Relative Sensitivity Distribution of Freshwater Planktonic Crustaceans to Trace Metals

Abstract

Cladocerans and copepods are common inhabitants of ponds and lakes, but assessments of the toxic effects of chemicals on aquatic organisms are often based mainly on toxicity data for cladocerans of the genus Daphnia. The paucity of toxicity data for copepods and other species of cladocerans raised the question whether toxicity data derived primarily from daphniids can be extrapolated to protect other planktonic organisms. In this study, we address this question by systematically comparing between the sensitivities of cladocerans and copepods to the metals Cd, Cu, Pb, Ni, and Zn using the species sensitivity distributions. Our results indicate that cladocerans are consistently more sensitive than copepods to Cd and Cu. Most importantly, sensitivities of D. magna, D. pulex, and Ceriodaphnia dubia, the three most commonly tested cladocerans, to these metals are higher than those of most copepod species and fall within the range of those exhibited by other cladocerans. C. dubia, a cladoceran with relatively small body size, is more sensitive to all metals than most other cladoceran species. Our results imply that water quality criteria of trace metals derived from datasets dominated by Daphnia are likely also protective to copepods and most other cladocerans.

Differences in susceptibility of five cladoceran species to two systemic insecticides, imidacloprid and fipronil

“…Body size was positively related to the capacity of these organisms to withstand the stress caused by the two insecticides (Fig. 1), since smaller species tend to be more sensitive to toxic stress than the larger ones (Wong et al 2009). Similar findings have been reported by other researchers when testing for metals and cholinesterase-inhibitor insecticides (e.g.…”

“…2). Among the zooplanktons, cladocerans are more sensitive than rotifers and copepods to a large range of pollutants (Hanazato and Yasuno 1990;Sierzen and Lozano 1998;Wong et al 2009), and have been attractive test organisms also due to their short generation cycle and ease of culture and maintenance in laboratories (Benfield and Buikema 1980). In addition, Dodson et al (1995) reported that prey zooplankton such as cladocerans are more sensitive to toxicants than their predators, and therefore are preferred as sentinel bioindicators of the ecosystem (Sakamoto et al 2005).…”

A comparative study of insecticide toxicity among seven cladoceran species

“…Cladoceran species are more sensitive to anthropogenic toxic chemicals, such as insecticides and heavy metals, than are other zooplankton groups, such as rotifers and copepods (Hanazato 1991;Hanazato and Yasuno 1990;Havens 1994;Wong et al 2009). Although cladocerans are the most vulnerable animals to such chemical stresses, they serve as the major grazers in natural food webs, which consist of numerous biological interactions.…”

Acute toxic impacts of three heavy metals (copper, zinc, and cadmium) on Diaphanosoma brachyurum (Cladocera: Sididae)

“…Lewis and Weber (1985) b Milam et al (2005) c McWilliam and Baird (2002) d Cairns et al (1978) e Khangarot et al (1987) Freshwater zooplankton community is composed of cladocerans, copepods, and rotifers. Species sensitivity distributions of cladocerans and copepods to Cd, Cu, and Zn have been reported (Wong et al 2009). The 5% hazardous concentrations (HC5) of cladocerans are 8.16 lg/L for Cd, 2.72 lg/L for Cu, and 30.8 lg/L for Zn.…”