The effects of temperature and moulting on metal concentrations in decapod crustaceans
Loading...
Date
2019-09-03
Authors
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation
Abstract
The predicated rise in sea surface temperature due to climate change may affect the uptake and depuration of contaminants by crustaceans, affecting their survival and reproductive success. Decapod crustaceans are routinely used as bioindicators in environmental research as they are commonly found in aquatic environments, have an omnivorous diet and an important position in food webs. They may also be exposed to a wide range of contaminants present in aquatic ecosystems from urban and industrial processes. Both ambient temperature and moulting of the exoskeleton are known to influence contaminant regulation in these taxa. This study used the radiotracers 109Cd, 54Mn and 65Zn to investigate the internal concentrations of these metals in three ambient temperature treatments, 21 ˚C, 23 ˚C and 25 ˚C, based on predicted increases in sea surface temperatures for Australia. Spotted shore crabs (Paragrapsus laevis) were exposed to two pulses of a mixed radiotracer solution, each followed by a depuration stage of five days. We found no significant effect of ambient temperature on uptake or depuration rates of the three metals. However, across temperatures the rate of uptake was significantly higher than that of depuration for 54Mn and 65Zn. Of 21 crabs, 15 moulted throughout the study and no significant difference was found in the amount of metal taken up pre and post-moult. However, there was a significant difference in whole-body metal burden between non-moulted crabs and moulted crabs immediately after moult. It was determined there was no significant difference in internal metal concentrations of 109Cd, 54Mn and 65Zn over the elevated sea surface temperatures predicted by climate change models and that moulting only significantly affected depuration of the metals.
Description
Keywords
Metals, Pollution, Climatic change, Decapods, Crustaceans, Molting
Citation
Hill, D., Cresswell, T., Seery, C., Taylor, J. & Mahoney, P. (2019). The effects of temperature and moulting on metal concentrations in decapod crustaceans. Paper presented at the ANSTO Young Researchers' Conference, Lucas Heights, NSW, Australia, 3 Sep 2019. Retrieved from: https://events01.synchrotron.org.au/event/98/book-of-abstracts.pdf