Thesis (M.S.)--University of Toledo, 2006. / Typescript. "Submitted as partial fulfillment of the requirements for The Master of Science Degree in Biology (Ecology-track)." Bibliography: leaves 26-34.

La moule zébrée Dreissena polymorpha constitue une espèce sentinelle intéressantes en raison de traits bioécologiques (e.g. régime filtreur, mode de vie sessile, large aire de répartition) autorisant une utilisation pratique de cet organisme dans la surveillance de différents types d'hydrosystèmes (de Lafontaine et al., 2000). Les nombreuses études menées sur la dreissène ont d'ailleurs permis de développer depuis une dizaine d'années un ensemble de marqueurs biologiques destinés à évaluer l'impact des diverses activités anthropiques (activités agricoles, domestiques et industrielles) sur la qualité des milieux aquatiques. Ces biomarqueurs constituent des paramètres biologiques individuels (ou infra-individuels) dont la modulation par rapport à une valeur de référence est révélatrice d'une exposition, présente ou passée, à un ou plusieurs contaminants de l'environnement (e.g. pesticides, métaux lourds) (Lagadic et al., 1997a). Souvent associés à des mécanismes de défense de l'organisme (e.g. système de défense antioxydant, système de détoxication des métaux), les marqueurs usuels ne permettent toutefois pas d'évaluer concrètement les effets d'un stress toxique sur la " fitness " d'un individu (i.e. fécondité, survie) et au-delà sur le maintien de sa population (Forbes et al., 2006). La caractérisation de marqueurs génétiques associés au métabolisme énergétique pourrait constituer une solution potentielle à cet écueil dans la mesure où les fonctions d'entretien et de reproduction d'un individu sont sous l'étroite dépendance de sa capacité à exploiter les ressources alimentaires disponibles dans son milieu. L'étude de biomarqueurs énergétiques potentiels tels que les réponses enzymatiques digestives pourrait dès lors constituer une approche intéressante à développer dans le cadre de stratégies de biosurveillance multimarqueurs (Lagadic et al., 1994 ; De Coen et al., 1998b). Le prrésent travail de thèse a eu ainsi pour principal objectif d'analyser l'intérêt informatif potentiel des réponses enzymatiques digestives de la dreissène dans l'évaluation des risques associés à la présence de contaminants dans les milieux aquatiques. / The zebra mussel Dreissena polymorpha is a useful sentinel species because of bio-ecological traits (e.g. filtering activity, sessile lifestyle, range-wide distribution) allowing practical use of this organism for monitoring of various types of water systems (de Lafontaine et al., 2000). The numerous studies led on the zebra mussel allowed to develop, over the last ten years, a set of biomarkers to assess the impact of various human activities (agricultural, domestic and industrial ones) on the quality of aquatic environments. These biomarkers are individual (or infra-individual) biological parameters whose variation from a reference value is indicative of an exposure, past or present, to one or several environmental contaminants (e.g. pesticides, heavy metals) (Lagadic et al., 1997a). Often associated with individual defense systems (e.g. antioxydant defense system, metal detoxication system) 'core' biomarkers do not allow, however, to effectively assess the impacts of toxicants on individual " fitness " (i.e. fecundity, survival) and beyond, on the maintenance of population (Forbes et al., 2006). Characterization of generic markers associated with energy metabolism could be a potential solution to this problem since the maintenance and reproduction functions of an individual are closely related to its ability to exploit food resources. The study of potential energy biomarkers such as digestive enzyme responses could therefore be an interesting approach to develop as part of multimarker biomonitoring studies (Lagadic et al., 1994 ; De Coen et al., 1998b). The main objective of the present PhD thesis was to analyze the potential informative interest of zebra mussel's digestive enzyme responses in evaluating the potential risks associated with the presence of contaminants in aquatic environnments.

