As environmental stressors continue to amplify, Lucania parva, or Rainwater Killifish, are expected to outlast other species in unpredictably fast changing environments, as they are unique in their ability to tolerate multiple salinities. The objective of this research is to understand what affects L. parva’s ability to tolerate salinity and discover the limitations the species might have to tolerating it. Understanding this fish’s biology will help with the conservation of aquatic ecosystems in Florida. Preliminary data and early trends suggest that during early larval stages, L. parva are plastic but the extent of their plasticity is limited as they cannot survive as well in extreme salinities

Cortez, Kaitlyn

Fuller, Becky

McDaniel, Lauren

English

SPARK: Scholarship at Parkland | Parkland College

What you
should know
about me…
Ø The Rainwater Killifish has populations in Florida located 
in both fresh water (2 parts per thousand) and salt water 
(30 ppt)[2].
Ø Killifish are unique due to their ability to tolerate multiple 
salinities (euryhalinity)[3]. 
Ø Killifish commonly face unpredictable and fast-changing 
salinity levels. Hurricanes and droughts can increase 
salinity levels in bodies of water while floods can cause 
salinity to decrease[2].
Ø Killifish possess the anatomy that allows them to change 
salinity environments instantly and survive[1]. 
Why is this important to you?
1. As environmental stressors continue to amplify, Killifish 
are expected to outlast other species in unpredictably fast 
changing environments. 
2. Data collected will allow us to analyze and compare other 
species to L. parva and predict how they will be affected 
by a changing environment. 
3. Understanding this fish’s biology will help with the 
conservation of aquatic ecosystems in Florida.
Kaitlyn Cortez,1 Lauren McDaniel,2 and Becky Fuller2
Bakersfield College, Bakersfield, California1
Department of Animal Biology, College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign2
How we studied the Rainwater Killifish 
Fish were collected from a freshwater population and a 
saltwater population from the same river drainage system 
in North Florida.
Male and female pairs from the same
population were placed in 30 gallon tanks
of either 2 ppt or 30 ppt to breed. 
Eggs were collected from mops in tanks then 
placed in a randomized salinity of soft fresh 
water, hard fresh water, 30 ppt, or 60 ppt.
Eggs were checked 3-4x/week
and their survival was recorded. 
Survival was recorded until the 
offspring reached one month of age.
Results from offspring survival trials
Early results revealed a consistent amount of larval 
deaths across all treatments. There were also
considerable amounts of larvae that survived the entirety 
of the thirty day trial across all treatments. Once the larvae 
that were placed in the 60 ppt treatment reached the end 
of their trial, the mortality rate increased more than that of 
the larvae placed in other treatments.
The two population’s response was significantly 
different to treatment one (P=0.017). The other three 
treatments act as preliminary support for the idea that the 
larvae’s responses are plastic, though this still does not 
rule out the possibility of local adaptation. Increasing 
sample sizes will increase the power to detect local 
adaptation.
Predictions vs. Results
We expected to find that populations of L. parva are 
locally adapted as a function of salinity; meaning that 
offspring placed in the same salinity as that of their 
parent’s natural habitat are expected to have increased 
survival.
Preliminary data and early trends suggest that during 
early larval stages, L. parva are plastic but the extent of 
their plasticity is limited as they cannot survive as well in 
extreme salinities. 
L. parva egg under microscope, 
mid-development.
Drainages where fish 
populations were 
collected.
Plasticity or local adaptation?: Survival of L. parva larvae in varying salinity
Acknowledgments
Financial support was provided by the National Science 
Foundation under grant #NSF REU 1559908/1559929, as 
part of the Phenotypic Plasticity Research Experience for 
Community College Students, through the University of Illinois 
at Urbana-Champaign Institute for Genomic Biology and 
Parkland College. http://precs.igb.illinois.edu/
Acknowledgements to the research mentor Lauren McDaniel, 
research faculty Dr. Becky Fuller, and PIs Dr. Nathan 
Schroeder and Dr. C. Britt Carlson, along with technical and 
support staff at the Institute for Genomic Biology.
References
[1] Evans, DH, PM Piermarini, KP Choe. 2005. The 
multifunctional fish gill: Dominant site of gas 
exchange, osmoregulation, acid-base regulation, and 
excretion of nitrogenous waste. Physiological Reviews 
85:97-177.
[2] Fuller, RC, KE Mcghee, M Schrader. 2007. Speciation 
in killifish and the role of salt tolerance. Journal of 
Evolutionary Biology 20:1962-1975.
[3] Kozak, GM, RS. Brennan, EL Berdan, RC Fuller, and 
A Whitehead. 2014. Functional and population 
genomic divergence within and between two species 
of killifish adapted to different osmotic niches. 
Evolution 68:63-80.
Objective
Understand what affects Lucania parva’s ability to tolerate 
salinity and find the limitations the species may have to 
tolerating it.
F
M
A Rainwater Killifish.
Usually around 22-38 mm in length.
Future work
The sample size will be increased as fish continue to 
mate and yield more offspring.
Further research will be done to find the maternal effects 
on offspring and its implications on the data above.
More definitive data will be obtained to decide if 
phenotypic plasticity or local adaptation contribute to 
survival rates.
Over-winter survival of select offspring will be measured.
Tassell and Robertson (2015) 
Mapsoftheworld.com 


