Arsenic, cobalt and chromium food web biodilution in a Patagonia mountain lake.

Mussels, Diplon chilensis, from Lake Moreno, a double-basined mountain lake in southern Argentina, is known to have elevated concentrations of chromium (Cr, > 25 µg g⁻¹ dry weight DW) and arsenic (As, 35 µg g⁻¹ DW), attributed to untreated sewage. To further understand the trophodynamics of Cr, As and cobalt (Co), we investigated concentrations and transfer throughout the food web in each basin of Lake Moreno. Each basin differs in morphology in that the gently-sloping Lake Moreno West has more littoral habitat than deeper Lake Moreno East with its higher proportion of pelagic habitat. Despite the morphological differences, both basins share similar water quality parameters and species assemblages. As a result, Lake Moreno provides an exceptional opportunity to compare trophodynamics of elements that enable us to hypothesize pelagic-littoral habitat coupling in response to lake morphology as the underlying factor influencing both Cr pathway and Co and As trophodynamic modeling. Using stable isotopes of nitrogen (δ¹5N) and carbon (δ¹³C) to characterize metals trophodynamics in each basin, biodilution of As, Cr and Co were indicated by negative regressions. This is confirmed by elevated As, Co and Cr concentrations in phytoplankton (11.3±5.7, 7.4±4.9, 44.5±40.7 µg g⁻¹ DW respectively), while zooplankton and biofilm had the next elevated concentrations. Those elevated concentrations are in contrast with lower concentrations in sport fish such as rainbow trout (0.5±0.5, 0.2±0.3, 1.8±1.2 µg g⁻¹ DW). Higher concentrations of Cr in fish were associated with higher proportion of benthic/littoral prey items in western basin, and were confirmed by significant correlation with δ¹³C values. Arsenic, Co and Cr concentrations in fish, while elevated, do not post health risks to human or wildlife consumers.

Diphyllobothrium dendriticum and Diphyllobothrium latum in fishes from southern Argentina: association, abundance, distribution, pathological effects, and risk of human infection.

Diphyllobothrium dendriticum and Diphyllobothrium latum are reported for the first time from Argentina. The following species from Lake Moreno (southern Argentina) were studied to determine whether plerocercoids were present: 11 brook trout (Salvelinus fontinalis), 32 perca (Percichthys sp.), 21 pejerrey (Patagonina hatcheri), and 114 rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss). Brook trout harbored both species (27.3% prevalence of D. dendriticum and 9.0% of D. latum); perca harbored only D. latum (18.7% prevalence); pejerrey were not infected and rainbow trout also harbored both species, with significant association. Diphyllobothrium latum was less abundant (1.4 plerocercoids/fish, 28.0% prevalence) than D. dendriticum (7.2 plerocercoids/fish, 57.8% prevalence) implying a lower health risk for humans. For both parasites, rainbow trout seem to be more important than the other host species studied. There is no evidence that either of the species is more harmful to the host. The lack of significant weight variation of the liver as related to intensity of infection strongly suggests that competition for energy is not an important aspect of the host pathology.

Trophodynamics and distribution of silver in a Patagonia mountain lake.

Silver (Ag) ions are among the most toxic metallic ions to aquatic biota. In southern Argentina, fish from Patagonian lakes have liver Ag concentrations [Ag] among the highest ever reported globally. Silver concentration in phytoplankton from Lake Moreno (1.82±3.00µgg(-1) dry weight, DW) was found to be significantly higher than [Ag] in zooplankton (0.25±0.13µgg(-1)). Values in snails and decapods (0.60±0.28µgg(-1) and 0.47±0.03µgg(-1) respectively), were higher than in insect larvae (0.28±0.39µgg(-1) for Trichoptera). We examined trophic transfer of Ag in the biota using stable nitrogen and carbon isotopes ratios (δ(15)N and δ(13)C respectively). Silver concentrations in the biota of Lake Moreno were not associated with any particular C source, as assessed by δ(13)C. Hepatic [Ag] significantly increased with trophic position, as measured by δ(15)N, within the brook trout sample set. Biodilution of Ag was observed between primary producers and small forage fish when whole body [Ag] was analyzed. Nevertheless, when considering whole food web biomagnification and hepatic [Ag] of top predator fish, a significant positive regression was found between [Ag] and trophic position, as measured by δ(15)N. The importance of species-specific and tissue-specific considerations to obtain more information on Ag trophodynamics than that usually presented in the literature is shown. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study in assessing Ag trophodynamics and tissue-specific biomagnification in a whole freshwater food web.

Galaxias maculatus (Galaxiidae, Salmoniformes) infectados com Acanthostomoides apophalliformis (Digenea, Platyhelminthes) no Sul da Argentina. Histopatologia e ausência de mortalidade induzida / Galaxias maculatus (Galaxiidae, Salmoniformes) infected with Acanthostomoides apophalliformis (Digenea, Platyhelminthes) in Southern Argentina. Pathology and absence of parasite induced mortality

This study was conducted to analyze at histopathological level, lesions produced by Acanthostomoides apophalliformis in the native fish Galaxias maculatus, and relate them to quantitative results on parasite- induced fish mortality, in Lake Moreno, Southern, Argentina. Absence in most lesions of inflammatory reaction, unaltered hepatic parenchyma at a short distance from the foci of the lesions and viable appearance of parasites, all suggest a good reciprocal adaptation.. This hypothesis is reinforced by data showing the absence of A. apophalliformis induced mortality in the fish population.

Este estudo foi conduzido para analisar ao nível histopatológico, lesões produzidas por Acanthostomoides apophalliformis no peixe nativo Galaxias maculatus, e relacioná-las com os resultados do mortalidade induzida por parasitas na população dessa espécie, no lago Moreno, Parque Nacional Nahuel Huapi, Argentina. A ausência de inflamação na maioria das lesões, o fígado sem alterações em uma distância curta do foco das lesões e a aparência viável dos parasitas, sugerem uma boa relação parasita-hospedeiro. Esta hipótese é reforçada pelos dados que mostram a ausência de mortalidade induzida por A. apophalliformis na população dos peixes.