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Machado C, Cuco AP, Cássio F, Wolinska J, Castro BB. Antiparasitic potential of agrochemical fungicides on a non-target aquatic model (Daphnia × Metschnikowia host-parasite system). THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2022; 833:155296. [PMID: 35429554 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.155296] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/06/2022] [Revised: 03/29/2022] [Accepted: 04/11/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Pesticides are a major anthropogenic threat to the biodiversity of freshwater ecosystems, having the potential to affect non-target aquatic organisms and disrupt the processes in which they intervene. Important knowledge gaps have been recognised concerning the ecological effects of synthetic fungicides on non-target symbiotic aquatic fungi and the ecological processes where they intervene. The goal of this work was to assess the influence of three commonly used fungicides (myclobutanil, metalaxyl and cymoxanil), which differ in their mode of action, on a host (the crustacean Daphnia magna) × parasite (the yeast Metschnikowia bicuspidata) experimental model. Using a set of life history experiments, we evaluated the effect of each fungicide on the outcome of this relationship (disease) and on the fitness of both host and parasite. Contrasting results were observed: (i) cymoxanil and metalaxyl were overall innocuous to host and parasite at the tested concentrations, although host reproduction was occasionally reduced in the simultaneous presence of parasite and fungicide; (ii) on the contrary, myclobutanil displayed a clear antifungal effect, decreasing parasite prevalence and alleviating infection signs in the hosts. This antiparasitic effect of myclobutanil was further investigated with a follow-up experiment that manipulated the timing of application of the fungicide, to understand which stage of parasite development was most susceptible: while myclobutanil did not interfere in the early stages of infection, its antifungal activity was clearly observable at a later stage of the disease (by impairing the production of transmission stages of the parasite). More research is needed to understand the broader consequences of this parasite-clearance effect, especially in face of increasing evidence that parasites are ecologically more important than their cryptic nature might suggest.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cláudia Machado
- CBMA (Centre of Molecular and Environmental Biology) & Department of Biology, School of Sciences, University of Minho, Braga, Portugal; Institute of Science and Innovation for Bio-Sustainability (IB-S), School of Sciences, University of Minho, Braga, Portugal
| | - Ana P Cuco
- CBMA (Centre of Molecular and Environmental Biology) & Department of Biology, School of Sciences, University of Minho, Braga, Portugal; Institute of Science and Innovation for Bio-Sustainability (IB-S), School of Sciences, University of Minho, Braga, Portugal
| | - Fernanda Cássio
- CBMA (Centre of Molecular and Environmental Biology) & Department of Biology, School of Sciences, University of Minho, Braga, Portugal; Institute of Science and Innovation for Bio-Sustainability (IB-S), School of Sciences, University of Minho, Braga, Portugal
| | - Justyna Wolinska
- Department of Evolutionary and Integrative Ecology, Leibniz Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries (IGB), Berlin, Germany; Department of Biology, Chemistry, Pharmacy, Institute of Biology, Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Bruno B Castro
- CBMA (Centre of Molecular and Environmental Biology) & Department of Biology, School of Sciences, University of Minho, Braga, Portugal; Institute of Science and Innovation for Bio-Sustainability (IB-S), School of Sciences, University of Minho, Braga, Portugal.
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Goutte A, Molbert N. Benefits of Parasitism in Polluted Environments: A Review and Perspectives. Front Ecol Evol 2022. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2022.847869] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The frequency and strength of biotic interactions are thought to be shaped by environmental conditions. In this study, we reviewed and discussed the potential effects of toxic chemicals in driving shifts along the parasite-mutualist continuum. Some parasites have the astonishing capacity to accumulate trace metals and organic pollutants from various taxa within freshwater, marine, and terrestrial ecosystems. Recent studies have provided evidence of clear benefits for the host: when exposed to contaminants, infected organisms exhibited reduced contamination levels, less severe oxidative stress, and histological alterations, as well as higher body condition and survival rate compared with their uninfected conspecifics. Such effects might arise when the costs of parasitism are lower than their benefits in specific environmental conditions. Assessing the potential outcomes for parasites exploiting contaminated hosts is a crucial but neglected issue, since ecotoxicological effects on parasites may alter interspecific relationships. We identified possible avenues for future research using innovative tools and long-term experimental manipulations of both parasitism and pollution to better understand how toxic chemicals can modulate the strength and direction of host-parasite interactions.