Plasticity or local adaptation?: Survival of L. parva larvae in varying salinity

Scholarship at Parkland

What youshould knowabout me…Ø The Rainwater Killifish has populations in Florida located in both fresh water (2 parts per thousand) and salt water (30 ppt)[2].Ø Killifish are unique due to their ability to tolerate multiple salinities (euryhalinity)[3]. Ø Killifish commonly face unpredictable and fast-changing salinity levels. Hurricanes and droughts can increase salinity levels in bodies of water while floods can cause salinity to decrease[2].Ø Killifish possess the anatomy that allows them to change salinity environments instantly and survive[1]. Why is this important to you?1. As environmental stressors continue to amplify, Killifish are expected to outlast other species in unpredictably fast changing environments. 2. Data collected will allow us to analyze and compare other species to L. parva and predict how they will be affected by a changing environment. 3. Understanding this fish’s biology will help with the conservation of aquatic ecosystems in Florida.Kaitlyn Cortez,1 Lauren McDaniel,2 and Becky Fuller2Bakersfield College, Bakersfield, California1Department of Animal Biology, College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign2How we studied the Rainwater Killifish Fish were collected from a freshwater population and a saltwater population from the same river drainage system in North Florida.Male and female pairs from the samepopulation were placed in 30 gallon tanksof either 2 ppt or 30 ppt to breed. Eggs were collected from mops in tanks then placed in a randomized salinity of soft fresh water, hard fresh water, 30 ppt, or 60 ppt.Eggs were checked 3-4x/weekand their survival was recorded. Survival was recorded until the offspring reached one month of age.Results from offspring survival trialsEarly results revealed a consistent amount of larval deaths across all treatments. There were alsoconsiderable amounts of larvae that survived the entirety of the thirty day trial across all treatments. Once the larvae that were placed in the 60 ppt treatment reached the end of their trial, the mortality rate increased more than that of the larvae placed in other treatments.The two population’s response was significantly different to treatment one (P=0.017). The other three treatments act as preliminary support for the idea that the larvae’s responses are plastic, though this still does not rule out the possibility of local adaptation. Increasing sample sizes will increase the power to detect local adaptation.Predictions vs. ResultsWe expected to find that populations of L. parva are locally adapted as a function of salinity; meaning that offspring placed in the same salinity as that of their parent’s natural habitat are expected to have increased survival.Preliminary data and early trends suggest that during early larval stages, L. parva are plastic but the extent of their plasticity is limited as they cannot survive as well in extreme salinities. L. parva egg under microscope, mid-development.Drainages where fish populations were collected.Plasticity or local adaptation?: Survival of L. parva larvae in varying salinityAcknowledgmentsFinancial support was provided by the National Science Foundation under grant #NSF REU 1559908/1559929, as part of the Phenotypic Plasticity Research Experience for Community College Students, through the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Institute for Genomic Biology and Parkland College. http://precs.igb.illinois.edu/Acknowledgements to the research mentor Lauren McDaniel, research faculty Dr. Becky Fuller, and PIs Dr. Nathan Schroeder and Dr. C. Britt Carlson, along with technical and support staff at the Institute for Genomic Biology.References[1] Evans, DH, PM Piermarini, KP Choe. 2005. The multifunctional fish gill: Dominant site of gas exchange, osmoregulation, acid-base regulation, and excretion of nitrogenous waste. Physiological Reviews 85:97-177.[2] Fuller, RC, KE Mcghee, M Schrader. 2007. Speciation in killifish and the role of salt tolerance. Journal of Evolutionary Biology 20:1962-1975.[3] Kozak, GM, RS. Brennan, EL Berdan, RC Fuller, and A Whitehead. 2014. Functional and population genomic divergence within and between two species of killifish adapted to different osmotic niches. Evolution 68:63-80.ObjectiveUnderstand what affects Lucania parva’s ability to tolerate salinity and find the limitations the species may have to tolerating it.FMA Rainwater Killifish.Usually around 22-38 mm in length.Future workThe sample size will be increased as fish continue to mate and yield more offspring.Further research will be done to find the maternal effects on offspring and its implications on the data above.More definitive data will be obtained to decide if phenotypic plasticity or local adaptation contribute to survival rates.Over-winter survival of select offspring will be measured.Tassell and Robertson (2015) Mapsoftheworld.com 

https://spark.parkland.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1035&context=precs_student

Plasticity or local adaptation?: Survival of L. parva larvae in varying salinity

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