How does growth temperature affect cadmium toxicity measured on different life history traits in the soil nematode Caenorhabditis elegans?

TY - JOUR

T1 - How does growth temperature affect cadmium toxicity measured on different life history traits in the soil nematode Caenorhabditis elegans?

AU - Nørhave, Nils Jakob

AU - Spurgeon, David

AU - Svendsen, Claus

AU - Cedergreen, Nina

PY - 2012/4

Y1 - 2012/4

N2 - Environmental factors, in particular temperature, have been shown to affect the toxicity of chemicals. In the present study the authors exposed the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans to five concentrations of Cd (2, 4, 6, 8, and 10mg Cd/L agar) at four constant temperatures (11, 15, 18, and 21°C) and monitored survival and reproduction on a daily basis. Data were incorporated in a population matrix model to determine the population growth rate (PGR). An additional experiment at 15 and 20°C and 0, 1, 5, and 10mg Cd/L was performed to include growth measurements in order to relate changes in reproduction to resource allocations between investments in growth and reproduction. The impacts of Cd on PGR increased with increasing temperature, shifting the median effective concentration (EC50) for PGR from 11.6±5.4 and 9.2±1.3 at 11°C and 15°C, to 2.1±0.1 and 1.7±0.4 at 18°C and 21°C. Cadmium and temperature decreased growth rates, but Cd also increased maturation times and decreased final body size. It is hypothesized that Cd toxicity leads to a decrease in nutrient assimilation and that this "chemical anorexia" is more severe at high temperatures, where energy demands for growth and reproduction are the highest.

AB - Environmental factors, in particular temperature, have been shown to affect the toxicity of chemicals. In the present study the authors exposed the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans to five concentrations of Cd (2, 4, 6, 8, and 10mg Cd/L agar) at four constant temperatures (11, 15, 18, and 21°C) and monitored survival and reproduction on a daily basis. Data were incorporated in a population matrix model to determine the population growth rate (PGR). An additional experiment at 15 and 20°C and 0, 1, 5, and 10mg Cd/L was performed to include growth measurements in order to relate changes in reproduction to resource allocations between investments in growth and reproduction. The impacts of Cd on PGR increased with increasing temperature, shifting the median effective concentration (EC50) for PGR from 11.6±5.4 and 9.2±1.3 at 11°C and 15°C, to 2.1±0.1 and 1.7±0.4 at 18°C and 21°C. Cadmium and temperature decreased growth rates, but Cd also increased maturation times and decreased final body size. It is hypothesized that Cd toxicity leads to a decrease in nutrient assimilation and that this "chemical anorexia" is more severe at high temperatures, where energy demands for growth and reproduction are the highest.

U2 - 10.1002/etc.1746

DO - 10.1002/etc.1746

M3 - Journal article

C2 - 22253140

SN - 0730-7268

VL - 31

SP - 787

EP - 793

JO - Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry

JF - Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry

IS - 4

ER -