Experimental evidence of contamination on the dynamics of shrimp populations: susceptibility to spatial isolation
| Autor: | Salvatierra, D. (David), Rodríguez-Ruiz, A. (Ángela), Cordero-de-Castro, A. (Andrea), López, J. (Julio), Baldó, F. (Francisco), Blasco, J. (Julián), Araújo, C.V.M. (Cristiano V.M.) |
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| Rok vydání: | 2021 |
| Předmět: | |
| Zdroj: | e-IEO. Repositorio Institucional Digital de Acceso Abierto del Instituto Español de Oceanografía instname |
| Popis: | Landscape-scale ecology comprises complex structures where a flow of energy, materials and organisms among ecosystems conditions the dynamics of populations. Several natural and anthropogenic stressors are likely to affect the landscape composition, generally leading to the rupture of ecological connectivity among populations. Although contamination is considered one of the most threatening factors for biodiversity, its impact on spatial dynamics of populations (e.g., distribution, persistence and abundance) from an eco-toxicological perspective is still unknown. In the current study, the potential effect that contamination can exert on the loss of connectivity among populations (chemically fragmented habitats) leading to population isolation was assessed. The estuarine shrimp Palaemon varians was used as model organisms and a novel version of the HeMHAS (Heterogeneous Multi-Habitat Assay System) was used to simulate spatially heterogeneous landscapes. In order to provide more ecological relevance to the study, besides copper as stressor [at low (0.5 μg/L) and high (25 μg/L) levels], other two factors were simultaneously tested: fish kairomones (as a predation signal) and food availability. Different scenarios were simulated in the HeMHAS to create heterogeneous landscapes that vary depending on the presence or absence of these stressors. The behavior observed by the population of P. varians clearly showed that the shrimp detected copper and avoided the regions with the highest levels of contamination. However, when fish kairomones were added to previously preferred regions, the behavior of shrimp populations did a radical turn: they escape the predator signals, moving towards contaminated regions, but with a clear preference for less contaminated areas. When faced whether to stay in a clean area with no food or moving through disturbed regions to colonize a clean region with food, shrimps’ populations crossed the regions, but with a more dynamic transit in the region with kairomones and no copper. These results indicate that contamination might interfere in the spatial dynamics of shrimps’ populations by: (i) triggering avoidance, (ii) preventing colonization, (iii) isolating populations and (iv) making them more susceptible to local extinction. |
| Databáze: | OpenAIRE |
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