Effect of Cu/sup 2 +/ stress on an aquatic microcosm: a holistic study

Journal Article · Thu Apr 01 00:00:00 EST 1982 · Environ. Res.; (United States)

OSTI ID:5653904

Sugiura, ^[1]; Goto, M; Kurihara, Y

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1. Gakushuin Univ., Tokyo, Japan

Cu/sup 2 +/ stress was exerted on an aquatic microcosm containing green algae (Chlorella and Scenedesmus), a filamentous blue-green alga, ciliate protozoa (Cyclidium), two rotifers (Philodina and Lepadella), aquatic oligochaetes (one species), and bacteria (five species or more), and the changes in population density and community metabolism were observed. Exposure to Cu/sup 2 +/ in a static system in the early and middle phases of heterotrophic succession showed that the shift thus induced was greater in the early phase than in the middle phase. This shows the variations of the response to stress at successive stages. The response of the system was compared in a continuous-flow system on the basis of the amount of Cu/sup 2 +/ added, at two concentration levels of organic matter (1 and 50 ppm). The shift thus induced was greater at the high nutrient level than at the low nutrient level. This indicates that in a given system containing the same biological species, the response to stress varies with the nutrient level. These characteristic responses of an ecosystem to chemical stress are one of the factors to be taken into account when the toxicity of a chemical agent on a natural ecosystem is predicted.

• OSTI ID: 5653904
• Journal Information: Environ. Res.; (United States), Vol. 27:2
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
COPPER COMPOUNDS
ENVIRONMENTAL EFFECTS
ALGAE
AQUATIC ECOSYSTEMS
BACTERIA
BIOLOGICAL STRESS
ECOLOGICAL SUCCESSION
METABOLISM
MICROCOSMS
NUTRIENTS
POPULATION DENSITY
PROTOZOA
ANIMALS
ECOSYSTEMS
INVERTEBRATES
MICROORGANISMS
PLANTS
TRANSITION ELEMENT COMPOUNDS
560302* - Chemicals Metabolism & Toxicology- Microorganisms- (-1987)
520200 - Environment
Aquatic- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport- (-1989)