Toxicological evaluation of water from stormwater ponds using Xenopus tropicalis embryos

Abstract

The establishment of stormwater ponds for treatment of runoff water can be beneficial for amphibians due to creations of new habitats which often develop vegetative characteristics similar to that of natural wetlands. These ponds might help to promote stability in amphibian populations if the benefits of creation of new habitats exceed the risk for toxic impact. In the present study, Swedish stormwater ponds were searched for larval amphibians. Further, the impact of stormwater quality on embryo development was tested using Xenopus (Silurana) tropicalis. Data suggest that most of the studied stormwater ponds had water of proper quality for promoting amphibian embryo development. However there were sites in which the water caused premature hatching and/or reduced heart rate in X. tropicalis embryos. Pollutant toxicity might be one explanation for sublethal effects caused by some of the stormwater samples. In a majority of ponds, no amphibian larvae were detected and this may partly be explained by toxic compounds in the waters.

Keywords

Stormwater; Xenopus tropicalis; Amphibian; Embryo; Toxicity

Published in

Wetlands Ecology and Management
2015, volume: 23, number: 6, pages: 1091-1098
Publisher: SPRINGER

SLU Authors

• Pohl, Johannes

  • Department of Animal Biosciences, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
    

• Örn, Stefan

  • Department of Animal Biosciences, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
    

• Norrgren, Leif

  • Department of Animal Biosciences, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
    

• Carlsson, Gunnar

  • Department of Animal Biosciences, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
    

Global goals (SDG)

SDG6 Clean water and sanitation

UKÄ Subject classification

Ecology
Developmental Biology
Environmental Sciences

Publication identifier

• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11273-015-9444-0

Permanent link to this page (URI)

https://res.slu.se/id/publ/68939