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Cuco AP, Wolinska J, Santos JI, Abrantes N, Gonçalves FJM, Castro BB. Can parasites adapt to pollutants? A multigenerational experiment with a Daphnia × Metschnikowia model system exposed to the fungicide tebuconazole. AQUATIC TOXICOLOGY (AMSTERDAM, NETHERLANDS) 2020; 226:105584. [PMID: 32795838 DOI: 10.1016/j.aquatox.2020.105584] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/16/2020] [Revised: 07/05/2020] [Accepted: 07/24/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
There is increasing evidence about negative effects of fungicides on non-target organisms, including parasitic species, which are key elements in food webs. Previous experiments showed that environmentally relevant concentrations of fungicide tebuconazole are toxic to the microparasite Metschnikowia bicuspidata, a yeast species that infects the planktonic crustacean Daphnia spp. However, due to their short-term nature, this and other experimental studies were not able to test if parasites could potentially adapt to these contaminants. Here, we tested if M. bicuspidata parasite can adapt to tebuconazole selective pressure. Infected D. magna lineages were reared under control conditions (no tebuconazole) and environmentally realistic tebuconazole concentrations, for four generations, and their performance was compared in a follow-up reciprocal assay. Additionally, we assessed whether the observed effects were transient (phenotypic) or permanent (genetic), by reassessing parasite fitness after the removal of selective pressure. Parasite fitness was negatively affected throughout the multigenerational exposure to the fungicide: prevalence of infection and spore load decreased, whereas host longevity increased, in comparison to control (naive) parasite lineages. In a follow-up reciprocal assay, tebuconazole-conditioned (TEB) lineages performed worse than naive parasite lineages, both in treatments without and with tebuconazole, confirming the cumulative negative effect of tebuconazole. The underperformance of TEB lineages was rapidly reversed after removing the influence of the selective pressure (tebuconazole), demonstrating that the costs of prolonged exposure to tebuconazole were phenotypic and transient. The microparasitic yeast M. bicuspidata did not reveal potential for rapid evolution to an anthropogenic selective pressure; instead, the long-term exposure to tebuconazole was hazardous to this non-target species. These findings highlight the potential environmental risks of azole fungicides on non-target parasitic fungi. The underperformance of these microbes and their inability to adapt to such stressors can interfere with the key processes where they intervene. Further research is needed to rank fungicides based on the hazard to non-target fungi (parasites, but also symbionts and decomposers), towards more effective management and protective legislation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ana P Cuco
- Department of Biology, University of Aveiro, Aveiro, Portugal; CESAM, University of Aveiro, Aveiro, Portugal; CBMA (Centre of Molecular and Environmental Biology), Department of Biology, University of Minho, Braga, Portugal; Institute of Science and Innovation for Bio-Sustainability (IB-S), University of Minho, Braga, Portugal.
