Water resources are under ever-increasing pressure to meet the demands of various water users both nationally and internationally. The process of anthropogenically-induced salinisation serves to exacerbate this pressure by limiting the quantity and quality of water available for future use. Water quality guidelines provide the numerical goals which water resource managers can use to adequately manage and protect aquatic ecosystems. Various methods which have been developed and used internationally to derive such guidelines are discussed. Acute toxicity tests were conducted using two inorganic salts, NaCl and Na₂SO₄. Field collected, indigenous, freshwater macroinvertebrates were used as tests organisms. Data generated from these tests contributed to the expansion of the currently limited toxicological database of response data for indigenous organisms and the suitability of using such organisms for future testing was discussed. Salt sensitivities of indigenous freshwater invertebrates were compared those of species sourced from an international toxicological database and were found to have similar ranges of tolerances to NaCl and Na₂SO₄. Species sensitivity distributions (SSDs), a method of data extrapolation, were derived using different types of toxicological data, and hence different guideline values or protective concentrations were derived. These concentrations were equated to boundary values for South Africa’s ecological Reserve categories, which are used to describe degrees of health for aquatic ecosystems. Provisional results suggest that using only acute toxicity data in guideline derivation provides ecosystem protection that is under-protective. Chronic toxicity data, which include endpoints other than mortality, provide the most realistic environmental protection but lack data confidence due to small sample sizes (acute tests are more readily conducted than chronic tests). The potential contribution of sub-chronic data to guideline derivation is highlighted as these data are more readily extrapolated to chronic endpoints than acute data and sub-chronic tests are not as complex and demanding to conduct as chronic tests.

Ces travaux de thèse portent sur l’étude chimique d’espèces marines échantillonnées en Méditerranée. Dans le cadre du projet VALBIM, co-financé par la région PACA et en étroite collaboration avec la société BioPreserv à Grasse mais également avec la Mycoteca Universitatis Taurinensis (MUT) de l’Université de Turin, nous avons isolé et caractérisé 21 molécules dont 14 se sont avérées nouvelles. L’étude de l’algue Caulerpa taxifolia a conduit à la caulerpényne et à quatre nouveaux dérivés de l’acide pyruvique sulfatés. Les travaux sur l’ascidie Polysyncraton sp. ont conduit aux bolascidines A-D, quatre nouveaux métabolites de type bolaamphiphiles dont il n’existe pas à notre connaissance d’équivalent naturel ou synthétique. La première étude chimique de l’éponge Hexadella racovitzai a conduit à deux dérivés de la bromotyrosine, la psammapline A et une nouvelle molécule, la 4-Osulfatocyclobispsammapline A. Par ailleurs, trois nouvelles crambescines C1, conjointement avec une crambescine A2 déjà répertoriée, ont été isolées de Crambe crambe. L’étude du champignon marin Stachybotrys chartarum, isolé de l’éponge Aplysina cavernicola, a conduit à la satratoxine H et à deux nouveau dérivé, la 2,3-dihydrosatratoxine H et l’épi-chartarutine G, ainsi qu’à trois dérivés stachybotrylactame déjà répertoriés dans la bibliographie. Les différents métabolites ont été évalués pour leurs propriétés antibactériennes et cytotoxiques. Ces travaux ont bénéficié de nouvelles approches analytiques (calculs des spectres de dichroïsme circulaire électroniques par TDDFT, réseaux moléculaires) permettant de renforcer l’intérêt des études liées à l’écologie chimique et à la recherche de nouvelles molécules bioactives potentiellement valorisables dans différents domaines. / This PhD work focuses on the chemical study of marine species sampled in the Mediterranean Sea. As part of the VALBIM project, cofinanced by the region PACA and in close collaboration with the SME BioPreserv in Grasse but also with the Mycoteca Universitatis Taurinensis (MUT) of the University of Turin, we have isolated and characterized 21 molecules in total.14 of them were never reported before. The study of the seaweed Caulerpa taxifolia led to caulerpenyne and four new sulphated pyruvic acid derivatives. The work on the ascidian Polysyncraton sp. led to bolascidins A-D, four new metabolites which belong to the bolaamphiphile family, which, to the best of our knowledge, have no natural or synthetic equivalent. The first chemical study of the sponge Hexadella racovitzai led to two bromotyrosine derivatives, psammapline A and a new molecule, 4-O-sulfatocyclobispsammapline A. In addition, three new C1 crambescins, together with one crambescine A2 already reported, have been isolated from Crambe crambe. For all isolated marine invertebrate metabolites, the producer(s) remain(s) to be explored. The study of the marine fungus Stachybotrys chartarum, isolated from the sponge Aplysina cavernicola, led to satratoxin H and three stachybotrylactam derivatives already reported in the literature, and to 2,3-dihydrosatratoxin H and epi-chartarutine G, two new natural products. The different metabolites were evaluated for their antibacterial and cytotoxic properties. This work benefited from new analytical approaches (calculations of electronic circular dichroïsm spectra by TDDFT, molecular networking) and reinforced the interest of studies related to chemical ecology and search for new bioactive molecules to be valorized in different areas.

