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Cadmium and lead toxicity on tropical freshwater periphyton communities under laboratory-based mesocosm experiments

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Abstract

Periphyton constitutes an important community that is useful for assessment of ecological conditions in lotic systems. The objective of this study was to assess the effects of different mixtures of Cd and Pb on periphyton growth as well as Cd and Pb mixtures toxicity to diatom assemblages in laboratory mesocosm experiments. A natural periphyton community sampled from the Monjolinho River (South of Brazil) was inoculated into five experimental systems containing clean glass substrates for periphyton colonization. The communities were exposed to mixtures of dissolved Cd and Pb concentrations of 0.01 and 0.1 mg l−1 Cd and 0.033 and 0.1 mg l−1 Pb. Periphyton ash-free dry weight, growth rate, diatom cell density and diatom community composition were analyzed on samples collected after 1, 2 and 3 weeks of colonization. High Cd concentration (0.1 mg l−1) has negative effects on periphyton growth while high concentration of Pb (0.1 mg l−1) decreased the toxic effects of Cd on periphyton growth. Shifts in species composition (development of more resistant species like Achnanthidium minutissimum and reduction of sensitive ones like Cymbopleura naviculiformis, Fragilaria capucina, Navicula cryptocephala, Encyonema silesiacum, Eunotia bilunaris, and Gomphonema parvulum), decreases in species diversity of diatom communities with increasing Cd and Pb concentrations and exposure duration have been demonstrated in this study making diatom communities appropriate monitors of metal mixtures in aquatic systems.

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Acknowledgments

This study was made possible by the provision of funds from International Foundation for Science (IFS) and Third World Academy of Science through Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico. I also wish to thank the Insttituto Internacional de Ecologia management and staff for their support during the course of this study.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Instituto Internacional de Ecologia, Rua Bento Carlos, 750, Centro, São Carlos, SP, Brazil

    Taurai Bere & José Galizia Tundisi

  2. Univeridade Federal De São Carlos, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ecologia e Recursos Naturais, Rodovia Washington Luís, km 235, SP-310, São Carlos, SP, Brazil

    Taurai Bere

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  1. Taurai Bere
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  2. José Galizia Tundisi
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Correspondence to Taurai Bere.

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Bere, T., Tundisi, J.G. Cadmium and lead toxicity on tropical freshwater periphyton communities under laboratory-based mesocosm experiments. Hydrobiologia 680, 187–197 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10750-011-0917-8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10750-011-0917-8

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