Abstract
Locomotion-based behavioural endpoints have been suggested as suitable sublethal endpoints for human and environmental hazard assessment, as well as for biomonitoring applications. Larval stages of the sand goby (Pomatoschistus minutus) possess a number of attractive qualities for experimental testing that make it a promising species in behavioural ecotoxicology. Here, we present a study aimed at developing a toolkit for using the sand goby as novel species for ecotoxicological studies and using locomotion as an alternative endpoint in toxicity testing. Exposure to three contaminants (copper (Cu), di-butyl phthalate (DBP) and perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) was tested in the early life stages of the sand goby and the locomotion patterns of the larvae were quantified using an automatic tracking system. In a photo-motor test, sand goby larvae displayed substantially higher activity in light than in dark cycles. Furthermore, all tested compounds exerted behavioural alterations, such as hypo- and hyperactivity. Our experimental results show that sand goby larvae produce robust and quantifiable locomotive responses, which could be used within an ecotoxicological context for assessing the behavioural toxicity of environmental pollutants, with particular relevance in the Nordic region. This study thus suggests that sand goby larvae have potential as an environmentally relevant species for behavioural ecotoxicology, and as such offer an alternative to standard model species.
Highlights
Chemical monitoring programs worldwide are documenting increasing levels of pollution in aquatic ecosystems
We demonstrated that sand goby larvae at 13–14 dpf are able to respond to light stimulation (19,000 lux) and display robust behavioural patterns
On the basis of this comparison, we suggest that exposure to Cu induced similar behavioural disturbances in two different fish species, which exemplifies the versatility of locomotion profiling approach and supports its applicability beyond the standard laboratory species
Summary
Chemical monitoring programs worldwide are documenting increasing levels of pollution in aquatic ecosystems. Coastal environments are continuously subjected to diverse chemical pollution, deriving from offshore oil spills, industrial and agricultural runoff, or domestic waste discharges. It has been estimated that more than 100,000 potentially hazardous substances could be leaking into the environment from anthropogenic activities [1]. With respect to increasing environmental pollution, it is important to investigate the effects of complex chemical mixtures on aquatic organisms and assess their overall impact on the health and functioning of ecosystems. Various biochemical and physiological approaches have been developed and deployed for assessing pollution-induced consequences on different aquatic organisms, and biomarkers have become an integral part of biomonitoring programs worldwide [2,3,4,5].
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