The cardiovascular system of bilaterians developed from a common ancestor. However, no endothelial cells exist in invertebrates demonstrating that primitive cardiovascular tubes do not require this vertebrate-specific cell type in order to form. This raises the question of how cardiovascular tubes form in invertebrates? Here we discovered that in the invertebrate cephalochordate amphioxus, the basement membranes of endoderm and mesoderm line the lumen of the major vessels, namely aorta and heart. During amphioxus development a laminin-containing extracellular matrix (ECM) was found to fill the space between the basal cell surfaces of endoderm and mesoderm along their anterior-posterior (A-P) axes. Blood cells appear in this ECM-filled tubular space, coincident with the development of a vascular lumen. To get insight into the underlying cellular mechanism, we induced vessels in vitro with a cell polarity similar to the vessels of amphioxus. We show that basal cell surfaces can form a vascular lumen filled with ECM, and that phagocytotic blood cells can clear this luminal ECM to generate a patent vascular lumen. Therefore, our experiments suggest a mechanism of blood vessel formation via basal cell surfaces in amphioxus and possibly in other invertebrates that do not have any endothelial cells. In addition, a comparison between amphioxus and mouse shows that endothelial cells physically separate the basement membranes from the vascular lumen, suggesting that endothelial cells create cardiovascular tubes with a cell polarity of epithelial tubes in vertebrates and mammals.

PhD (Zoology) / Department of Zoology / Invertebrate diversity is often neglected in conservation planning initiatives. There are also very few large-scale diversity studies in Africa, with most studies being restricted to single properties and spatial extents that are on average not much larger than 30 km2. Here, we provide a comparative regional assessment, two orders of magnitude larger than usual (30 000 km2), of epigeal spider, beetle and millipede diversity in the Vhembe Biosphere Reserve – the largest biosphere reserve in South Africa, and one of the largest in Africa. Firstly we aim to provide an evaluation of the ability of a range of broad and fine scale predictors to explain the variation in the diversity of these taxa. Secondly, we measured cross-taxon congruence between our selected invertebrate taxa and woody vegetation, and within-taxon surrogate efficiency. Thirdly we evaluated performance of existing and proposed zonations in representing regional invertebrate species diversity. Finally, to aid in the development of species conservation profiles for lesser known taxa, annotated check lists are provided for two neglected but dominant epigeal beetle families, Tenebrionidae and Carabidae. Vegetation units explained the largest and most significant component of beetle and spider diversity (richness and complementarity of alpha and beta diversity). Elevation and mean annual temperature played a lesser but still significant role. Overall, woody vegetation was a poor surrogate, especially for millipedes which have several localized endemics. The use of higher taxa (genus and tribe in particular) shows the greatest potential for conservation planning. The current zonation of the Vhembe Biosphere Reserve performed significantly better than expected in representing invertebrate diversity across the region. The reality though is that conservation decision-making is largely informed by knowledge on the distribution of rare, localized or endangered species, for which detailed species inventories are 10 required. Though a coarse filter approach is recommended, the augmentation of species level data provides an extra filter, and contributes to our knowledge of what taxa are in urgent need of protection. Targeting rare and endangered species in transition zones and developing conservation assessments and plans for these in relatively small areas would compliment existing conservation initiatives in the VBR. Annotated check lists ofTenebrionidae of the Vhembe Biosphere suggest that the family is particularly speciose, the assemblage being comprised of an east African and a Kalahari element which contributes significantly to local endemicity, and yielded three new species, one of which is described in the revision to the genus Anaxius, a group largely restricted to the mountainous areas of Limpopo Province. Carabidae were also found to be speciose, with the assemblage comprised of a large proportion of stenotypic species. There is support for the use of vegetation types in conservation plans but these should be augmented with species level conservation initiatives that target particularly transition and buffer zones. / NRF

