Evaluation of genotoxic, physiological and behavioral effects in tadpoles exposed to tebuconazole in mesocosms

• Grant number: 25/02228-6
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: April 01, 2025
• End date: December 31, 2025
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Zoology - Physiology of Recent Groups
• Principal Investigator: Juliane Silberschmidt Freitas
• Grantee: Katieny Ferreira de Souza
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Ciências (FC). Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP). Campus de Bauru. Bauru , SP, Brazil
• Associated research grant: 22/12104-4 - Fate and impacts of microplastics and pesticides in aquatic and terrestrial matrices in agricultural contexts, AP.TEM

Abstract

Agriculture is considered a key sector of the Brazilian economy; however, the high consumption and excessive use of pesticides raise concerns about environmental contamination and impacts on biodiversity. Amphibians are among the most sensitive animals to pesticide contamination, especially during their larval life stages, when they have high skin permeability. Several species of Brazilian anurans have been recorded in open areas of cultivation throughout the country; however, there is still limited knowledge about the toxicity of most agricultural products to this animal group. An effective approach to understanding the effects of pesticide exposure in aquatic systems is by using open ecosystem models, also called mesocosms. These models account for fluctuations in relevant environmental conditions that play a crucial role in the dynamics and structure of communities. This research proposal is part of a broader project coordinated by the supervisor, which aims to understand the effects of exposure to various pesticides commonly used in Brazil on amphibians, using mesocosms as study models and environmentally relevant concentrations. In this research, the effects of the fungicide tebuconazole on Aquarana catesbeiana tadpoles will be evaluated using biochemical (acetylcholinesterase activity), genotoxic (erythrocyte abnormalities), behavioral (antipredation activity), and morphological (growth and development) parameters, under environmentally predicted concentrations (PEC). This project aims to expand knowledge about the mechanisms of action of one of the most widely used fungicides in Brazil on amphibians, considering representative conditions of tropical regions.