A lake-wide benthic survey of Lake Erie during summer 2002 indicated that Dreissena bugensis is the dominant dreissenid in Lake Erie, especially in the east basin where this species was found at every station but no Dreissena polymorpha were collected. Mean (±SD) densities of dreissenid mussels were comparable between the west (601±2,110/m2,n=49) and central (635±1,293/m2; n=41) basins, but were much greater in the east basin (9,480±11,173/m2;n=17). The greater variability in mussel density among stations and replicate samples in the central and west basins than in the east basin is attributable to the preponderance of fine-grained substrata in the nearshore, higher episodic rates of sediment deposition and periodic hypoxia in bottom waters. Although there was little change in lake-wide mean dreissenid densities between 1992 and 2002 (declining from ca. 2,636 individuals/m2 to 2,025 individuals/m2), basin-averaged shell-free dry tissue mass increased by almost four-fold from ca. 6.8±15.6 g /m2 to 24.7±71.3 g/m2 in the same interval. Up to 90% of this biomass is in the eastern basin. Other changes in 2002 include the virtual absence of mussels in the 3 to 12 mm size range, probably because of predation by round gobies, and an increase in the average size of mature mussels. The substantial changes observed between 1992 and 2002 suggest that dreissenid populations in Lake Erie were still changing rapidly in abundance and biomass, as well as species composition. The results of this survey suggest that a direct link between Dreissena spp. and hypolimnetic hypoxia in the central basin is unlikely. The dominant organisms of Lake Erie in 2002 were D. rostriformis bugensis (38%), Oligochaeta (33%), Chironomidae (18%), Sphaeriidae (2.7%), Amphipoda (2.3%) and Hydrozoa (2.2%). Mean invertebrate density was greater in the east basin, especially on hard substrates, than either the west or central basin. In the central basin, sites ≥5m supported greater numbers of organisms, than shallow (≤2m) sites in the nearshore wave zone. The greatest number of taxa were observed in the central basin, likely a resutlt of greater sampling effort there. Gammarus fasciatus comprised 80% of all amphipods, being most abundant on Dreissena-dominated hard substrates in the east basin. The introduced species, Echinogammarus ischnus occured at only 11 of 69 sites, and was the only amphipod found at 4 east basin sites, but at relatively low densities. Diporeia were not found in our survey. Hexagenia was collected at only 4 stations, all in the west basin. Chironomids were dominated by Tanytarsus and Chironomus, with Procladius, Dicrotendipes and Polypedilum also being relatively common. Oligochaete Trophic Index for 2002 indicates a similarly mesotrophic condition throughout the lake and marginal nutrient enrichment of sediments between years 1979-2002. Multivariate ordination of community data indicates clear separation of sites by year and basin as expected given the extirpation of Diporeia and the introduction of Dreissena and E. ischnus, but also reveals subtle changes in benthic structure over the last 2 decades. The benthic community of Lake Erie in 2002 does not likely represent an equilibrium condition.

A lake-wide benthic survey of Lake Erie during summer 2002 indicated that Dreissena bugensis is the dominant dreissenid in Lake Erie, especially in the east basin where this species was found at every station but no Dreissena polymorpha were collected. Mean (±SD) densities of dreissenid mussels were comparable between the west (601±2,110/m2,n=49) and central (635±1,293/m2; n=41) basins, but were much greater in the east basin (9,480±11,173/m2;n=17). The greater variability in mussel density among stations and replicate samples in the central and west basins than in the east basin is attributable to the preponderance of fine-grained substrata in the nearshore, higher episodic rates of sediment deposition and periodic hypoxia in bottom waters. Although there was little change in lake-wide mean dreissenid densities between 1992 and 2002 (declining from ca. 2,636 individuals/m2 to 2,025 individuals/m2), basin-averaged shell-free dry tissue mass increased by almost four-fold from ca. 6.8±15.6 g /m2 to 24.7±71.3 g/m2 in the same interval. Up to 90% of this biomass is in the eastern basin. Other changes in 2002 include the virtual absence of mussels in the 3 to 12 mm size range, probably because of predation by round gobies, and an increase in the average size of mature mussels. The substantial changes observed between 1992 and 2002 suggest that dreissenid populations in Lake Erie were still changing rapidly in abundance