In der vorliegenden Arbeit wurde die Beeinflussung der Wechselwirkungen zwischen Oberflächenwasser, Interstitial und Grundwasser durch eutrophierungsbedingte Kolmationszyklen in einem anthropogen belasteten Fließgewässer (Lahn, Hessen) untersucht. Dabei wurden Mesokosmosexperimente und Freilanduntersuchungen an einer hyporhithralen Pool-Riffle-Sequenz miteinander kombiniert und die Ergebnisse vergleichend interpretiert. Im Rahmen der Arbeit wurde ein experimenteller Versuchsstand aufgebaut, der aus einer kontinuierlich durchströmten Sedimentsäule bestand und in einem mobilen Laborcontainer an der Lahn installiert war. Mit Hilfe dieses mesoskaliges Sedimentkörperexperimentes wurden jahreszeitliche Verlaufsmuster der inneren Kolmation analysiert, parametrisiert und mit physikalischen (Schwebstoffdynamik) und biologischen Kolmationskomponenten in Beziehung gesetzt. Besonderer Fokus lag dabei auf der Entwicklung des Periphytons, das in eutrophierten Fliessgewässern verstärkender Faktor der Kolmation werden kann. Ferner ließ sich mit dem aufgebauten Sedimentkörperexperiment der Einfluss von Kolmation auf Stoffumsetzungsprozesse (O2) im Interstitial modellhaft erfassen. In einem zweiten mesoskaligen Versuchsstand wurde die Bedeutung der hyporheischen Meiofauna für biogene Dekolmationsvorgänge (Fraß und Bioturbation) untersucht.

Förändring av markanvändning i avrinningsområdet påverkar vattendrags karaktärer som vattenkvalitet och biodiversitet. Inom EU och Sverige utvecklas åtgärdsprogram för att förbättra ekologisk status av påverkade vattendrag. Det finns fortfarande osäkerheter när det kommer till effekten som jord- och skogsbruk har på bottenfauna. I studien användes data från ett nationellt miljöövervakningsprogram. Med dessa testades om proportionerna mellan jord- och skogsbruk påverkade på bottenfaunans diversitet och ekologisk status. 25 vattendrag i södra Sverige valdes med över 60% av någon av marktyperna inom avrinningsområdet inom tidserien 2007–2011. Statistiska analyserna gjordes i tre steg där det linjära sambandet mellan variabler testades. I första steget testades andelen jordbruksmark mot bottenfaunans diversitet och ekologisk status. I ett andra steg testades vattenkemi och vattenföring mot bottenfaunans diversitet och ekologisk status. I det sista steget testades andelen jordbruksmark mot vattenkemi och vattenföring. Resultaten visade att andelen jordbruksmark inte hade en effekt på bottenfaunans diversitet och ekologisk status, men hade en effekt på artsammansättningen. Specifikt, andelen jordbruksmark hade en effekt på vattendrags MISA-index, som indikerar vattnets surhetstillstånd. Ju mer jordbruksmark det fanns inom ett avrinningsområde desto mer surhetskänsliga arter hittades i vattendraget. Resultat visade därför att artsammansättningen skiljs mellan skogs- och jordbruksmark men inte antalet arter. För bättre utveckling av åtgärdsprogram behövs strandzons vegetationens betydelse undersökas mer. / Changes in catchment land-use affect stream morphology, water quality and biodiversity. In EU and Sweden measures are taken to improve the ecological status of streams. There are uncertainties about how land-use in terms of agriculture and forestry affect benthic invertebrates. In this study, data from national environmental monitoring programs was used. To test how the proportion of agricultural land-use in the catchment influence benthic invertebrate diversity and ecological status. In total 25 streams in southern Sweden with more than 60% of either land-use type in the catchment and data from 2007-2011 were selected. Statistical analyses were performed with simple linear regression in three steps. In a first step, the proportion of agriculture was tested against benthic invertebrate diversity and ecological status. In a second step, water chemistry and waterflow were tested against benthic invertebrate diversity and ecological status. In the final step, the proportion of agriculture was tested against water chemistry and waterflow. The results showed that the proportion of agricultural land-use did not influence benthic invertebrate diversity or ecological status. However, it influenced MISA, an index of stream acidification. The higher proportion of agricultural land-use there where in the catchment the more acid sensitive taxa where found. This can be explained by the fact that species composition alters between agriculture- and forestry land-use but not number of species or Simpson diversity-index. For better development of action programs, the importance of the riparian vegetation should be further investigated.

