Research indicates that gifted learners have a heightened sense of responsibility to use the knowledge they acquire in the classroom in a purposeful way. Realizing this fact, art service learning experiences were designed to offer gifted middle school artists opportunities to use their knowledge and skills beyond the classroom setting in an attempt to experience real-world situations and to share their artworks in ways that benefit their community. Students participated in 2 community-directed projects in an effort to educate, inspire, and help others. Art products include decorative benches created as a traveling exhibit for environmental awareness and note cards rendered from student paintings that support the rejuvenation of the Elizabeth River.

<p>Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are important contaminants that are found in increasing amounts in aquatic ecosystems. One of the sites that that is contaminated by extremely high levels of PAHs is the Atlantic Wood Industries Superfund Site on the Elizabeth River, VA. The Atlantic killifish (<italic>Fundulus heteroclitus</italic>) from this site exhibit increased levels of antioxidants, increased sensitivity to hypoxia, and increased expression of enzymes involved in glycolytic metabolism, suggesting that exposure to PAHs in the environment may induce changes in mitochondrial function and energy metabolism. Normal mitochondrial activity is crucial to an organism's survival. Therefore, gaining a better understanding of how mitochondria are affected by environmental contaminants such as PAHs is a pressing research objective. As a first step in understanding changes in cellular bioenergetics of aquatic organisms in response to PAHs, this research focused on the effect of benzo[a]pyrene (BaP), a representative PAH, on mitochondria the killifish model and on comparison of the mitochondria of the PAH-adapted killifish from the Elizabeth River Superfund Site to reference site fish. In order to assess the extent of mitochondrial DNA damage in the killifish, a PCR-based assay (LA-QPCR) for nuclear and mitochondrial DNA (nDNA, mtDNA) damage was adapted to this model and validated in with UV exposure and BaP exposure studies, as well as with <italic>ex situ</italic> study examining DNA damage in killifish inhabiting the Elizabeth River Superfund site. With the newly adapted LA-QPCR, mtDNA and nDNA damage in the killifish from the Elizabeth River Superfund site and from a reference site (King's Creek, VA) that were treated with BaP were examined. Similar increases in mitochondrial and nuclear DNA damage were observed in King's Creek fish treated with BaP. Killifish from the Elizabeth River showed high levels of basal nDNA and mtDNA damage compared to fish from the reference site, but the level of damage induced due to BaP treatment was much lower in Elizabeth River killifish. Laboratory-reared offspring from both populations showed increased BaP-induced damage in mtDNA, relative to nDNA. Similar to the adult experiment, the Elizabeth River larvae had higher levels of basal DNA damage than those from the reference site, but were less impacted by BaP exposure. Results suggest that BaP exposure can have important energetic consequences and that multi-generational exposure in the wild may lead to adaptation that dampens DNA damage arising from BaP exposure. Since the toxic effects of many PAHs are the result of bioactivation by cytochrome P4501A (CYP1A), the existence of enzymes that can potentially metabolize PAHs in mitochondria was verified. Using Western blot, protein similar in size to microsomal CYP1A was identified with monoclonal antibody against scup CYP1A in the mitochondrial fraction from adult male killifish livers. The size of the protein in the mitochondria was the similar to that of microsomal CYP1A. Fish dosed with BaP had increased EROD activity in the liver mitochondrial fraction compared to controls. In killifish larvae dosed with BaP and benzo[k]fluoranthene (BkF), CYP1A protein levels as well as enzyme activity were elevated. However, fish from the Elizabeth River Superfund site showed recalcitrant mitochondrial CYP1A protein levels and enzyme activity in a similar manner to microsomal CYP1A. Finally, the hypothesis that energy metabolism of BaP-treated fish may be different from the control group and that killifish from the Elizabeth River Superfund site may also have altered energy metabolism compared to reference site fish was tested. Respiration of killifish embryos treated with BaP from both populations was measured. Compared to the King's Creek control fish, all other treatment groups showed decrease in oxygen consumption, indicating lower