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| Author(s): |
Denise Tieme Okumura
Total Authors: 1
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| Document type: | Doctoral Thesis |
| Press: | São Carlos. |
| Institution: | Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Escola de Engenharia de São Carlos (EESC/SBD) |
| Defense date: | 2011-02-04 |
| Examining board members: |
Odete Rocha;
Evaldo Luiz Gaeta Espindola;
Marcelo Luiz Martins Pompeo;
Lúcia Helena Sipaúba Tavares;
Eny Maria Vieira
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| Advisor: | Odete Rocha |
| Abstract | |
Copepods constitute the largest class of small crustaceans, with more than 8,500 described species. Among the five orders of free-living copepods, the species belonging to the order Calanoida show strong endemism, with a restricted geographic distribution. Additionally, they are particularly sensitive to contaminants in the water column due to their planktonic habit. In the present study ecotoxicological studies with two species of Calanoida copepods were performed, particularly with the species Argyrodiaptomus furcatus Sars, 1901 and Notodiaptomus iheringi Wright, 1935. These species were compared for sensitivity and performance as test organisms in assessing water quality in freshwater ecosystems. Methods of cultivation in the laboratory were tested and adapted, and the main aspects of these species biology were studied under controlled temperature and photoperiod. In addition, aspects related to population dynamics were also analyzed. The sensitivity of the calanoids to a number of reference substances as: sodium, potassium and zinc in the form of chlorides (\'NA\'CL\', \'K\'CL\' and \'ZN\'CL IND.2\', respectively), potassium dichromate (\'K IND.2\'CR IND.2\'O IND.7\') and aluminum sulfate (\'AL IND.2\'(\'SO IND.4\')IND.3\'), and to the surfactant sodium dodecyl sulfate (\'C IND.12\'H IND.25\'NA\'O IND.4\'S\') and sodium dodecyl benzenesulphonate (\'CH IND.3\'(\'CH IND.2\')IND.11\'C IND.6\'H IND.4\'SO IND.3\'NA\') were evaluated. Also the toxicity of environmental samples and of the cyanobacteria Microcystis aeruginosa toxin after irradiation treatment was tested. The results of ecotoxicity tests were expressed as effective concentrations (EC(I)50). The statistical calculation of the EC50 was carried out by the Trimmed Spearman-Karber program. The results regarding the copepods life cycle showed that N. iheringi has a shorter development time and duration of egg development, by both indirect and direct methods, than A. furcatus. It was found that small sized N. iheringi, had a post-embryonic development faster than the larger species, A. furcatus. The intrinsic rates of population increase were higher for the species A. furcatus than for N. iheringi. The results indicated that N. iheringi besides reaching smaller sizes, has a faster development and shorter life cycle. Regarding the sensitivity of these two species to toxic substances it was observed that in relation to the salts the calanoids were more sensitive to the potassium chloride (\'K\'CL\'). Compared to metals, toxicity to copepods followed the sequence zinc> chromium> aluminum. However, regarding surfactants the species N. iheringi was more sensitive than A. furcatus, and toxicity decreased with the advance in developmental stages. The nauplii were more sensitive to most of the reference substances tested (salts, surfactants, chromium and zinc) than the more advanced developmental stages. The species N. iheringi was more sensitive to various toxic agents than A. furcatus, but N. iheringi was more resistant to the cyanotoxins than A. furcatus. The results support the hypothesis that the calanoid copepods A. furcatus and N. iheringi have high sensitivity to a variety of toxic reference substances, what makes them feasible to be used as test organisms in ecotoxicological tests. The study performed may provide further understanding about the structure of aquatic communities and changes in population dynamics, contributing for the understanding of how species respond to changes in water quality by changes in community structure, subsidizing management actions aiming the conservation of freshwater biodiversity. (AU) | |
| FAPESP's process: | 07/00187-2 - Ecotoxicological studies with freshwater Calanoida copepods |
| Grantee: | Denise Tieme Okumura |
| Support Opportunities: | Scholarships in Brazil - Doctorate |