The effects of chloridazon exposure at concentrations of 2.7 μg/L (maximal real environmental concentration in the Czech Republic), 27 μg/L, 135 μg/L and 270 μg/L on early life stages of marbled crayfish (Procambarus virginalis) were evaluated. Significantly higher glutathione S-transferase activity and reduced glutathione level was observed at all tested concentrations of chloridazon compared with the control. Chloridazon in concentrations 27, 135 and 270 μg/L caused delay ontogenetic development and slower growth. Histopathological changes in hepathopancreas were found in two highest tested concentrations (135 μg/L and 270 μg/L). Crayfish behaviour was not altered in control vs. exposed animals, while the activity parameters tend to decline with increasing chloridazon concentrations.
- MeSH
- pesticidy toxicita MeSH
- pyridaziny toxicita MeSH
- severní raci účinky léků fyziologie MeSH
- testy toxicity * MeSH
- zvířata MeSH
- Check Tag
- zvířata MeSH
- Publikační typ
- časopisecké články MeSH
- Geografické názvy
- Česká republika MeSH
The effects of s-metolachlor chronic exposure at concentrations of 1.1 μg/L (maximal real environmental concentration in the Czech Republic), 11 μg/L (environmental relevant concentration) and 110 μg/L on early life stages of marbled crayfish (Procambarus virginalis) was evaluated under laboratory conditions. All s-metolachlor exposures resulted in higher mortality, delay ontogenetic development with accompanied slower growth and excited behaviour (increase of total distance moved and walking speed). Significantly lower superoxide dismutase, catalase, glutathione S-transferase activity and reduced glutathione level was observed at two higher tested concentrations (11 and 110 μg/L) of s-metolachlor compared with the control. S-metolachlor in concentrations 110 μg/L showed alteration of the tubular system of hepatopancreas including focal disintegration of tubular epithelium and notable reduction in epithelial cells number, especially B-cells. In conclusion, potential risk associated with using of s-metolachlor in agriculture, due to effects on non-target aquatic organisms as documented on early life stages of marbled crayfish in this study, should be taken into account.
- MeSH
- acetamidy toxicita MeSH
- chování zvířat účinky léků MeSH
- hepatopankreas účinky léků patologie MeSH
- herbicidy toxicita MeSH
- severní raci účinky léků fyziologie MeSH
- zvířata MeSH
- Check Tag
- ženské pohlaví MeSH
- zvířata MeSH
- Publikační typ
- časopisecké články MeSH
Evidence of the ecological and biological impact of pharmaceuticals in surface waters on aquatic organisms is increasing. Tramadol is a synthetic opioid analgesic used to treat chronic and acute pain. To investigate its long-term effects at environmentally relevant levels, we evaluated heart rate (HR) and locomotion of signal crayfish Pacifastacus leniusculus during a 21-day exposure to 1 μg L-1 tramadol followed by 14 days depuration. Locomotion and HR were recorded over a period 30 min before and 30 min after exposure to physiological fluids of an injured conspecific, a natural stressor, four times during the tramadol exposure and four times during depuration. A significant increase in HR following stress induction was found in the majority of tramadol-exposed and control crayfish, as well as significant group-specific HR changes between both groups. Locomotor activity during tramadol treatment differed from that during depuration, in general showing less time spent in locomotion and lower distance moved. The tramadol exposed crayfish exhibited higher velocity during depuration than during the exposure period. Results may suggest a potential shift in prey-predator relationships.
- MeSH
- časové faktory MeSH
- chemické látky znečišťující vodu toxicita MeSH
- chování zvířat účinky léků MeSH
- fyziologický stres účinky léků MeSH
- lokomoce účinky léků MeSH
- severní raci účinky léků fyziologie MeSH
- srdce účinky léků fyziologie MeSH
- srdeční frekvence účinky léků MeSH
- tramadol toxicita MeSH
- vystavení vlivu životního prostředí analýza MeSH
- zvířata MeSH
- Check Tag
- zvířata MeSH
- Publikační typ
- časopisecké články MeSH
Social deprivation early in life affects further individual development and leads to irreversible behavioural alterations later in life. Although the syndrome is well-studied in vertebrates including humans, its presence in invertebrates has been described only in eusocial insects and cockroaches. Here we show the first evidence of social deprivation in subsocial decapod crustaceans, based on analysis of video-recorded agonistic encounters of juvenile red swamp crayfish (Procambarus clarkii, Girard). In comparison with maternally incubated juveniles, isolated crayfish had altered repertoires, numbers and frequency of agonistic interactions similar to those described in vertebrates. Our results support the view on the syndrome of social deprivation as a ubiquitous trait in species with developed maternal care across diverse taxa.
