Novel Protocol for Acute In Situ Ecotoxicity Test Using Native Crustaceans Applied to Groundwater Ecosystems

Abstract

Current standardized laboratory test protocols use model species that have limitations to accurately assess native species responses to stressors. We developed and tested a novel acute insitu protocol for testing field-collected organisms. We used Asellus aquaticus and NaCl as a reference toxicant to test for the effects of location (laboratory vs. insitu), medium (synthetic vs. field water), substrate (presence vs. absence), and protocol replicability. We further tested the protocol using groundwater-adapted isopods: Proasellus assaforensis for the effect of location, P. cavaticus of medium and P.lusitanicus of substrate. Our results showed that A.aquaticus’ lethality obtained with the novel acute insitu protocol did not significantly differ from those from laboratory testing. However, laboratory tested P.assaforensis showed a higher sensitivity, suggesting that its acclimation to laboratory conditions might have pernicious effects. A. aquaticus and P. cavaticus showed a higher mortality using synthetic medium insitu and under laboratory conditions, which overestimated the stressor’s effect. Besides, substrate use had no significant effect. The novel acute insitu protocol allows the use of native species under realistic scenarios. It is particularly well adapted for assessing the risk of groundwater ecosystems but it can be applied to a wide range of ecosystems.

Thermal acclimation and metabolic scaling of a groundwater asellid in the climate change scenario

“…Proasellus lusitanicus shows some of the most typical adaptive traits to groundwater lacks eyes and pigmentation, has appendage hypertrophy and breathes through branchiae (Fig. 1 b) 41 – 43 . On September 2nd 2021, we collected only adults in a small stream running towards the ‘Christmas siphon’ of Almonda Cave (39° 30′ 20.05′′ N, 8° 36′ 56.63′′ W; Fig.…”

“…We put the individuals in a plastic container filled with groundwater and sediments from the collection site. We placed the container in a cooler and transported the individuals to the laboratory within a few hours from collection, as indicated in Castaño-Sánchez et al 43 . We measured electrical conductivity (508 μS/cm), oxygen (6.9 mg/L), pH (7.1) and temperature (17 °C) in the field at the collection site using a portable multiparametric probe (WTW MULTI 3430).…”

(Micro-)Plastics in Saturated and Unsaturated Groundwater Bodies: First Evidence of Presence in Groundwater Fauna and Habitats

“…During transportation, specimens, groundwater, wood fragments, and sediments were placed in glass containers and stored in a temperature-controlled environment. The day after collection, the specimens were transported to the laboratory, strictly following the procedures outlined in [48]. In the laboratory, deceased individuals were isolated and stored in glass vials filled with 96% ethanol.…”