ABSTRACT
Environmental factors such as soil, water, air, plants, and animals; forces such as wind, tides, and gravity; conditions such as light, temperature, pollution, and humidity; and processes such as photosynthesis, mineral cycling, and decomposition constitute a complex natural ecosystem. Treatments and modifications of the natural environment of upstream areas may be factors that significantly affect estuarine organisms. Effects of several 2,4-dichlorophenoxy acetic acid (2,4-D) formulations on selected estuarine organisms were studied in acute toxicity tests. Mosquito fish and sheepshead minnows were exposed to untreated water and water containing various concentrations of the butoxyethanol ester of 2,4-D. Effects of 2,4-D on growth were studied by growing the algae in artificial sea water supplemented with vitamins and trace elements in optically matched tubes. Untreated cultures in the logarithmic growth phase were centrifuged and resuspended in growth medium containing 2,4-D.