Magnetic sensing is used to structure every-day, non-migratory behaviours in many animals. We show that crayfish exhibit robust spontaneous magnetic alignment responses. These magnetic behaviours are altered by interactions with Branchiobdellidan worms, which are obligate ectosymbionts. Branchiobdellidan worms have previously been shown to have positive effects on host growth when present at moderate densities, and negative effects at relatively high densities. Here we show that crayfish with moderate densities of symbionts aligned bimodally along the magnetic northeast-southwest axis, similar to passive magnetic alignment responses observed across a range of stationary vertebrates. In contrast, crayfish with high symbiont densities failed to exhibit consistent alignment relative to the magnetic field. Crayfish without symbionts shifted exhibited quadramodal magnetic alignment and were more active. These behavioural changes suggest a change in the organization of spatial behaviour with increasing ectosymbiont densities. We propose that the increased activity and a switch to quadramodal magnetic alignment may be associated with the use of systematic search strategies. Such a strategy could increase contact-rates with conspecifics in order to replenish the beneficial ectosymbionts that only disperse between hosts during direct contact. Our results demonstrate that crayfish perceive and respond to magnetic fields, and that symbionts influence magnetically structured spatial behaviour of their hosts.
A crayfish is a pivotal aquatic organism that serves both as a practical biological model for behavioral and physiological studies of invertebrates and as a useful biological indicator of water quality. Even though crayfish cannot directly specify the substances that cause water quality deterioration, they can immediately (within a few seconds) warn humans of water quality deterioration via acute changes in their cardiac and behavioral activities. In this study, we present a noninvasive method that is simple enough to be implemented under various conditions due to a combination of simplicity and reliability in one model. This approach, in which the biological organisms are implemented into environmental evaluation processes, provides a reliable and timely alarm for warning of and preventing acute water deterioration in an ambient environment. Therefore, this noninvasive system based on crayfish physiological and ethological parameter recordings was investigated for the detection of changes in an aquatic environment. This system is now applied at a local brewery for controlling quality of the water used for beverage production, but it can be used at any water treatment and supply facility for continuous, real-time water quality evaluation and for regular laboratory investigations of crayfish cardiac physiology and behavior.
- MeSH
- chemické látky znečišťující vodu toxicita MeSH
- chování zvířat účinky léků MeSH
- kvalita vody * MeSH
- monitorování životního prostředí metody MeSH
- reprodukovatelnost výsledků MeSH
- severní raci účinky léků fyziologie MeSH
- srdce fyziologie MeSH
- vystavení vlivu životního prostředí analýza MeSH
- zvířata MeSH
- Check Tag
- zvířata MeSH
- Publikační typ
- audiovizuální média MeSH
- časopisecké články MeSH
- práce podpořená grantem MeSH
Two basic ecological relationships, herbivory and competition, distinctively influence terrestrial ecosystem characteristics, such as plant cover, species richness and species composition. We conducted a cage experiment under natural conditions in an aquatic ecosystem to test the impacts of two treatments combined in a factorial manner: (i) a pulse treatment - removal of dominant competitors among primary producers (macroalgae Chara sp. and Vaucheria sp.), and (ii) a press treatment - preventing herbivore (fish, crayfish) access to caged plots. The plots were sampled once before the treatments were established and four more times within two years. Both treatments had a significantly positive impact on macrophyte cover and species richness and changed the macrophyte species composition. The effect of the macroalgae removal was immediate with the highest species richness occurrence during the first post-treatment monitoring, but the positive effect vanished with time. In contrast, preventing herbivore access had a gradual but long-lasting effect and reached a more steady-state over time. Two of the most common species showed contrasting responses, the palatable Potamogeton pectinatus was most supported by caging, while the distasteful Myriophyllum spicatum preferred open plots. Our findings may be applicable during the revitalisation of aquatic ecosystems that aims to increase macrophyte biodiversity.
