Physiological and behavioural responses of Gammarus pulex (Crustacea: Amphipoda) exposed to cadmium.
Aquat Toxicol
; 86(3): 413-25, 2008 Feb 18.
Article
in En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-18241939
ABSTRACT
The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of cadmium on physiological and behavioural responses in Gammarus pulex. In a first experiment, cadmium LC50s for different times were evaluated in 264 h experiment under continuous mode of exposure (LC50(96 h)=82.1 microgL(-1), LC50(120 h)=37.1 microgL(-1), LC50(168 h)=21.6 microgL(-1), LC50(264 h)=10.5 microgL(-1)). In a second experiment, the physiological and behavioural responses of the amphipod exposed to cadmium (0, 7.5 and 15 microgL(-1)) were investigated under laboratory conditions. The mortality and the whole body cadmium concentration of organisms exposed to cadmium were significantly higher than in controls. Concerning physiological responses, cadmium exposure exerted a significant decrease on osmolality and haemolymph Ca(2+) concentration, but not on haemolymph Na(+) and Cl(-) concentrations, whereas the Na(+)/K(+)-ATPase activity was significantly increased. Behavioural responses, such as feeding rate, locomotor and ventilatory activities, were significantly reduced in Cd exposed organisms. Mechanism of cadmium action and consequent energetic reallocation in favour of maintenance functions (i.e., osmoregulation) are discussed. The results of this study indicate that osmolality and locomotor activity in G. pulex could be effective ecophysiological/behavioural markers to monitor freshwater ecosystem and to assess the health of organisms.
Full text:
1
Collection:
01-internacional
Database:
MEDLINE
Main subject:
Water Pollutants, Chemical
/
Behavior, Animal
/
Cadmium
/
Amphipoda
Limits:
Animals
Language:
En
Journal:
Aquat Toxicol
Year:
2008
Document type:
Article