This study evaluated the effects of chlorinated effluent discharged from the City of Denton, Texas' wastewater treatment plant on Pecan Creek's fish and macroinvertebrate assemblages, and their recovery upon dechlorination. A baseline of ecological conditions was established while chlorine was present in the effluent (June 1993- October 1993), and was evaluated again after dechlorination with sulfur dioxide (October 1993-August 1994). In situ Asiatic clam and fathead minnow ambient toxicity tests, and fish and macroinvertebrate collections were used to establish this baseline for comparison to post-dechlorination results.

The Pacific Coastal ecoregion contains large tracts of economically important forest lands that also serve as critical stream habitat for endangered Salmonids. Excessive fine sediment deposition in streams of this region is a major environmental concern in the region but difficult to measure directly. The use of stream invertebrates to monitor fine sediment conditions in streams requires careful consideration of several important factors that complicate their use as bioindicators including high spatial and temporal variability and covariance with other environmental variables. To evaluate the use of stream invertebrates as bioindicators of excessive fine sediment, three hypotheses were tested. The first hypothesis was that invertebrates would be related to broad-scale climate variables (Chapter 2). The second hypothesis was that functional aspects of the invertebrate community would serve as useful indicators of excessive fine sediment condition (Chapter 3). The third hypothesis was that invertebrates in streams with naturally high levels of sediment would be tolerant to fine sediment (<2 mm, Chapter 4). Hypotheses were tested using a temporal data set at two streams in western Oregon, spatial data from 214 sites across the Oregon Coast Range, and in-situ experiment conducted in streams with erosive or resistant geologies. In the temporal study, both invertebrate density and functional traits were positively related to El Nino strength (R2 range = 0.22-0.36, ρ range = 0.008-0.04) and air temperature (R2 range = 0.32-0.49, ρ range = 0.002-0.01). The spatial study identified several environmental and hydrological factors that exhibited strong negative controls on both fine sediment (Mantel r range 0.14-0.25, ρ range = 0.001-0.01) and invertebrate Scrapers (R2 range = 0.11-0.14, ρ range = 0.001-0.04). The result of the experimental study provide evidence that invertebrates in streams with erosive geologies exhibit tolerance to sediment addition when compared to invertebrates in resistant geologies (mean loss=15%, ρ <0.01) and that invertebrate grazing traits were most strongly associated with fine sediment dosing frequency (ρ <0.05). The findings of this research demonstrate the role of geology in shaping invertebrate communities and their functional response to fine sediment addition and identify functional indicators that may be useful in different geologic settings. For environmental managers in the Pacific Coastal ecoregion, these findings are of potential value in assisting with the identification of biologically-relevant changes in stream fine sediment conditions and support efforts to balance economic needs in the region while protecting critical Salmonid habitat.