- MeSH
- biodiverzita * MeSH
- býložravci fyziologie MeSH
- Chara fyziologie MeSH
- distribuce rostlin * MeSH
- jezera MeSH
- rdestovité fyziologie MeSH
- regenerace a remediace životního prostředí MeSH
- ryby fyziologie MeSH
- severní raci fyziologie MeSH
- zvířata MeSH
- Check Tag
- zvířata MeSH
- Publikační typ
- časopisecké články MeSH
- práce podpořená grantem MeSH
Environmental pollution by pharmaceutically active compounds, used in quantities similar to those of pesticides and other organic micropollutants, is increasingly recognized as a major threat to the aquatic environment. These compounds are only partly removed from wastewaters and, despite their low concentrations, directly and indirectly affect behaviour of freshwater organisms in natural habitats. The aim of this study was to behaviourally assess the effects of an opioid painkiller (tramadol) and antidepressant drug (citalopram) on behaviour patterns of a clonal model species, marbled crayfish. Animals exposed to environmentally relevant concentrations of both tested compounds (∼1 μg l-1) exhibited significantly lower velocity and shorter distance moved than controls. Crayfish exposed to tramadol spent more time in shelters. Results were obtained by a simple and rapid method recommended as suitable for assessment of behaviour in aquatic organisms exposed to single pollutants and combinations.
- MeSH
- bezobratlí účinky léků fyziologie MeSH
- chemické látky znečišťující vodu toxicita MeSH
- chování zvířat účinky léků MeSH
- citalopram toxicita MeSH
- pohyb účinky léků MeSH
- severní raci účinky léků fyziologie MeSH
- tramadol toxicita MeSH
- vodní organismy účinky léků fyziologie MeSH
- zvířata MeSH
- Check Tag
- zvířata MeSH
- Publikační typ
- časopisecké články MeSH
Mining activities are responsible for high concentrations of metals in river networks in many parts of the world. Mining activities and the resulting high loads of heavy metals interact with intensive acid rain, and often have great consequences for biodiversity. However, considering the frequently episodic nature of these heavy acid rains, there is little detailed evidence of direct impacts. In 2011 we observed a massive mortality of noble crayfish and stone crayfish in Padrťsko Special Area of Conservation (SAC) in the Brdy Mountain region of the Czech Republic. Based on concentrations of metals (Al, Fe, As, Cd, Pb, Cu, Zn and Hg) in various tissues (gills, hepatopancreas, muscle) of both dead and live crayfish in this locality compared to reference populations, these crayfish had experienced long-term exposure to increased levels of these metals. Here we give detailed documentation of crayfish mortality associated with high metal concentrations in the gills and other tissues of these endangered invertebrates.
- MeSH
- chemické látky znečišťující vodu analýza toxicita MeSH
- hornictví MeSH
- koncentrace vodíkových iontů MeSH
- monitorování životního prostředí MeSH
- počasí MeSH
- řeky chemie MeSH
- severní raci účinky léků fyziologie MeSH
- těžké kovy analýza toxicita MeSH
- zvířata MeSH
- Check Tag
- zvířata MeSH
- Publikační typ
- časopisecké články MeSH
- Geografické názvy
- Česká republika MeSH
After mating, spermatophores of signal crayfish are stored on the body of the female for a period before fertilization. This study compared the post-mating protein profile and pattern of protein tyrosine phosphorylation of the signal crayfish spermatophore to that of the freshly ejaculated spermatophore and found substantial differences. Two major bands of tyrosine-phosphorylated proteins of molecular weights 10 and 50kDa were observed in the freshly ejaculated spermatophore of the signal crayfish. While the tyrosine-phosphorylated protein band with molecular weight 10kDa was formed by protein(s) of similar pH, the band with molecular weight of 50kDa consisted of proteins of varying pH. In the post-mating spermatophore, the band with molecular weight of 50kDa was not detected, and an increase in the level of protein tyrosine phosphorylation was observed in the 10kDa band. The microtubular radial arms of the spermatozoon showed a positive reaction to an anti-tyrosine antibody conjugated with gold particles in both the freshly ejaculated and post-mating spermatophores. In conclusion, the male gamete of the signal crayfish undergoes molecular modification during post-mating storage on the body of the female including changes in the level of protein expression and protein tyrosine phosphorylation. Structural similarity of the radial arms in the crayfish immotile spermatozoon with flagellum, which is the main site of protein tyrosine phosphorylation in the mammalian motile spermatozoa, raises questions regarding evolution and function of such organelles across the animal kingdom that must be addressed in the future studies.
- MeSH
- fosforylace fyziologie MeSH
- kopulace MeSH
- motilita spermií fyziologie MeSH
- proteiny genetika metabolismus MeSH
- severní raci fyziologie MeSH
- spermatogonie fyziologie MeSH
- spermie fyziologie MeSH
- tyrosin metabolismus MeSH
- zvířata MeSH
- Check Tag
- mužské pohlaví MeSH
- ženské pohlaví MeSH
- zvířata MeSH
- Publikační typ
- časopisecké články MeSH
