Temperature-dependent effects of PFOS on risk recognition and fast-start performance in juvenile Spinibarbus sinensis

Abstract

Perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) is a synthetic chemical substance that has become a ubiquitous environmental contaminant. It has been used in both industrial and consumer applications for over 50 yr, resulting in high levels of contamination worldwide. The potential ecotoxicity of PFOS has recently become a focus of interest and concern. The aim of this study was to investigate the impact of PFOS on risk recognition and escape performance of juvenile qingbo Spinibarbus sinensis. Fish were exposed to a range of PFOS concentrations (0, 0.32, 0.8, 2 and 5 mg l −1 ) at different temperatures (18 and 28°C) for 4 wk, at which point their antipredator behavior and fast-start swimming performance were assessed. We found that PFOS exposure caused qingbo to increase the time they spent in the 'risky area' (the area of the experimental aquarium closest to the predator tank) and reduce their average distance from the predator, as well as resulting in a noticeable increase in latency time and a significant decline in maximum linear velocity, maximum linear acceleration and escape distance. Many of these effects were more pronounced at the higher temperature. Our results indicate that exposure to PFOS could have deleterious effects on survival-related behavior in fish.

Global variation in freshwater physico‐chemistry and its influence on chemical toxicity in aquatic wildlife

“…Examples include mefluoride in the zebra mussel Dreissena polymorpha at 22°C versus 17°C (Del Piero, Masiero & Casellato, 2012), the fungicide pyrimethanil in larval stages of Chironomus riparius and D. magna at 26°C versus 14°C (Seeland, Oehlmann & Müller, 2012) and the pharmaceuticals diclofenac, ibuprofen and carbamazepin in the invertebrate Atyaephyra desmarestii at 25°C versus 20°C (Nieto et al ., 2016). In the cyprinid fish Spinibarbus sinensis , greater uptake of perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS; a fluorosurfactant) at 28°C versus 18°C has been shown to cause a marked reduction in its ability to respond to a predatory attack (Xia et al ., 2015). In the above examples, higher rates of ventilation with associated higher diffusion and/or active transport across the gills at higher temperatures are often associated with accumulation of these contaminants.…”

Ontogenetic changes in chemical alarm cue recognition and fast‐start performance in guppies (Poecilia reticulata)

“…The fast‐start swim response provides an excellent model system for examining the interactions between neurobiology, muscle function and locomotor biomechanics in the production of a complex survival behavior (Westneat, Hale, McHenry, & Long, ). Fast‐start responses are usually mediated by the Mauthner cells, two bilateral giant neurons and other associated neurons in the brainstem‐based escape network (Eaton, DiDomenico, & Nissanov, ), powered by intracellular stores of adenosine triphosphate (ATP) and creatine phosphate (Reidy, Kerr, & Nelson, ; Xia et al., ). In this study, no ontogenetic variation in escape latency (measured as the time between the stimulus onset and the first detectable movement of the fish) was found in juvenile guppies, suggesting that the timing of activation of the Mauthner neurons and associated networks to threatening stimuli was not influenced by developmental stage.…”

“…The resulting images were initially processed using nEOiMAGING and ACDSee 12 software and were subsequently digitized using TpsUtil and TpsDig software (http://life.bio.sunysb.edu/morph/) to examine the displacement of the center of the fish's head. The latency to respond ( t latency , ms) and kinematic variables (maximum linear velocity [ V max , m/s], maximum linear acceleration [ A max , m/s 2 ], and escape distance [ S 120 ms , mm] achieved by each fish within 120 ms post‐stimulus) were extracted from the digital video (Domenici & Blake, ; Xia et al., ). In addition, the individual relative V max ( rV max ), relative A max ( rA max ), and relative S 120 ms ( rS 120 ms ) values were calculated by dividing the V max , A max, and S 120 ms values by individual body lengths.…”

“…The fast-start responses were elicited by an electrical impulse and escape distance [S 120 ms , mm] achieved by each fish within 120 ms post-stimulus) were extracted from the digital video (Domenici & Blake, 1997;Xia et al, 2015). In addition, the individual relative V max (rV max ), relative A max (rA max ), and relative S 120 ms (rS 120 ms ) values were calculated by dividing the V max , A max, and S 120 ms values by individual body lengths.…”

“…Prey survival is largely dependent on efficient escape performance following risk recognition (Godin, 1997;Smith, 1997). Fast-start swimming, which is a brief, sudden, and anaerobically powered burst of movement away from a threatening stimulus, is crucial for survival in predator-prey interactions (Domenici & Blake, 1997;Killen, Reid, Marras, & Domenici, 2015;Xia, Ma, Guo, Huang, & Fu, 2015). This fast-start evasion response is an antipredator mechanism that is likely a major factor contributing to the evolution of variation in morphology and behavior among fishes (Walker, Ghalambor, Griset, McKenney, & Reznick, 2005;Webb, 1984), as more efficient fast-starts increase the probability of successfully evading a predation strike (Walker et al, 2005).…”