Swimming speed alteration of Artemia sp. and Brachionus plicatilis as a sub-lethal behavioural end-point for ecotoxicological surveys

Abstract

In this study, we investigated the possibility to improve a new behavioural bioassay (Swimming Speed Alteration test-SSA test) using larvae of marine cyst-forming organisms: e.g. the brine shrimp Artemia sp. and the rotifer Brachionus plicatilis. Swimming speed was investigated as a behavioural end-point for application in ecotoxicology studies. A first experiment to analyse the linear swimming speed of the two organisms was performed to verify the applicability of the video-camera tracking system, here referred to as Swimming Behavioural Recorder (SBR). A second experiment was performed, exposing organisms to different toxic compounds (zinc pyrithione, Macrotrol MT-200, and Eserine). Swimming speed alteration was analyzed together with mortality. The results of the first experiment indicate that SBR is a suitable tool to detect linear swimming speed of the two organisms, since the values have been obtained in accordance with other studies using the same organisms (3.05 mm s(-1) for Artemia sp. and 0.62 mm s(-1) for B. plicatilis). Toxicity test results clearly indicate that swimming speed of Artemia sp. and B. plicatilis is a valid behavioural end-point to detect stress at sub-lethal toxic substance concentrations. Indeed, alterations in swimming speed have been detected at toxic compound concentrations as low as less then 0.1-5% of their LC(50) values. In conclusion, the SSA test with B. plicatilis and Artemia sp. can be a good behavioural integrated output for application in marine ecotoxicology and environmental monitoring programs.

Diatom-derived oxylipins induce cell death in sea urchin embryos activating caspase-8 and caspase 3/7

“…The transparent embryo enables easy observation of malformation, making it possible to detect sub-lethal effects of pollutants on multicellular body formation at an early stage in development. To date, the stressors that have been examined using the sea urchin as a model include physico-chemical changes in the water, such as acidic pH (Dupont et al, 2010), hypoxia (Kodama et al, 2010), UV Schröder et al, 2005;Bonaventura et al, 2005Bonaventura et al, , 2006Lister et al, 2010aLister et al, , 2010bRusso et al, 2010), X-rays Bonaventura et al, 2011), and chemicals such as antifouling agents/pesticides (Garaventa et al, 2010;Aluigi et al, 2010), endocrine disruptors (Sugni et al, 2010;Horiguchi et al, 2010) and metals (Pinsino et al, 2014;Kiyomoto et al, 2010). Natural toxins represent a major source of stress for marine organisms.…”

Hydrocarbon Contamination and the Swimming Behavior of the Estuarine Copepod Eurytemora affinis

“…As a consequence, and even if alterations in swimming speed have been detected at toxic compound concentrations well below LC50 values for a range of invertebrates (Avila et al, 2010;Ihara et al, 2010;Garaventa et al, 2010;Cailleaud et al, 2011;Seuront, 2011a, present work), its claimed use as a non-specifc behavioral end-point in marine ecotoxicology and environmental monitoring program (Faimali et al, 2006;Garaventa et al, 2010) cannot be warranted. A practical alternative based on the intrinsic fractal nature of behavioral properties and their subsequent modification under stressful conditions, applied in both invertebrate (Seuront & Leterme, 2007;Seuront, 2010bSeuront, , 2011b and vertebrate (Escós et al, 1995;Alados et al, 1996;Alados & Huffman, 2000;María et al, 2004;Seuront & Cribb, 2011), including humans (e.g.…”

“…As such, it is stressed that even if alterations in swimming speed have been detected at toxic compound concentrations well below LC50 values for a range of invertebrates (e.g. Avila et al, 2010;Ihara et al, 2010;Garaventa et al, 2010;Cailleaud et al, 2011;Seuront, 2011a), its claimed use as a non-specifc behavioral end-point in marine ecotoxicology and environmental monitoring program (Faimali et al, 2006;Garaventa et al, 2010) cannot be warranted.…”

“…Similar results were obtained on the larvae of the cirriped Balanus Amphitrite (Faimali et al, 2006), the crustacean Artemia sp. and the rotifer Brachionus plicatilis (Garaventa et al, 2010) exposed to a range of chemical pollutants (i.e. antifouling biocides, neurotoxic pesticides, and heavy metals).…”

“…Cailleaud et al, 2011;Seuront, 2011a,b), compared to community-related measures which require changes in species composition before an impact is detected. In ecotoxicology, behavioural approaches allow for repeated measures and time-dependent data analysis, and have the advantage of being of similar sensitivity and efficiency than biochemical and physiological responses (Gerhadt, 2007(Gerhadt, , 2011, and more sensitive than mortality responses (Garaventa et al, 2010).…”