects the stress of the crayfish.

I will be using different concentrations of glyphosate to see how they affect the stress responses. I will be using concentrations of 0.06, 0.6, and 6 Mg/L of glyphosate. I will be using sublethal concentrations of 41% glyphosate solution, based on a study from 2019 which looked into acute toxicity of glyphosate to crayfish.

After being isolated for 2 weeks, as seen in a study from 2023, they will be placed in the maze. Crayfish in the control group will explore the whole maze. If the glyphosate effects the stress of the crayfish,They will prefer dark areas to light.

Crayfish are a keystone species in the freshwater environment, and their population and behavior can impact the entire ecosystem. Stress in crayfish can cause a decrease in reproduction, which can impact the ecosystem for years to come.

Sublethal Glyphosate Exposure Reduces Time Spent in Darkness in Crayfish By: Emma Rogers

Abstract

Crayfish are an important keystone freshwater species. As such, any change in their behavior or population has a great impact on ecosystems. However, minimal work has been done to determine how common herbicides affect their behavior. The main objective of this study was to determine if the widely used herbicide, glyphosate, would alter the stress responses of crayfish. Crayfish were placed in a light-dark plus maze, and their time in light vs dark areas was recorded. Statistical analyses revealed that crayfish exposed to glyphosate concentrations of 0.06 and 6 mg/L showed a significant behavioral difference than the control. Findings indicated that even minute amounts of glyphosate significantly impact crayfish behavior. Behavioral effects were not linear and may indicate a potential threshold effect.

Manuscript

Manuscrip-Emma Rogers