The importance of calcium in improving resistance of Daphnia to Microcystis

Abstract

Changing environmental calcium (Ca) and rising cyanobacterial blooms in lake habitats could strongly reduce Daphnia growth and survival. Here, we assessed the effects of maternal Ca in Daphnia on transfer of resistance to their offspring against Microcystis aeruginosa PCC7806 (M. aeruginosa). Laboratory microcosm experiments were performed to examine effects in Daphnia carinata (D. carinata) and Daphnia pulex (D. pulex), and that how Ca induce responses in their offspring. The results showed that growth and survival were increased in offspring from exposed Daphnia as compared to unexposed, when raised in high Ca and increasing M. aeruginosa concentration. Among exposed Daphnia, offspring from high Ca mothers, produced more neonates with large size and higher survival as compared to offspring from low maternal Ca. Exposed D. carinata and D. pulex offspring, when reared in Ca deficient medium and increasing M. aeruginosa concentration, time to first brood increased, size become large and total offspring decreased subsequently in three alternative broods in offspring from low maternal Ca. In contrast, growth and reproduction in offspring from high Ca exposed mothers were consistent in three alternative broods. Despite species specific responses in growth, survival and variant life history traits in two Daphnia species, our results not only show maternal induction in Daphnia but also highlight that offspring response to M. aeruginosa varies with maternal Ca. This study demonstrates that Ca have role in Daphnia maternal induction against Microcystis, and recent Ca decline and increasing Microcystis concentration in lakes may decrease Daphnia growth and survival. Our data provide insights into the interactive effect of maternal Ca and Microcystis exposure on Daphnia and their outcome on offspring life history traits and survival.

A Non-Stressful Temperature Rise and Greater Food Availability Could Increase Tolerance to Calcium Limitation of Daphnia cf. pulex (Sensu Hebert, 1995) Populations in Cold Soft-Water Lakes

“…The D. pulex-pulicaria complex is one of the most vulnerable Daphnia species to Ca limitation because of its high Ca needs [ 8 , 13 ]. Studies have also reported combined effects on daphniid survival and reproduction of Ca stress and its potential interactions with UV radiation [ 14 ], metal and pharmaceutical toxicity [ 15 , 16 , 17 ], poor food quality [ 8 , 18 , 19 , 20 ], and the presence of invertebrate predators [ 21 ]. The swimming behaviour of Daphnia may also be influenced by low Ca availability at higher temperatures [ 22 ].…”

Scarus spinus, crustose coralline algae and cyanobacteria: an example of dietary specialization in the parrotfishes

“…Ingestion of calcium carbonate in CCA may aid in trituration of food by the pharyngeal jaws (Carr et al 2006), releasing cells from the thick mucilaginous sheaths of these filamentous cyanobacteria. If some cyanobacteria are toxic, such as Lyngbya majuscula (Albert et al 2005;Engene et al 2012Engene et al , 2013Taylor et al 2014), ingestion of CCA might serve to reduce toxicity as calcium has been shown to protect Daphnia from toxin of the cyanobacterium Microcystis (Akbar et al 2017).…”