| | - Justyna Wolinska
- Department of Ecosystem Research, Leibniz-Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries (IGB), Berlin, Germany; Department of Biology, Chemistry, Pharmacy, Institute of Biology, Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Joana I Santos
- Department of Biology, University of Aveiro, Aveiro, Portugal; CESAM, University of Aveiro, Aveiro, Portugal
| | - Nelson Abrantes
- CESAM, University of Aveiro, Aveiro, Portugal; Department of Environment and Planning, University of Aveiro, Aveiro, Portugal
| | - Fernando J M Gonçalves
- Department of Biology, University of Aveiro, Aveiro, Portugal; CESAM, University of Aveiro, Aveiro, Portugal
| | - Bruno B Castro
- CBMA (Centre of Molecular and Environmental Biology), Department of Biology, University of Minho, Braga, Portugal; Institute of Science and Innovation for Bio-Sustainability (IB-S), University of Minho, Braga, Portugal
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Tracy AM, Weil E, Harvell CD. Warming and pollutants interact to modulate octocoral immunity and shape disease outcomes. ECOLOGICAL APPLICATIONS : A PUBLICATION OF THE ECOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA 2020; 30:e02024. [PMID: 31628889 DOI: 10.1002/eap.2024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2019] [Revised: 09/03/2019] [Accepted: 09/16/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Warming environments can alter the outcome of host-parasite relationships with important consequences for biodiversity. Warming often increases disease risk, and interactions with other environmental factors can intensify impacts by modifying the underlying mechanisms, such as host immunity. In coastal ecosystems, metal pollution is a pervasive stressor that influences disease and immunity in many organisms. Despite the crisis facing coral reefs, which stems in part from warming-associated disease outbreaks, the impacts of metal pollutants on scleractinian and octocoral disease are largely unknown. We investigated how warming oceans and copper pollution affect host immunity and disease risk for two diseases of the abundant Caribbean octocoral, the sea fan Gorgonia ventalina. Field surveys across a sediment copper concentration gradient in Puerto Rico, USA revealed that cellular immunity of sea fans increased by 12.6% at higher sediment copper concentrations, while recovery from multifocal purple spots disease (MFPS) tended to decrease. MFPS severity in the field increased at warmer sites. In a controlled laboratory experiment, sea fans were inoculated with live cultures of a labyrinthulid parasite to test the interactive effects of temperature and copper on immune activation. As in the field, higher copper induced greater immunity, but the factorial design of the experiment revealed that copper and temperature interacted to modulate the immune response to the parasite: immune cell densities increased with elevated temperature at lower copper concentrations, but not with high copper concentrations. Tissue damage was also greater in treatments with higher copper and warmer temperatures. Field and lab evidence confirm that elevated copper hinders sea fan immune defenses against damaging parasites. Temperature and copper influenced host-pathogen interactions in octocorals by modulating immunity, disease severity, and disease recovery. This is the first evidence that metal pollution affects processes influencing disease in octocorals and highlights the importance of immune mechanisms in environmentally mediated disease outbreaks. Although coral conservation efforts must include a focus on global factors, such as rapid warming, reducing copper and other pollutants that compromise coral health on a local scale may help corals fight disease in a warming ocean.
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Affiliation(s)
- Allison M Tracy
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, 14853-2601, USA
| | - Ernesto Weil
- Department of Marine Sciences, University of Puerto Rico, Mayagüez, Puerto Rico, 00680, USA
| | - C Drew Harvell
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, 14853-2601, USA
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Temperature modulates the interaction between fungicide pollution and disease: evidence from a Daphnia-microparasitic yeast model. Parasitology 2017; 145:939-947. [PMID: 29160185 DOI: 10.1017/s0031182017002062] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/20/2023]
Abstract
Temperature is expected to modulate the responses of organisms to stress. Here, we aimed to assess the influence of temperature on the interaction between parasitism and fungicide contamination. Specifically, using the cladoceran Daphnia as a model system, we explored the isolated and interactive effects of parasite challenge (yeast Metschnikowia bicuspidata) and exposure to fungicides (copper sulphate and tebuconazole) at two temperatures (17 and 20 °C), in a fully factorial design. Confirming a previous study, M. bicuspidata infection and copper exposure caused independent effects on Daphnia life history, whereas infection was permanently suppressed with tebuconazole exposure. Here, we show that higher temperature generally increased the virulence of the parasite, with the hosts developing signs of infection earlier, reproducing less and dying at an earlier age. These effects were consistent across copper concentrations, whereas the joint effects of temperature (which enhanced the difference between non-infected and infected hosts) and the anti-parasitic action of tebuconazole resulted in a more pronounced parasite × tebuconazole interaction at the higher temperature. Thus, besides independently influencing parasite and contaminant effects, the temperature can act as a modulator of interactions between pollution and disease.
