Heavy metal pollution affects consumption and reproduction of the landsnail Cepaea nemoralis fed on naturally polluted Urtica dioica leaves

Abstract

This study is one of the very first that investigates the effects of heavy metal pollution on food consumption and reproduction of terrestrial snails under semi-realistic field conditions. Two experiments were carried out using snails (Cepaea nemoralis) and food (Urtica dioica leaves) from different metal polluted locations and one reference location. The first experiment showed that both polluted and reference snails fed on high-metal leaves from a highly polluted location had significantly lower consumption rates than snails consuming leaves from the reference location. In the second experiment, snails from both locations used in the consumption experiment and from two low-polluted locations were kept on native soil and food in order to reproduce. No negative effect of heavy metal pollution on clutch size was found for the snails from the reference location and the low-polluted locations. Snails from the highly polluted location laid no eggs. This suggests that at high levels of metal pollution, reproduction is strongly negatively affected. We suggest that the absence of egg laying by snails from the highly polluted location results from a combination of decreased consumption and an increased demand of energy for the accumulation and detoxification of metals (decreased scope for growth).

Chemical composition of shells of <i>Cepaea vindobonensis</i> (Férussac, 1821) (Gastropoda: Pulmonata: Helicidae) from localities with different substrata

“…Furthermore, snails from much polluted localities are incapable of reproduction; the inability to lay eggs results from a combination of decreased consumption and an increased energy demand for the accumulation and detoxification of metals (NOTTEN et al 2006). …”

CHARACTERIZATION OF A NEW NEW Ag+ -SELECTIVE ELECTRODE BASED ON N3S5-THIAAZACROWN ETHER AS NEUTRAL IONOPHORE

“…Selective and sensitive detection of heavy and transition metal ions is of great importance from the ecotoxicological point of view. 1 Silver has been widely used in the photographic film production industry, the electrical and electronic industries. Silver salts have been successfully applied to disinfect water for drinking and recreation purposes, dental and pharmaceutical antibacterial agents, owing to their unique germicidal properties.…”

Synthesis and characterization of monoazathiacrown ethers as ionophores for polymeric membrane silver-selective electrodes

“…The development of chemical sensors for determination of heavy metals in the environment is of great importance from the ecotoxicological point of view [1]. For selective recognition, an efficient molecular receptor which has high potential as a complexing agent for a target heavy metal is required as sensing element [2].…”