and biomass, as well as species composition. The results of this survey suggest that a direct link between Dreissena spp. and hypolimnetic hypoxia in the central basin is unlikely. The dominant organisms of Lake Erie in 2002 were D. rostriformis bugensis (38%), Oligochaeta (33%), Chironomidae (18%), Sphaeriidae (2.7%), Amphipoda (2.3%) and Hydrozoa (2.2%). Mean invertebrate density was greater in the east basin, especially on hard substrates, than either the west or central basin. In the central basin, sites ≥5m supported greater numbers of organisms, than shallow (≤2m) sites in the nearshore wave zone. The greatest number of taxa were observed in the central basin, likely a resutlt of greater sampling effort there. Gammarus fasciatus comprised 80% of all amphipods, being most abundant on Dreissena-dominated hard substrates in the east basin. The introduced species, Echinogammarus ischnus occured at only 11 of 69 sites, and was the only amphipod found at 4 east basin sites, but at relatively low densities. Diporeia were not found in our survey. Hexagenia was collected at only 4 stations, all in the west basin. Chironomids were dominated by Tanytarsus and Chironomus, with Procladius, Dicrotendipes and Polypedilum also being relatively common. Oligochaete Trophic Index for 2002 indicates a similarly mesotrophic condition throughout the lake and marginal nutrient enrichment of sediments between years 1979-2002. Multivariate ordination of community data indicates clear separation of sites by year and basin as expected given the extirpation of Diporeia and the introduction of Dreissena and E. ischnus, but also reveals subtle changes in benthic structure over the last 2 decades. The benthic community of Lake Erie in 2002 does not likely represent an equilibrium condition.

L'évaluation de la contamination des cours d'eau par les agents parasites protozoaires est fondamentale puisqu'on estime qu'une personne sur deux dans le monde est ou a été infectée par une zoonose d'origine parasitaire. Les trois principaux parasites responsables d'épidémies hydriques sont Cryptosporidium parvum, Giardia duodenalis et Toxoplasma gondii. Actuellement, seule la matrice eau est utilisée pour analyser la présence de ces parasites dans l'environnement aquatique. Peu reproductible et chronophage, cette méthode ne permet pas de mettre en place une surveillance de routine. Le projet de thèse propose l'utilisation de la moule zébrée, Dreissena polymorpha, comme un nouvel outil complémentaire pour évaluer la qualité biologique des milieux d'eau douce. Au travers d'expérimentations combinant différentes approches in vivo, ex vivo et in situ, le potentiel de la dreissène à accumuler les parasites protozoaires ainsi que leurs cinétiques d'accumulation dans les tissus ont été déterminés. Utilisée comme espèce sentinelle des contaminations chimiques, l'effet d'un stress biologique dû aux protozoaires a été évalué au laboratoire sur les cellules clefs de l'immunité des bivalves, les hémocytes. Ainsi, le projet permet de placer l'organisme Dreissena polymorpha dans une double stratégie de biosurveillance : une biosurveillance sanitaire liée à l'utilisation de la dreissène en tant que vecteur de parasites considérés comme enjeux de santé publique et une biosurveillance environnementale liée à la compréhension des facteurs de confusion avec les réponses biologiques utilisées comme biomarqueurs. / Assessment of the water biological contamination by protozoa is crucial since one in two person of the world population is or has been infected by a parasitic zoonosis. The main protozoa responsible of waterborne outbreaks are Cryptosporidium parvum, Giardia duodenalis and Toxoplasma gondii. Currently, protozoa detection is only based on water analysis. Irrelevant and time consuming, water analysis do not permit accurate biomonitoring. These project aims to use the freshwater mussel, Dreissena polymorpha, as a new complementary tool for biological quality analysis of freshwater. Through in vivo, ex vivo and in situ experiments, we determine the utility of zebra mussel for protozoa accumulation and their accumulation pattern within mussel tissues. Already use as a sentinel specie for chemical contamination, biological stress caused by protozoa has been determined in laboratory experiments on key cells of bivalve immunity, the hemocytes. Hence, Dreissena polymorpha could be involved in a twofold biomonitoring tactics: sanitary biomonitoring related to the use of zebra mussel as vector to protozoa with public health issue and environmental biomonitoring on understanding of the confounding factors in biological responses used as biomarkers.