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Cuco AP, Abrantes N, Gonçalves F, Wolinska J, Castro BB. Interplay between fungicides and parasites: Tebuconazole, but not copper, suppresses infection in a Daphnia-Metschnikowia experimental model. PLoS One 2017; 12:e0172589. [PMID: 28231278 PMCID: PMC5322920 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0172589] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/18/2016] [Accepted: 02/07/2017] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Natural populations are commonly exposed to complex stress scenarios, including anthropogenic contamination and their biological enemies (e.g., parasites). The study of the pollutant-parasite interplay is especially important, given the need for adequate regulations to promote improved ecosystem protection. In this study, a host-parasite model system (Daphnia spp. and the microparasitic yeast Metschnikowia bicuspidata) was used to explore the reciprocal effects of contamination by common agrochemical fungicides (copper sulphate and tebuconazole) and parasite challenge. We conducted 21-day life history experiments with two host clones exposed to copper (0.00, 25.0, 28.8 and 33.1 μg L-1) or tebuconazole (0.00, 154, 192 and 240 μg L-1), in the absence or presence of the parasite. For each contaminant, the experimental design consisted of 2 Daphnia clones × 4 contaminant concentrations × 2 parasite treatments × 20 replicates = 320 experimental units. Copper and tebuconazole decreased Daphnia survival or reproduction, respectively, whilst the parasite strongly reduced host survival. Most importantly, while copper and parasite effects were mostly independent, tebuconazole suppressed infection. In a follow-up experiment, we tested the effect of a lower range of tebuconazole concentrations (0.00, 6.25, 12.5, 25.0, 50.0 and 100 μg L-1) crossed with increasing parasite challenge (2 Daphnia clones × 6 contaminant concentrations × 2 parasite levels × 20 replicates = 480 experimental units). Suppression of infection was confirmed at environmentally relevant concentrations (> 6.25 μg L-1), irrespective of the numbers of parasite challenge. The ecological consequences of such a suppression of infection include interferences in host population dynamics and diversity, as well as community structure and energy flow across the food web, which could upscale to ecosystem level given the important role of parasites.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ana P. Cuco
- Department of Biology, University of Aveiro, Aveiro, Portugal
- Centre for Environmental and Marine Studies (CESAM), University of Aveiro, Aveiro, Portugal
| | - Nelson Abrantes
- Centre for Environmental and Marine Studies (CESAM), University of Aveiro, Aveiro, Portugal
- Department of Environment and Planning, University of Aveiro, Aveiro, Portugal
| | - Fernando Gonçalves
- Department of Biology, University of Aveiro, Aveiro, Portugal
- Centre for Environmental and Marine Studies (CESAM), University of Aveiro, Aveiro, Portugal
| | - Justyna Wolinska
- Department of Ecosystem Research, Leibniz-Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries (IGB), Berlin, Germany
- Department of Biology, Chemistry, Pharmacy, Institute of Biology, Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Bruno B. Castro
- Centre for Environmental and Marine Studies (CESAM), University of Aveiro, Aveiro, Portugal
- Centre of Molecular and Environmental Biology (CBMA), Department of Biology, University of Minho, Braga, Portugal
- * E-mail:
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Sures B, Nachev M, Selbach C, Marcogliese DJ. Parasite responses to pollution: what we know and where we go in 'Environmental Parasitology'. Parasit Vectors 2017; 10:65. [PMID: 28166838 PMCID: PMC5294906 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-017-2001-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 154] [Impact Index Per Article: 22.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/05/2016] [Accepted: 01/24/2017] [Indexed: 01/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Environmental parasitology deals with the interactions between parasites and pollutants in the environment. Their sensitivity to pollutants and environmental disturbances makes many parasite taxa useful indicators of environmental health and anthropogenic impact. Over the last 20 years, three main research directions have been shown to be highly promising and relevant, namely parasites as accumulation indicators for selected pollutants, parasites as effect indicators, and the role of parasites interacting with established bioindicators. The current paper focuses on the potential use of parasites as indicators of environmental pollution and the interactions with their hosts. By reviewing some of the most recent findings in the field of environmental parasitology, we summarize the current state of the art and try to identify promising ideas for future research directions. In detail, we address the suitability of parasites as accumulation indicators and their possible application to demonstrate biological availability of pollutants; the role of parasites as pollutant sinks; the interaction between parasites and biomarkers focusing on combined effects of parasitism and pollution on the health of their hosts; and the use of parasites as indicators of contaminants and ecosystem health. Therefore, this review highlights the application of parasites as indicators at different biological scales, from the organismal to the ecosystem.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bernd Sures
- Aquatic Ecology and Centre for Water and Environmental Research, University of Duisburg-Essen, Universitätsstr. 5, D-45141, Essen, Germany.,Department of Zoology, University of Johannesburg, PO Box 524, Auckland Park 2006, Johannesburg, South Africa
| | - Milen Nachev
- Aquatic Ecology and Centre for Water and Environmental Research, University of Duisburg-Essen, Universitätsstr. 5, D-45141, Essen, Germany.
