European Ocean Biodiversity Information System

[ report an error in this record ]basket (0): add | show Print this page

Hydrostatic pressure and temperature affect the tolerance of the free-living marine nematode Halomonhystera disjuncta to acute copper exposure
Mevenkamp, L.; Brown, A.; Hauton, C.; Kordas, A.; Thatje, S.; Vanreusel, A. (2017). Hydrostatic pressure and temperature affect the tolerance of the free-living marine nematode Halomonhystera disjuncta to acute copper exposure. Aquat. Toxicol. 192: 178-183. https://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.aquatox.2017.09.016
In: Aquatic Toxicology. Elsevier Science: Tokyo; New York; London; Amsterdam. ISSN 0166-445X; e-ISSN 1879-1514
Peer reviewed article  

Available in  Authors 
    Vlaams Instituut voor de Zee: Non-open access 332673 [ request ]

Keywords
    Halomonhystera disjuncta (Bastian, 1865) Andrássy, 2006 [WoRMS]
    Marine/Coastal
Author keywords
    Hydrostatic pressure; LC50; Copper toxicity; Halomonhystera disjuncta;Deep-sea mining; Gellan gum

Authors  Top 
  • Mevenkamp, L.
  • Brown, A.
  • Hauton, C.
  • Kordas, A.
  • Thatje, S.
  • Vanreusel, A.

Abstract
    Potential deep-sea mineral extraction poses new challenges for ecotoxicological research since little is known about effects of abiotic conditions present in the deep sea on the toxicity of heavy metals. Due to the difficulty of collecting and maintaining deep-sea organisms alive, a first step would be to understand the effects of high hydrostatic pressure and low temperatures on heavy metal toxicity using shallow-water relatives of deep-sea species. Here, we present the results of acute copper toxicity tests on the free-living shallow-water marine nematode Halomonhystera disjuncta, which has close phylogenetic and ecological links to the bathyal species Halomonhystera hermesi. Copper toxicity was assessed using a semi-liquid gellan gum medium at two levels of hydrostatic pressure (0.1 MPa and 10 MPa) and temperature (10 °C and 20 °C) in a fully crossed design. Mortality of nematodes in each treatment was assessed at 4 time intervals (24 and 48 h for all experiments and additionally 72 and 96 h for experiments run at 10 °C). LC50 values ranged between 0.561 and 1.864 mg Cu2+ L−1 and showed a decreasing trend with incubation time. Exposure to high hydrostatic pressure significantly increased sensitivity of nematodes to copper, whereas lower temperature resulted in an apparently increased copper tolerance, possibly as a result of a slower metabolism under low temperatures. These results indicate that hydrostatic pressure and temperature significantly affect metal toxicity and therefore need to be considered in toxicity assessments for deep-sea species. Any application of pollution limits derived from studies of shallow-water species to the deep-sea mining context must be done cautiously, with consideration of the effects of both stressors.

All data in the Integrated Marine Information System (IMIS) is subject to the VLIZ privacy policy Top | Authors