Le cadre réglementaire défini par la Directive Cadre sur l’Eau impose le développement de méthodologies fiables d’évaluation et/ou de caractérisation de l’état de santé des écosystèmes aquatiques. L’objectif de ce travail de thèse était d’identifier les rôles relatifs des paramètres des milieux aquatiques (température, cycle saisonnier, minéralisation), des caractéristiques des populations et des pressions anthropiques sur les réponses des biomarqueurs chez un organisme aquatique modèle, la moule zébrée (Dreissena polymorpha). Une espèce sœur, Dreissena rostriformis bugensis, arrivée plus récemment dans nos cours d’eau, a été suivie en parallèle et son potentiel en tant que biomoniteur a également été évalué. Pour cela, une batterie d’une douzaine de biomarqueurs sub-cellulaires a été mesurée dans différentes populations des deux espèces vivant dans des milieux contrastés, à différentes périodes de l’année, mais aussi lors de stress standardisés en laboratoire. Les biomarqueurs choisis correspondaient à différentes fonctions physiologiques et/ou antitoxiques, et des réponses à fortes pertinence écologiques, telles que la consommation d’oxygène ou l’activité de filtration, ont ponctuellement été suivies. Ces différents paramètres ont permis d’interroger les notions de sensibilité et de vulnérabilité des populations et de mieux comprendre les facteurs déterminant les réponses des biomarqueurs. Les différences inter-populationnelles montrent que l’accumulation des contaminants par les organismes et leurs réponses biologiques sont bien dépendantes de la qualité du biotope propre à chaque population, mais aussi de la saison, un facteur confondant qui doit donc être pris en compte lors de campagnes de biosurveillance. De fortes différences de réponse des biomarqueurs entre les deux espèces ont aussi été observées, aussi bien in situ que lors des expositions en laboratoire, soulignant la nécessité de bien différencier ces deux espèces, pourtant très proches. La nouvelle arrivée, D. r. bugensis, présente des réponses plus plastiques in situ, mais semble moins capable de gérer des stress aigus lors d’expositions en laboratoire. A l’inverse, D. polymorpha, arrivée il a 200 ans en France, semble mieux adaptée, avec une variabilité de réponse moins marquée et une meilleure tolérance aux contaminants. Ces travaux de thèse s’inscrivent dans le cadre de la convention BIOMICS, réalisée en collaboration avec l’ONEMA. Ils montrent que ces deux espèces sont aptes à nous renseigner sur l’état de contamination du milieu dans lequel elles vivent, même si les grilles d’interprétation peuvent être différentes de l’une à l’autre. Les variations des réponses des biomarqueurs au niveau sub-cellulaire témoignent de façon précoce de modifications de la qualité du milieu. Certains biomarqueurs semblent toutefois plus informatifs que d’autres, la batterie mesurée pourrait donc être réduite. A l’avenir, ces travaux permettront une meilleure lecture et interprétation des biomarqueurs mesurés dans des populations autochtones ou transplantées, et attestent de l’intérêt des biomarqueurs en tant qu’outils d’évaluation de la qualité des milieux aquatiques / The regulatory framework defined by the Water Framework Directive requires the development of reliable methodologies for assessing and / or characterizing the health status of aquatic ecosystems. The objective of this thesis was to identify the relative roles of environmental parameters (temperature, seasonal cycle, mineralization), population characteristics and anthropic pressures on biomarker responses in a model aquatic organism, the zebra mussel (Dreissena polymorpha). A sister species, Dreissena rostriformis bugensis, which invaded more recently our waterways, has been used in parallel and its potential as a biomonitor has also been evaluated. For this purpose, a battery of a dozen sub-cellular biomarkers was measured in different populations of the two species living in contrasting environments, at different times of the year, but also under laboratory stresses. The selected biomarkers corresponded to different physiological and / or antitoxic functions, and responses with high ecological relevance, such as oxygen consumption or filtration activity, were occasionally followed. These various parameters allowed to question the concepts of sensitivity and