Journal of Environmental Biology

Effect of metals  on Daphnia magna and cladocerans representatives of the Argentinean Fluvial Littoral

 

Regaldo Luciana¹*, Reno Ulises¹, Gervasio Susana², Troiani Horacio³ and Gagneten Ana María¹

¹Laboratorio de Ecotoxicología. Departamento de Ciencias Naturales. Facultad de Humanidades y Ciencias

Universidad Nacional del Litoral. Ciudad Universitaria. CP 3000. Santa Fe. Argentina

²INTEC-CONICET. Parque Tecnológico Litoral Centro. Ruta Nac. 168 - Km 3,5. CP 3000. Santa Fe. Argentina

³Centro Atómico Bariloche. Comisión Nacional de Energía Atómica Avenida Bustillo Km 9.5. CP 8400

San Carlos de Bariloche. Río Negro. Argentina

*Corresponding Author E-mail: lregaldo@fhuc.unl.edu.ar

 

 

 

Publication Data

Paper received:

25 May 2013

 

Revised received:

10 October 2013

 

Accepted:

30 October 2013

 

 

Abstract

Chronic toxicity tests were conducted to assess the effect of Cu, Cr and Pb on Moinodaphnia macleayi and Ceriodaphnia dubia -two cladoceran species from the Argentinian Fluvial Littoral Zone (AFLZ)- and Daphnia magna -an holarctic species-. The specimens were exposed to three concentrations of each metal. As endpoints, the number of living and dead organisms, molts, neonates released, and the age of first reproduction were recorded. Chronic assays showed that Cu significantly affected the analyzed life history traits in the three species. The lowest Pb and Cr concentrations did not affect survival, molting or fecundity in D. magna. Conversely, in M. macleayi and C. dubia, survival, molting and fecundity showed highly significant differences in all the concentrations tested compared to control assay. The present study stresses the importance of using biological parameters as bioindicators, as well as the study species from the Southern Hemisphere to assess metal pollution.  

 

 Key words

Bioindicators, Ceriodaphnia dubia, Daphnia magna, Moinodaphnia macleayi, Metal pollution

 

 

Copyright © 2014 Triveni Enterprises. All rights reserved. No part of the Journal can be reproduced in any form without prior permission. Responsibility regarding the authenticity of the data, and the acceptability of the conclusions enforced or derived, rest completely with the author(s).