INVESTIGADORES
BELTRAME Maria Ornela
artículos
Título:
Effects of zinc on molting and body weight of the estuarine crab Neohelice granulata
Autor/es:
BELTRAME M. ORNELA; DE MARCO SILVIA G.; MARCOVECCHIO JORGE E.
Revista:
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
Editorial:
Elsevier
Referencias:
Año: 2010 vol. 408 p. 531 - 536
ISSN:
0048-9697
Resumen:
The semiterrestrial burrowing crab Neohelice granulata is one of the main inhabitants of the supratidal and
intertidal zones of brackish salt marshes, estuaries and coastal lagoons from South America's Atlantic littoral.
A large population of this species spreads out Mar Chiquita coastal lagoon (in Argentina) and its corresponding
wetlands, and is considered as a key species within this system.
Since high values of dissolved heavymetals (including Zn) have been recently reportedwithinMar Chiquita
coastal lagoon, with levels unusually higher than those from other coastal systems within Argentina, it has
been explored that the existence of a risk of environmental conditions endanger these populations. So,
juveniles of this estuarine crab were experimentally exposed to increasing concentrations of dissolved Zn
(i.e., 0, 0.5 and 1 mg Zn2+ L−1) during six months, the time involved between two successive molts; in
addition, both the size andweight reached after eachmoltwere also studied in this assay. It can be concluded
that zinc can be toxic to crabs only at high concentrations. Considering that levels up to 1 mg Zn L−1 were
recently reported in Mar Chiquita coastal lagoon waters, the potential occurrence ofmean chronic effects on
the crab population within the coastal lagoon is discussed.Neohelice granulata is one of the main inhabitants of the supratidal and
intertidal zones of brackish salt marshes, estuaries and coastal lagoons from South America's Atlantic littoral.
A large population of this species spreads out Mar Chiquita coastal lagoon (in Argentina) and its corresponding
wetlands, and is considered as a key species within this system.
Since high values of dissolved heavymetals (including Zn) have been recently reportedwithinMar Chiquita
coastal lagoon, with levels unusually higher than those from other coastal systems within Argentina, it has
been explored that the existence of a risk of environmental conditions endanger these populations. So,
juveniles of this estuarine crab were experimentally exposed to increasing concentrations of dissolved Zn
(i.e., 0, 0.5 and 1 mg Zn2+ L−1) during six months, the time involved between two successive molts; in
addition, both the size andweight reached after eachmoltwere also studied in this assay. It can be concluded
that zinc can be toxic to crabs only at high concentrations. Considering that levels up to 1 mg Zn L−1 were
recently reported in Mar Chiquita coastal lagoon waters, the potential occurrence ofmean chronic effects on
the crab population within the coastal lagoon is discussed.2+ L−1) during six months, the time involved between two successive molts; in
addition, both the size andweight reached after eachmoltwere also studied in this assay. It can be concluded
that zinc can be toxic to crabs only at high concentrations. Considering that levels up to 1 mg Zn L−1 were
recently reported in Mar Chiquita coastal lagoon waters, the potential occurrence ofmean chronic effects on
the crab population within the coastal lagoon is discussed.−1 were
recently reported in Mar Chiquita coastal lagoon waters, the potential occurrence ofmean chronic effects on
the crab population within the coastal lagoon is discussed.