Effects of Underwater Noise Exposure on Early Development in Zebrafish

Anthropogenic noise pollution is a significant global environmental issue that adversely affects the behavior, physiology, and auditory functions of aquatic species. However, studies on the effects of underwater noise on early developmental stages of fish remain scarce, particularly regarding the di...

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Main Authors: Tong Zhou, Yuchi Duan, Ya Li, Wei Yang, Qiliang Chen
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2025-08-01
Series:Animals
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Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/15/15/2310
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author Tong Zhou
Yuchi Duan
Ya Li
Wei Yang
Qiliang Chen
author_facet Tong Zhou
Yuchi Duan
Ya Li
Wei Yang
Qiliang Chen
author_sort Tong Zhou
collection DOAJ
description Anthropogenic noise pollution is a significant global environmental issue that adversely affects the behavior, physiology, and auditory functions of aquatic species. However, studies on the effects of underwater noise on early developmental stages of fish remain scarce, particularly regarding the differential impacts of daytime versus nighttime noise exposure. In this study, zebrafish (<i>Danio rerio</i>) embryos were exposed to control group (no additional noise), daytime noise (100–1000 Hz, 130 dB, from 08:00 to 20:00) or nighttime noise (100–1000 Hz, 130 dB, from 20:00 to 08:00) for 5 days, and their embryonic development and oxidative stress levels were analyzed. Compared to the control group, the results indicated that exposure to both daytime and nighttime noise led to delays in embryo hatching time and a significant decrease in larval heart rate. Notably, exposure to nighttime noise significantly increased the larval deformity rate. Noise exposure, particularly at night, elevated the activities of catalase (CAT) and glutathione peroxidase (GPX), as well as the concentration of malondialdehyde (MDA), accompanied by upregulation of antioxidant-related gene expression levels. Nighttime noise exposure significantly increased the abnormality rate of otolith development in larvae and markedly downregulated the expression levels of <i>otop1</i> related to otolith development regulation, while daytime noise exposure only induced a slight increase in the otolith abnormality rate. After noise exposure, the number of lateral neuromasts in larvae decreased slightly, yet genes (<i>slc17a8</i> and <i>capgb</i>) related to hair cell development were significantly upregulated. Overall, this study demonstrates that both daytime and nighttime noise can induce oxidative stress and impair embryonic development of zebrafish, with nighttime noise causing more severe damage.
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spelling doaj-art-e8440d4084ef4178a9d7e7adb163c6882025-08-20T03:35:57ZengMDPI AGAnimals2076-26152025-08-011515231010.3390/ani15152310Effects of Underwater Noise Exposure on Early Development in ZebrafishTong Zhou0Yuchi Duan1Ya Li2Wei Yang3Qiliang Chen4Chongqing Key Laboratory of Conservation and Utilization of Freshwater Fishes, Animal Biology Key Laboratory of Chongqing Education Commission of China, Chongqing Normal University, Chongqing 401331, ChinaChongqing Key Laboratory of Conservation and Utilization of Freshwater Fishes, Animal Biology Key Laboratory of Chongqing Education Commission of China, Chongqing Normal University, Chongqing 401331, ChinaChongqing Key Laboratory of Conservation and Utilization of Freshwater Fishes, Animal Biology Key Laboratory of Chongqing Education Commission of China, Chongqing Normal University, Chongqing 401331, ChinaNational Engineering Research Center for Inland Waterway Regulation, Chongqing Key Laboratory of Ecological Waterway, Chongqing Jiaotong University, Chongqing 400044, ChinaChongqing Key Laboratory of Conservation and Utilization of Freshwater Fishes, Animal Biology Key Laboratory of Chongqing Education Commission of China, Chongqing Normal University, Chongqing 401331, ChinaAnthropogenic noise pollution is a significant global environmental issue that adversely affects the behavior, physiology, and auditory functions of aquatic species. However, studies on the effects of underwater noise on early developmental stages of fish remain scarce, particularly regarding the differential impacts of daytime versus nighttime noise exposure. In this study, zebrafish (<i>Danio rerio</i>) embryos were exposed to control group (no additional noise), daytime noise (100–1000 Hz, 130 dB, from 08:00 to 20:00) or nighttime noise (100–1000 Hz, 130 dB, from 20:00 to 08:00) for 5 days, and their embryonic development and oxidative stress levels were analyzed. Compared to the control group, the results indicated that exposure to both daytime and nighttime noise led to delays in embryo hatching time and a significant decrease in larval heart rate. Notably, exposure to nighttime noise significantly increased the larval deformity rate. Noise exposure, particularly at night, elevated the activities of catalase (CAT) and glutathione peroxidase (GPX), as well as the concentration of malondialdehyde (MDA), accompanied by upregulation of antioxidant-related gene expression levels. Nighttime noise exposure significantly increased the abnormality rate of otolith development in larvae and markedly downregulated the expression levels of <i>otop1</i> related to otolith development regulation, while daytime noise exposure only induced a slight increase in the otolith abnormality rate. After noise exposure, the number of lateral neuromasts in larvae decreased slightly, yet genes (<i>slc17a8</i> and <i>capgb</i>) related to hair cell development were significantly upregulated. Overall, this study demonstrates that both daytime and nighttime noise can induce oxidative stress and impair embryonic development of zebrafish, with nighttime noise causing more severe damage.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/15/15/2310noise pollutionembryonic developmentoxidative damagezebrafishtemporal patterns
spellingShingle Tong Zhou
Yuchi Duan
Ya Li
Wei Yang
Qiliang Chen
Effects of Underwater Noise Exposure on Early Development in Zebrafish
Animals
noise pollution
embryonic development
oxidative damage
zebrafish
temporal patterns
title Effects of Underwater Noise Exposure on Early Development in Zebrafish
title_full Effects of Underwater Noise Exposure on Early Development in Zebrafish
title_fullStr Effects of Underwater Noise Exposure on Early Development in Zebrafish
title_full_unstemmed Effects of Underwater Noise Exposure on Early Development in Zebrafish
title_short Effects of Underwater Noise Exposure on Early Development in Zebrafish
title_sort effects of underwater noise exposure on early development in zebrafish
topic noise pollution
embryonic development
oxidative damage
zebrafish
temporal patterns
url https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/15/15/2310
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AT yali effectsofunderwaternoiseexposureonearlydevelopmentinzebrafish
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AT qiliangchen effectsofunderwaternoiseexposureonearlydevelopmentinzebrafish