| | - Christian Selbach
- Water Research Group, Unit for Environmental Sciences and Management, North-West University, Private Bag X6001, Potchefstroom, 2520, South Africa
| | - David J Marcogliese
- Aquatic Contaminants Research Division, Water Science and Technology Directorate, Science and Technology Branch, Environment and Climate Change Canada, St. Lawrence Centre, 105 McGill Street, 7th floor, Montreal, QC, H2Y 2E7, Canada.,St. Andrews Biological Station, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, 531 Brandy Cove Road, St, Andrews, NB, E5B 2 L9, Canada
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Gilbert BM, Avenant-Oldewage A. Hatchability and survival of oncomiracidia of Paradiplozoon ichthyoxanthon (Monogenea: Diplozoidae) exposed to aqueous aluminium. Parasit Vectors 2016; 9:420. [PMID: 27464982 PMCID: PMC4964072 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-016-1706-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/18/2016] [Accepted: 07/17/2016] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Monogenea is a diverse group of ectoparasites showing great potential as sentinel organisms for monitoring environmental health. Exposure to metals negatively affects infrapopulations of monogeneans and exposure to aluminium has been found to negatively impact the survival of gyrodactylids. METHODS Samples of infected host fish, the smallmouth yellowfish Labeobarbus aeneus (Cyprinidae), were collected from the Vaal Dam, South Africa and transported back to the laboratory in dark 160 l containers. Eggs of the monogenean Paradiplozoon ichthyoxanthon infecting L. aeneus were collected and exposed to varying concentrations of aluminium along with a control group in static tanks. The eggs were checked every 24 h and hatching commenced 13-14 days after exposure. Water samples were taken from exposure tanks and acidified for analysis of Al levels with inductively-coupled plasma mass spectrometry. RESULTS Hatching of eggs was variable between exposures, and in 30 μg Al/l and 60 μg Al/l was found to occur before eggs in control beakers, whereas, exposure to 120 μg Al/l delayed hatching and reduced hatchability. Survival of hatched oncomiracidia was concentration dependent and negatively correlated with aluminium concentrations. Lowest survival was recorded for 60 μg Al/l and 120 μg Al/l where all larvae died shortly after or during hatching. Normal development of embryos of P. ichthyoxanthon within eggs exposed to all doses of aluminium indicates that the egg shell is moderately impermeable to metals and inhibits movement of aluminium across the shell and interacting with developing embryos. CONCLUSIONS Higher larval mortality rate in 120 μg/l exposure can be related to aluminium crossing the egg shell in the late stages and causing death of unhatched yet fully developed embryos, possibly due to changes in the permeability of the egg shell as embryos neared developmental completion. Accelerated death of oncomiracidia after hatching indicates sensitivity toward high concentrations of aluminium.
