Insights into the drivers of histopathological changes and potential as bio-indicator of riverine health of an aquatic apex predator from a premier conservation area: A multiple lines of evidence and multivariate statistics approach

Gerber, Ruan; Wagenaar, G.M.; Smith, Woutrina A.; Ikenaka, Yoshinori; Smit, Nico J.

doi:10.1016/j.ecolind.2016.08.048

Cited by 10 publications

(3 citation statements)

References 40 publications

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“…The reduced liver condition of infected fish likely reflects the short-term effects of infection, where hosts are metabolizing lipid and carbohydrate more readily than protein ( de la Higuera et al., 1999 , de la Higuera, 2001 ). Declines in glycogen levels have been correlated with reduced liver size in previous studies ( Maes et al., 2005 , Gerber et al., 2017 ), and Barber (2005) determined that copepod parasite infection reduced fish liver size. The higher gutted condition of infected fish likely reflects that changes in gutted condition with respect to parasite infection occur over a longer duration of time as compared to changes in hepatosomatic condition.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 75%

See 1 more Smart Citation

Drought-associated absence of alien invasive anchorworm, Lernaea cyprinacea (Copepoda: Lernaeidae), is related to changes in fish health

Welicky

Swardt

Gerber

et al. 2017

International Journal for Parasitology: Parasites and Wildlife

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Recently, Mozambique tilapia (Oreochromis mossambicus Peters, 1852) were listed on the IUCN Red List as near-threatened as their populations are at risk due to hybridization. Another factor that potentially contributes to their population decline is that they are regularly infected by the invasive parasitic copepod anchorworm, Lernaea cyprinacea Linnaeus, 1758. Considering anchorworm-infected Mozambique tilapia are common, understanding their condition with respect to infection is difficult as uninfected fish from the same localities have been unavailable for comparison. A severe drought in southern Africa has created hypersaline environments in the Phongolo River floodplain of north-eastern South Africa, such that freshwater parasites cannot survive and uninfected fish are now found. To determine how infection influences host health, infected and uninfected Mozambique tilapia were collected before and during drought conditions, from Nyamiti pan of the Phongolo River floodplain. Anchorworm-infected fish prevalence was recorded, and anchorworms were collected from hosts and identified to the species level using molecular data of the 18S rRNA gene. For each fish, intensity of anchorworm infection, total length, and weights of the gutted body, liver, spleen, and gonads were recorded. Gutted condition factor, hepato-, spleeno-, and gonado-somatic index values per fish, and prevalence of infection per collection were determined. A rapid health assessment was also conducted to determine a health score for each fish. Molecular analyses confirmed the anchorworm studied was L. cyprinacea. Prior to and during drought, prevalence of infection was 100%, and 0%, respectively. Before drought, fish had significantly reduced hepato-, spleeno-, and gonado-somatic index values, and higher health assessment scores, yet significantly higher gutted condition. Anchorworm intensity was indirectly correlated with fish liver and gonad condition. This study demonstrates that host condition and health varies greatly with respect to drought and infection, and provides the necessary data for follow-up studies in post-drought conditions.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 75%

“…In preparation for the host condition and health assessment index analyses (see below), the fish were humanely euthanized by severing the spinal cord ( McHugh. et al., 2011 , Gerber et al., 2017 ). Anchorworms were removed with forceps from host fish and preserved in 80% ethanol for molecular analyses.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 95%

Drought-associated absence of alien invasive anchorworm, Lernaea cyprinacea (Copepoda: Lernaeidae), is related to changes in fish health

Welicky

Swardt

Gerber

et al. 2017

International Journal for Parasitology: Parasites and Wildlife

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“…Furthermore, the Blacksmith Institute has identified that levels of certain metals in the Citarum River are higher than the global average (Chanpiwat and Sthiannopkao, 2013). Schäfer and Bundschuh (2018) and Gerber et al (2017) have suggested that aquatic organisms can be affected at all levels of their biological organisation when exposed to waterborne contaminants. In terms of acute and chronic exposure, anthropogenic water contamination has been shown to result in adverse effects associated with the increased tissue burden of various pollutants (Amin and Hashem, 2012).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Citarum River Water Pollution and Stress Responses in The Tolerant and Sensitive Fish

Sunardi¹,

Fadilah

Istiqomah³

et al. 2021

Indonesian j. of limnol.

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Severe river pollution creates a stressful environment for aquatic organisms, causing disturbances to their health and leading to their extinction. Thus, in this study, the stress responses of tolerant (Oreochromis niloticus) and sensitive (Cyprinus carpio) fish to river pollution in the Citarum River, Indonesia were investigated. The two groups of fish were exposed to varying levels and lengths of water pollution, their blood was sampled, and stress responses were identified. The red blood cells (RBC) count, haemoglobin (HGB), haematocrit (HCT), white blood cells (WBC) count, blood glucose levels, and derived haematological indices such as mean corpuscular volume (MCV), mean corpuscular haemoglobin (MCH) and mean corpuscular haemoglobin concentration (MCHC), were measured. Significant changes in these indices, with tendential changes in RBC and HCT, were observed, indicating that stress responses had occurred in both groups of fish. The sensitive fish recorded more pronounced changes in their haematological activities, with greater amounts of blood parameters being altered in response to water pollution exposure. This result suggested that the sensitive fish were more susceptible to environmental stressors and were, therefore, more vulnerable to extinction in a polluted natural environment.

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Gill histopathological indicators in pikeperch Sander lucioperca larvae reared in a flow-through system: effect of clay-turbid water

et al. 2019

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Insights into the drivers of histopathological changes and potential as bio-indicator of riverine health of an aquatic apex predator from a premier conservation area: A multiple lines of evidence and multivariate statistics approach

Cited by 10 publications

References 40 publications

Drought-associated absence of alien invasive anchorworm, Lernaea cyprinacea (Copepoda: Lernaeidae), is related to changes in fish health

Drought-associated absence of alien invasive anchorworm, Lernaea cyprinacea (Copepoda: Lernaeidae), is related to changes in fish health

Citarum River Water Pollution and Stress Responses in The Tolerant and Sensitive Fish

Gill histopathological indicators in pikeperch Sander lucioperca larvae reared in a flow-through system: effect of clay-turbid water

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