Investigadora: Dra. María I. De Jesús Burgos (Biología)
Descripción: Our long-term goal is to understand the effects of chronic noise exposure on animal behavior and the neural substrates implicated. We use as an experimental model, C. clypeatus, a terrestrial decapod that abounds in the local coastal plain forests and sandy beaches of the littoral zones of Puerto Rico. The project includes two main approaches. The first approach is analyzing the effects of anthropogenic noise on hermit crab behaviors for resources assessment and the defense of predators. The second approach is studying the effects of anthropogenic noise on potential neural substrates using molecular techniques such as enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), western blots, and immunohistochemistry. This study will provide a better understanding of the effects of noise contamination on the organisms.