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Affiliation(s)
- Beric M. Gilbert
- Department of Zoology, University of Johannesburg, Johannesburg, South Africa
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Parasite community similarity in Athabasca River trout-perch (Percopsis omiscomaycus) varies with local-scale land use and sediment hydrocarbons, but not distance or linear gradients. Parasitol Res 2016; 115:3853-66. [PMID: 27314231 DOI: 10.1007/s00436-016-5151-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/27/2015] [Accepted: 05/23/2016] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Abstract
Parasite communities have been shown to be structured by processes at scales ranging from continental to microhabitat, but few studies have simultaneously considered spatial and environmental variables, measured at different scales, to assess their relative influences on parasite abundance, species richness, and community similarity. Parasite abundance, diversity, and community similarity in Athabasca River trout-perch (Percopsis omiscomaycus) were examined in relation to water quality, substrate profile, metal and organic compound levels in water and sediment, and landscape use patterns at different scales, as well as distance among sites and upstream-downstream position along the river. Although species richness did not differ among sites, there were significant differences in abundance of individual taxa and community structure. We observed a shift from communities dominated by larval trematodes Diplostomum spp. to domination by gill monogeneans Urocleidus baldwini, followed by a reversion further downstream. Variations in the abundance of these taxa and of overall community similarity were strongly correlated with sediment hydrocarbons (alkanes and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs)) as well as landscape use within 5 km of study sites. No correlations were noted with any other predictors, indicating that parasite populations and communities in this system were likely primarily influenced by habitat level and landscape-scale filters, rather than larger-scale processes such as distance decay or river continuum effects.
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Pettersen RA, Hytterød S, Vøllestad LA, Mo TA. Osmoregulatory disturbances in Atlantic salmon, Salmo salar L., caused by the monogenean Gyrodactylus salaris. JOURNAL OF FISH DISEASES 2013; 36:67-70. [PMID: 22913343 DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-2761.2012.01441.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/21/2012] [Revised: 03/30/2012] [Accepted: 07/11/2012] [Indexed: 06/01/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- R A Pettersen
- Center for Ecological and Evolutionary Synthesis, Department of Biology, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway.
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Pierron F, Normandeau E, Defo MA, Campbell PGC, Bernatchez L, Couture P. Effects of chronic metal exposure on wild fish populations revealed by high-throughput cDNA sequencing. ECOTOXICOLOGY (LONDON, ENGLAND) 2011; 20:1388-1399. [PMID: 21557025 DOI: 10.1007/s10646-011-0696-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 51] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 04/28/2011] [Indexed: 05/30/2023]
Abstract
Given the inherent variability of aquatic systems, predicting the in situ effects of contaminants on such ecosystems still represents a major challenge for ecotoxicology. In this context, transcriptomic tools can help identify and investigate the mechanisms of toxicity beyond the traditional morphometric, physiological and population-level endpoints. In this study, we used the 454 sequencing technology to examine the in situ effects of chronic metal (Cd, Cu) exposure on the yellow perch (Perca flavescens) transcriptome. Total hepatic mRNA from fish sampled along a polymetallic gradient was extracted, reverse transcribed, labeled with unique barcode sequences and sequenced. This approach allowed us to identify correlations between the transcription level of single genes and the hepatic concentrations of individual metals; 71% of the correlations established were negative. Chronic metal exposure was thus associated with a decrease in the transcription levels of numerous genes involved in protein biosynthesis, in the immune system, and in lipid and energy metabolism. Our results suggest that this marked decrease could result from an impairment of bile acid metabolism by Cd and energy restriction but also from the recruitment of several genes involved in epigenetic modifications of histones and DNA that lead to gene silencing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fabien Pierron
- Institut National de La Recherche Scientifique, INRS-Centre Eau Terre Environnement, 490 de la Couronne, Quebec, QC, G1K 9A9, Canada
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12
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Combined effects of parasites and contaminants on animal health: parasites do matter. Trends Parasitol 2011; 27:123-30. [DOI: 10.1016/j.pt.2010.11.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 197] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2010] [Revised: 11/01/2010] [Accepted: 11/09/2010] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
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