vulnerability of the populations and to understand the factors determining biomarker responses. Inter-population differences showed that the accumulation of contaminants by organisms and their biomarker responses depend on environmental quality at the originating site of each population, but also on the season, a confounding factor which must therefore be taken into account during biomonitoring programs. Strong differences in biomarker responses between the two species were also observed, both in situ and during laboratory experiments, emphasizing the need to differentiate the two species, so close they are. The recent invader, D. r. bugensis, presents more plastic responses in situ, but appears less able to manage acute stress in laboratory. Conversely, D. polymorpha, which is about 200 years old in France, appears to be better adapted, with less response variability and a better tolerance to contaminants. This thesis work is part of the BIOMICS convention, carried out in collaboration with ONEMA. It shows that these two species are able to inform about the contamination status of their environment. Variations in biomarker responses at the sub-cellular level indicate early changes in environmental quality. Some biomarkers, however, seem more informative than others do, so the measured battery could be reduced. In the future, this work will allow a better reading and interpretation of biomarkers measured in autochthonous or transplanted populations, and attest the value of biomarkers as tools for assessing aquatic environment quality

No description available.

<p>The number of species extinctions is increasing at an alarming rate. Long-lived freshwater mussels of the order Unionoida, which include a parasitic stage on a host fish, are highly threatened. Habitat degradation by turbidity and sedimentation is thought to be one major reason for their decline. The objective of this thesis was to examine recruitment patterns and identify the causes of the lack of recruitment in the threatened unionoid freshwater pearl mussel (Margaritifera margaritifera). In addition, I investigated the effects of turbidity on non-endangered dreissenid mussels, where turbidity was manipulated through use of bioturbating mayflies.</p><p>In a survey of 107 Swedish streams, mussel population size and trout density were both positively correlated to recruitment probability of M. margaritifera. A more in-depth study of the age-structure of nine populations revealed that four of these populations showed no signs of recruitment over the last ten years. Within-stream variation in recruitment was high as both mussels and trout had patchy distribution, and may be important for population regulation. Moreover, examination of different life stages revealed no differences in the gravid mussel stage or the stage when mussels infect salmonid fish. Instead, differences were observed for the juvenile, benthic stage, presumably related to differences in turbidity and sedimentation. High turbidity may affect filter-feeding efficiency of mussels and high sedimentation may reduce survival by clogging sediments, thereby altering, for example, oxygen and food conditions. In the study of the effects of turbidity, bioturbating mayflies increased turbidity and filter-feeding dreissenid mussels reduced turbidity. Mussel growth both decreased and increased with increasing turbidity, depending on sediment type.</p><p>Turbidity and sedimentation often impact entire stream systems, and a holistic, catchment-based management strategy may be needed to reduce the effects of sedimentation on freshwater pearl mussels. The effects of restoration take a long time and must start soon if recruitment of mussels is to be re-established. Restoration may also be more urgent in some streams than in others, as the maximum age of M. margaritifera populations in my study differed by as much as 60 years. As mussel and trout densities seem to be important for recruitment success, one conservation method may be to concentrate mussels into sites where trout density is high.</p>

