Journal
ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION
Volume 134, Issue 3, Pages 377-383Publisher
ELSEVIER SCI LTD
DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2004.09.018
Keywords
low salinity; concentration-response curve; sub-lethal; macroinvertebrates
Categories
Ask authors/readers for more resources
The growth and reproduction of the freshwater snail Physa acuta (Gastropoda: Physidae) were measured at various salinity levels (growth: distilled water, 50, 100, 500, 1000 and 5000 muS/cm; reproduction: deionized water, 100, 500, 1000 and 3000 muS/cm) established using the artificial sea salt, Ocean Nature. This was done to examine the assumption that there is no direct effect of salinity on freshwater animals until a threshold, beyond which sub-lethal effects, such as reduction in growth and reproduction, will occur. Growth of P. acuta was maximal in terms of live and dry mass at salinity levels 500-1000 muS/cm. The number of eggs produced per snail per day was maximal between 100 and 1000 muS/cm. Results show that rather than a threshold response to salinity, small rises in salinity (from low levels) can produce increased growth and reproduction until a maximum is reached. Beyond this salinity, further increases result in a decrease in growth and reproduction. Studies on the growth of freshwater invertebrates and fish have generally shown a similar lack of a threshold response. The implications for assessing the effects of salinisation on freshwater organisms need to be further considered. (C) 2004 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Authors
I am an author on this paper
Click your name to claim this paper and add it to your profile.
Reviews
Recommended
No Data Available