Effects of sediment-associated phenanthrene on survival, development and reproduction of two species of meiobenthic copepods

Abstract

MEPS Marine Ecology Progress Series Contact the journal Facebook Twitter RSS Mailing List Subscribe to our mailing list via Mailchimp HomeLatest VolumeAbout the JournalEditorsTheme Sections MEPS 151:91-102 (1997) - doi:10.3354/meps151091 Effects of sediment-associated phenanthrene on survival, development and reproduction of two species of meiobenthic copepods Lotufo GR, Fleeger JW The lethal and sublethal toxicity of phenanthrene (a polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon, PAH) to 2 species of meiobenthic estuarine harpacticoid copepods (Schizopera knabeni and Nitocra lacustris) was investigated. Individuals of different life stages (nauplius, copepodite, adult male and female) were exposed to sediment-associated phenanthrene in separate 10 d bioassays. Overall, N. lacustris (10 d LC50 valuesranging from 43 to 105 µg g-1 dry wt) was more sensitive than S. knabeni (10 d LC50 valuesranging from 84 to 349 µg g-1 dry wt). Significant differences in life-stage-specific sensitivity were observed for S. knabeni, with the nauplii being most sensitive, followed by copepodites, and adults; adult males and females were equally sensitive. For N. lacustris, females were significantly more sensitive than all other stages; no significant differences were evident among the other stages. Phenanthrene effects on offspring production were investigated in the adult 10 d bioassay. Significant decreases in offspring production occurred at sublethal concentrations for S. knabeni (as low as 22 µg g-1 dry wt), but at concentrations in the same range as the 10 d LC50 values for N. lacustris. In addition, phenanthrene significantly prolonged embryonic and larval development and decreased egg hatching success for both species. Our results suggest that PAHs have a negative effect on the reproduction of meiobenthic copepods at sublethal concentrations mostly due to a decrease in brood production rate and impairment of hatching. Overall, deleterious effects were manifested in the same range of concentrations for both species, but definite species-specific differences in the pattern of responses were evident. Sediment toxicity · Copepod · Life history · Meiobenthos · Phenanthrene Full text in pdf format PreviousNextExport citation RSS - Facebook - Tweet - linkedIn Cited by Published in MEPS Vol. 151. Publication date: May 22, 1997 Print ISSN:0171-8630; Online ISSN:1616-1599 Copyright © 1997 Inter-Research.