respiration rate. However, when activities of key enzymes involved in glycolysis (PK) and anaerobic metabolism (LDH) in adult killifish liver and muscle were measured, no differences in the enzyme activities were observed in BaP-treated group compared to the control group. Moreover, metabolomic analysis on BaP treated King's Creek and Elizabeth River killifish showed no difference in the profile in all four treatment groups. The findings in this thesis contribute to the understanding of how BaP, a common environmental pollutant in the aquatic ecosystem, targets the mitochondria in fish model. Nevertheless, deeper examination of how BaP may impact mitochondrial function in killifish and potentially influence adaptation of killifish at a highly contaminated site is necessary. Further studies will elucidate whether such impacts can potentially affect the energy budget and organism level fitness in populations in the wild.</p> / Dissertation

The influence of environmental contaminants on the muskrat population inhabiting the contaminated lower region of the Elizabeth River was studied through an analysis of contaminant burdens, physiological characteristics, and population dynamics in comparison to those of muskrat populations from a less contaminated region of the Elizabeth River (upper region) and a nearby uncontaminated river (Nansemond River). A total of 76 muskrats was collected for contaminant analysis during December 1986 - January 1987 and December 1987 - February 1988. Twenty-two of 35 carcasses analyzed for polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) had detectable levels of from 1 to 6 PAH compounds. Only three muskrats from the lower region and one from the upper region of the Elizabeth River had PAH concentrations greater than 0.03 ppm dry wt (lower limit of detection). Liver DNA adduct levels were not significantly different between muskrats collected from the lower region of the Elizabeth River and muskrats collected from the Nansemond River. However, liver microsomal enzyme activity was greater in lower region Elizabeth River muskrats than in upper region Elizabeth River or Nansemond River muskrats, as indicated by significantly reduced pentobarbital sleeping times. The mean concentration of 14 PAH compounds detected in surface sediments from the lower region of the Elizabeth River (N = 10) was significantly greater than the mean concentration detected in surface sediments collected from the upper region of the Elizabeth River (N = 5) or Nansemond River (N = 5). Of 22 organochlorine compounds analyzed in 35 muskrat carcasses, dieldrin was detected in one carcass (0.25 ppm) from the lower region of the Elizabeth River, polychlorinated biphenyls were detected in two carcasses (0.66 ppm and 0.45 ppm) from the upper region of the Elizabeth River, and p,p′-DDE was detected in two carcasses (0.03 ppm each) from the upper region of the Elizabeth River and one carcass (0.03 ppm) from the Nansemond River. p,p′-DDE was detected in 5 of 10 sediment samples from the lower region and 2 of 5 sediment samples from the upper region of the Elizabeth River. p,p′-DDD was detected in 3 of 10 sediment samples from the lower region of the Elizabeth River. Twenty-seven of 33 metals analyzed were detected in muskrat kidneys and 9 of these were significantly different among the three study regions. Mean aluminum (13.19 ppm), cadmium (3.08 ppm), copper (12.85 ppm), nickel (0.50 ppm), and zinc (88.38 ppm) concentrations were greatest in lower region Elizabeth River muskrat kidneys. Mean cadmium (1.07 ppm), chromium (43.4 ppm), lead (104 ppm), tungsten (38.1 ppm), and mercury (0.50 ppm) concentrations were significantly greater in lower Elizabeth River sediment samples. Density estimates based on shore length for the lower and upper regions of the Elizabeth River were 0.86 muskrats/IOO m of shore and 1.1 muskrats/lOO m of shore, respectively in 1987. Seventy-five female muskrats had a total of 637 placental scars (x̅ = 8.49) ranging from 1 - 20. The number of placental scars per female did not differ significantly among regions. Twelve pregnant muskrats had a total of 54 fetuses (x̅ = 4.5, range = 3 - 6). Average number of litters per year was estimated to be 1.89 with births occurring primarily from April - May and in September. Results indicated that the environmental contaminants found in the lower region of the Elizabeth River have minimal influence on the muskrats from this region. Body and spleen weights were reduced but reproduction was not affected, and the muskrat density in this region appears to be stable and similar to the density in a less contaminated area. Immunological function may be depressed. / Ph. D.