Pagrindinis šio darbo tikslas buvo ištirti hidromorfologinių upės savybių ir invasinės rūšies, Dreissena polymorpha poveikį vandens moliuskų bendrijų struktūrai. Pasirinktos penkios tyrimų upės: Babrungas, Lakaja, Peršokšna, Verknė ir Žeimena. Taipogi atliktas laboratorinis eksperimentas, įvertinti dreisenos apaugimo poveikį Unio pictorum somatiniam augimui. Tyrimo metu, iš viso rasta 31 vandens moliuskų rūšis. Didžiausia rūšinė įvairovė nustatyta šaltavandenėjeVerknės upėje (22 rūšys), o mažiausia, 7 rūšys – šiltavandenėje Lakajos upėje. Pirmą kartą Lietuvos gėluosiuose vandenyse, Vilkokšnio ežere ir Verknės upėje aptikta Potamopyrgus antipodarum rūšis. Buvo tikrinta hipotezė, kad didžiausias dreisenų gausumas yra upės ištakose, o upės kontinuume jis mažėja. Ryškiausias dreisenų poveikis vietinėms vandens moliuskų bendrijoms nustatytas ties ištakomis, kur šios invazinės rūšies gausumas ir biomasė didžiausi. Šis poveikis gradientiškai mažėja nuo ištakų link žiočių. Be to, buvo tikrintas hidromorfologinių upės savybių, tokių kaip gruntas, srovės greitis, poveikis moliuskų gausumui, biomasei ir bioįvairovei. Nustatyta, kad substratas, srovės greitis ir pati upė turi reikšmingos įtakos moliuskų gausumui ir biomasei. Bioįvairovę reikšmingai įtakojo tik grunto tipas. Taip pat, tikrinta hipotezė, kad nedidelis dreisenų apaugimas neturi reikšmingo poveikio Unio pictorum individų somatiniam augimui. Nenustatyta reikšmingų skirtumų tarp eksperimentinių grupių sausosios biomasės... [toliau žr. visą tekstą] / The main objective of this work was to investigate the effect of hydromorphological features of the rivers and invasive species to the molluscs community structure. The selected rivers were: Babrungas, Lakaja, Peršokšna, Verknė and Žeimena. In these rivers mollusc abundance, biomass, biodiversity and dominance were examined. What is more, the laboratory experiment was made to check the influence of infestation of Dreissena polymorpha on Unio pictorum mussel somatic growth. Durind the study, 31 species of freshwater molluscs were found in 5 examined rivers. The bigest species richness was found in a coldwater river Verknė (22 species) and the lowest – in warmwater river Lakaja (7 species). First time in a freshwaters of Lithuania, invasive species Potamopyrgus antipodarum was found in a lake Vilkokšnis and Verknė river. The hypothesis, that dreissena is most abundant near the outfall and decreases in the continuum of the rivers was tested. The most significant effect of Dreissena polymorpha to the mollusc communities was found to be near the outfall of the rivers, where its abundance and biomass are biggest. This effect declines, because zebra mussel abundance and biomass decreases in the continuum of the river. What is more, the effect of hydromorphological features, such as substrate and current speed, of the rivers to mollusc abundance, biomass and biodiversity was studied. Substrate, current speed and river were found to have significant effect to the abundance and biomass... [to full text]

Dans le contexte réglementaire de la Directive Cadre sur l'Eau, il est nécessaire d'évaluer l'impact de la contamination métallique sur les milieux aquatiques pour pouvoir établir un diagnostic des masses d'eau. Intégrer dans ce diagnostic, la biodisponibilité des métaux par une mesure de la bioaccumulation dans des organismes modèles, permet d'évaluer plus finement le risque pour l'environnement. Cependant le lien entre la bioaccumulation et la contamination chimique du milieu reste difficile à établir puisqu'il dépend de paramètres physico-chimiques et physiologiques. Afin de faire ce lien chez la moule zébrée, nous avons utilisé un modèle cinétique de bioaccumulation: le modèle biodynamique. Des expositions en laboratoire ont permis d'étudier l'influence de la physico-chimie de l'eau (concentration en calcium, zinc et matière organique dissoute) sur les constantes d'accumulation du modèle par voie dissoute et de mettre au point un protocole d'exposition permettant de déterminer les constantes d'assimilation par voie trophique. L'effet compétiteur des ions (Ca et Zn) sur l'accumulation du Cd et du Ni par voie dissoute a été mis en évidence et intégré au modèle biodynamique par une approche s'inspirant du modèle du ligand biologique (BLM). Des suivis de contamination de dreissènes transplantées, de 2 mois et 1 an, ont mis en évidence la capacité du modèle à relier la contamination métallique du milieu à celle des organismes, en prenant en compte la physicochimie du milieu (notamment le niveau trophique) et la physiologie de l'organisme (taux de filtration, taux de croissance).