Abstract

Copper (Cu) exposure can increase leaf-associated fungal biomass, an important food component for leaf-shredding macroinvertebrates. To test if this positive nutritional effect supports the physiological fitness of these animals and to assess its importance compared to waterborne toxicity, we performed a 24-day-bioassay in combination with a 2x2 factorial design using the amphipod shredder Gammarus fossarum and a field-relevant Cu concentration of 25 mu g/L (n = 65). Waterborne toxicity was negligible, while gammarids fed leaves exposed to Cu during microbial colonization exhibited a near-significant impairment in growth (similar to 30%) and a significantly reduced lipid content (similar to 20%). These effects appear to be governed by dietary uptake of Cu, which accumulated in leaves as well as gammarids and likely overrode the positive nutritional effect of the increased fungal biomass. Our results suggest that for adsorptive freshwater contaminants dietary uptake should be evaluated already during the registration process to safeguard the integrity of detritus-based ecosystems. (C) 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Keywords

Dietary exposure; Environmental risk assessment; Leaf litter breakdown; Physiological fitness; Shredder

Published in

Environmental Pollution
2015, Volume: 205, pages: 16-22
Publisher: ELSEVIER SCI LTD

SLU Authors

• Bundschuh, Mirco

  • Department of Aquatic Sciences and Assessment, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
    
  • University of Koblenz-Landau

Sustainable Development Goals

SDG6 Ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all


UKÄ Subject classification

Other Biological Topics


Publication identifier

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envpol.2015.05.015

Permanent link to this page (URI)

https://res.slu.se/id/publ/69538