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The fate of copper in flooded south Florida agricultural soils and its toxicological effects on the Florida apple snail, Pomacea paludosa

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Date Issued:
2008
Summary:
Agricultural sites have been acquired under the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan (CERP) for the creation of water storage areas. Copper desorption and toxicity to the Florida apple snail (Pomacea paludosa) were investigated using soils from these sites. Copper concentrations in II soils ranged from 5 to 234 mg/kg Cu dw, and when flooded, resulted in overlying water Cu concentrations from 9 to 308 11g/L Cu. Juvenile apple snails exposed to three flooded soils had high mortality and decreased growth within 9 to 16 days in two ofthe three soils examined. To assess Cu toxicity to the apple snail at various life stages and water quality parameters, 96 hour acute toxicity studies were conducted. Copper was more toxic to juvenile than adult apple snails. Copper toxicity increased as pH decreased and decreased as DOC increased. Hardness had no effect on Cu toxicity to the apple snail. Copper toxicity was a function of organism age, DOC and pH. Copper accumulation by juvenile and adult apple snails was determined for multiple exposure pathways. For 28 days, juvenile snails were exposed to aqueous Cu and adult snails were exposed to Cu contaminated soil, water and food. Whole body Cu in juvenile snails increased with time. The mean Cu bioconcentration factor (BCF) for juvenile snails was 1493. For adult snails, the dietary exposure pathway resulted in the highest bioaccumulation factor (BAF). Most Cu accumulated in soft tissue. During a chronic aqueous exposure, apple snails exposed to 8-16 flg /L Cu for 9 months had high Cu accumulation and significantly reduced clutch production (8-16 flg /L) and egg hatching (16 flg/L ). Chronic Cu exposure initially decreased growth in juvenile snails, but growth rebounded by adulthood and snails appeared to acclimate to chronic Cu exposure. When apple snails with high tissue Cu were fed to redear sunfish (Lepomis microlophus) Cu transfer was minimal, suggesting that the risk of trophic transfer (bioaccumulation) of Cu from the snail to redear sunfish is low and that biomagnification is unlikely. It is uncertain if other apple snail predators would be at risk for dietary Cu transfer.
Title: The fate of copper in flooded south Florida agricultural soils and its toxicological effects on the Florida apple snail, Pomacea paludosa.
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Name(s): Rogevich, Emily Catherine
Florida Atlantic University, Degree grantor
Brooks, W. Randy, Thesis advisor
Charles E. Schmidt College of Science
Department of Biological Sciences
Type of Resource: text
Genre: Electronic Thesis Or Dissertation
Date Created: 2008
Date Issued: 2008
Publisher: Florida Atlantic University
Place of Publication: Boca Raton, Fla.
Physical Form: application/pdf
Extent: 181 p.
Language(s): English
Summary: Agricultural sites have been acquired under the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan (CERP) for the creation of water storage areas. Copper desorption and toxicity to the Florida apple snail (Pomacea paludosa) were investigated using soils from these sites. Copper concentrations in II soils ranged from 5 to 234 mg/kg Cu dw, and when flooded, resulted in overlying water Cu concentrations from 9 to 308 11g/L Cu. Juvenile apple snails exposed to three flooded soils had high mortality and decreased growth within 9 to 16 days in two ofthe three soils examined. To assess Cu toxicity to the apple snail at various life stages and water quality parameters, 96 hour acute toxicity studies were conducted. Copper was more toxic to juvenile than adult apple snails. Copper toxicity increased as pH decreased and decreased as DOC increased. Hardness had no effect on Cu toxicity to the apple snail. Copper toxicity was a function of organism age, DOC and pH. Copper accumulation by juvenile and adult apple snails was determined for multiple exposure pathways. For 28 days, juvenile snails were exposed to aqueous Cu and adult snails were exposed to Cu contaminated soil, water and food. Whole body Cu in juvenile snails increased with time. The mean Cu bioconcentration factor (BCF) for juvenile snails was 1493. For adult snails, the dietary exposure pathway resulted in the highest bioaccumulation factor (BAF). Most Cu accumulated in soft tissue. During a chronic aqueous exposure, apple snails exposed to 8-16 flg /L Cu for 9 months had high Cu accumulation and significantly reduced clutch production (8-16 flg /L) and egg hatching (16 flg/L ). Chronic Cu exposure initially decreased growth in juvenile snails, but growth rebounded by adulthood and snails appeared to acclimate to chronic Cu exposure. When apple snails with high tissue Cu were fed to redear sunfish (Lepomis microlophus) Cu transfer was minimal, suggesting that the risk of trophic transfer (bioaccumulation) of Cu from the snail to redear sunfish is low and that biomagnification is unlikely. It is uncertain if other apple snail predators would be at risk for dietary Cu transfer.
Identifier: FA00000875 (IID)
Degree granted: Dissertation (Ph.D.)--Florida Atlantic University, 2008.
Collection: FAU Electronic Theses and Dissertations Collection
Note(s): Includes bibliography.
Charles E. Schmidt College of Science
Subject(s): Soil pollution--Florida
Florida applesnail--Habitat
Florida applesnail--Effect of heavy metals on
Copper--Toxicology
Ecosystem management--Florida
Held by: Florida Atlantic University Libraries
Persistent Link to This Record: http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00000875
Sublocation: Digital Library
Use and Reproduction: Copyright © is held by the author with permission granted to Florida Atlantic University to digitize, archive and distribute this item for non-profit research and educational purposes. Any reuse of this item in excess of fair use or other copyright exemptions requires permission of the copyright holder.
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Host Institution: FAU
Is Part of Series: Florida Atlantic University Digital Library Collections.