Publication Details

Category Text Publication
Reference Category Journals
DOI 10.1016/j.aquatox.2013.09.016
Title (Primary) Effects of Cd & Ni toxicity to Ceratophyllum demersum under environmentally relevant conditions in soft & hard water including a German lake
Author Andresen, E.; Opitz, J.; Thomas, G.; Stärk, H.-J.; Dienemann, H.; Jenemann, K.; Dickinson, B.C.; Küpper, H.
Source Titel Aquatic Toxicology
Year 2013
Department ANA
Volume 142-143
Page From 387
Page To 402
Language englisch
Keywords Heavy metals; Freshwater ecosystem; Environmentally relevant conditions; Submerged macrophytes; Photosynthesis biophysics; Chlorophyll fluorescence kinetics
UFZ wide themes RU2;
Abstract

Even essential trace elements are phytotoxic over a certain threshold. In this study, we investigated whether heavy metal concentrations were responsible for the nearly complete lack of submerged macrophytes in an oligotrophic lake in Germany. We cultivated the rootless aquatic model plant Ceratophyllum demersum under environmentally relevant conditions like sinusoidal light and temperature cycles and a low plant biomass to water volume ratio. Experiments lasted for six weeks and were analysed by detailed measurements of photosynthetic biophysics, pigment content and hydrogen peroxide production. We established that individually non-toxic cadmium (3 nM) and slightly toxic nickel (300 nM) concentrations became highly toxic when applied together in soft water, severely inhibiting photosynthetic light reactions. Toxicity was further enhanced by phosphate limitation (75 nM) in soft water as present in many freshwater habitats. In the investigated lake, however, high water hardness limited the toxicity of these metal concentrations, thus the inhibition of macrophytic growth in the lake must have additional reasons. The results showed that synergistic heavy metal toxicity may change ecosystems in many more cases than estimated so far.

Persistent UFZ Identifier https://www.ufz.de/index.php?en=20939&ufzPublicationIdentifier=14218
Andresen, E., Opitz, J., Thomas, G., Stärk, H.-J., Dienemann, H., Jenemann, K., Dickinson, B.C., Küpper, H. (2013):
Effects of Cd & Ni toxicity to Ceratophyllum demersum under environmentally relevant conditions in soft & hard water including a German lake
Aquat. Toxicol. 142-143 , 387 - 402 10.1016/j.aquatox.2013.09.016