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(29-02) Effects of xenobiotics on aquatic vertebrates and invertebrates on an organismic and suborganismic level. Zenker, Armin*,1, Böhmer, Jürgen1, Greilinger, Sandra1, Treiber, Matthias1, 1 University of Hohenheim, Institute of Zoology, Aquatic Ecology, Garbenstr. 30, Stuttgart, Germany ABSTRACT- Water is one of the most important resources to protect. In the last decade wastewater treatment has improved, but new analytical methods revealed other problems. The scientific community now recognizes toxic and endocrine disrupting substances as a severe problem, because we know few about their reaction on our health and environmental effects. To illuminate the influence of xenobiotics on their major vital functions we conducted exposure studies in laboratory and field with diverse water organisms. The complex situation in the field was simulated under simplified conditions in the laboratory. Regarding vertebrates, fish (stone loach and roach) and amphibians (three newt species and common toad) were observed. Among the invertebrates laboratory tests with Gammarus sp. and crayfish were performed, since community reactions could be seen in the field. In addition Gammarus represents an abundant genus, which should be in most natural streams and many ponds in Central Europe. Thus representatives of the most important groups of macroorganisms were taken into account. In field investigations the reaction on stressors like acidity, heavy metals, endocrine disrupters and pesticides were considered. For laboratory studies of the same stressors at environmentally relevant concentrations (e.g. up to 5 ng/l ethinylestradiol or 0,8 mg/l aluminium) endpoints like growth, behaviour, LC 50, viscera damages and reproduction were selected. Acute reactions like gill deformation were observed as well as chronic reactions like growth reduction. These effects on organismic and lower levels may serve to explain community changes. Key words: toxicity, endocrine disrupters, biotest, macrozoobenthos |