Il est de plus en plus clair que nos écosystèmes sont liés les uns aux autres de façons multiples et parfois complexes. De plus en plus nous identifions de nouvelles façons dont deux systèmes échangent des ressources et de l’énergie. Le rôle de ces échanges et transferts est encore difficile à quantifier. Nous en savons relativement peu sur les interactions de ceux-ci avec des processus locaux et spatiaux, ainsi que sur leur importance relativement à ces processus locaux et régionaux plus connus. À travers ce projet, nous cherchons à éclaircir l’importance relative des subsides particulaires de feuilles (et particulièrement de leur stoechiométrie) sur les communautés littorales d’invertébrés benthiques. Nous avons récolté des invertébrés et des feuilles mortes sur 23 sites à travers 7 lacs relativement isolés de l’influence humaine et avons comparé l’influence de la stoechiométrie de ces subsides à l’influence de facteurs locaux de qualité de l’eau et de facteurs spatiaux. Les résultats suggèrent que l’importance de la qualité nutritive (i.e. stoechiométrie) est secondaire aux facteurs locaux de qualité de l’eau dans des milieux naturels. L’importance des subsides particulaires de feuilles semble être grandement dépendante du contexte et pourrait gagner en importance dans des contextes de fortes perturbations. Les résultats indiquent que la qualité nutritive des subsides de feuilles, leur contenu relatif en azote et phosphore, est associée avec de plus grande abondance de plusieurs taxons. La richesse spécifique n’étant pas affecté, c’est à travers l’équitabilité (i.e. une distribution des abondances plus stable) que la qualité nutritive des feuilles pourrait promouvoir une plus grande biodiversité d’invertébrés benthiques. / It is clear now, more than ever before, that our ecosystems are linked to one another in multiples and sometimes complex ways. The role of these exchanges and transfers is still hard to quantify. We know little of the interactions of these fluxes with local and spatial processes happening in ecosystems, as well as their relative importance compared to local and regional drivers of ecosystem functions and community structure. With this project, we aim to untangle the relative importance of particulate subsidies of leaves (and specifically their stoichiometry) on littoral communities of benthic invertebrates in lakes. We collected invertebrates and leaf litter on 23 sites across 7 lakes somewhat isolated from human influence and compared the influence of leaf litter stoichiometry to the influence of local water quality and spatial variables. Results suggest that nutritive quality of leaf litter (i.e. stoichiometry) is secondary to water quality. Importance of leaf subsidies appears to be context dependant and could gain in importance in systems with higher degrees of disturbances. Results that nitrogen and phosphorus content of leaf subsidies is associated with higher abundances of several taxonomic groups. Species richness being unaffected, it is through higher evenness (i.e. even distribution of abundances) that higher quality of leaves may promote higher biodiversity of benthic invertebrates.

Thesis (PhD) -- Stellenbosch University, 2004. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT:Heavy metals are persistent environmental contaminants whose sources of inputs into the environment are both natural and anthropogenic. The levels of heavy metals (cadmium, copper, nickel, lead and zinc) in the False Bay intertidal zone were measured in the water, sediments and invertebrate species between August 2000 and August 2001. The results of the water and sediment analyses revealed that most pollution was associated with the northern shore of the bay between Strand and Muizenberg, where the most populated and industrial catchments occur. Significant spatial variations occurred, indicating the presence of localised contamination, while seasonal variations may be related to changes in precipitation and runoff at different times of the year. The concentrations of cadmium, nickel and lead were occasionally higher than the levels recommended by the South African Water Quality Standards. The possible sources of pollution at the different sites are also discussed. The concentrations of the five metals in the different invertebrate species (Oxystele tigrina, 0. sinensis, Choromytilus meridionalis, Patella oculus, Patiriella exigua and Tetraclita serrata) also revealed significant seasonal and spatial variations, with both the soft tissues and shells accumulating heavy metals. The barnacle T serrata from Rooiels had the highest cadmium concentration (70.67 J.lg/g dry weight), which may be related to historic pollution inputs from the military activities which took place at a weapons testing site at this site between 1987 and 1994, although no evidence was found to confirm this. The periwinkle 0. tigrina from Strand had the highest copper concentration (70.25 J.lg/g) while the limpet P. oculus from the same site had the highest nickel concentration (35.75 J.lg/g). The shells of the mussel C. meridionalis from Muizenberg had the highest concentration of lead (25.75 J.lg/g). Since cadmium occurs as a constituent of phosphate fertilisers used widely in the False Bay catchments, the effects of cadmium exposure on the different species were investigated during 14-day laboratory exposures to 200 and 400 J.lg/LCdCh. The results revealed a general pattern of tissue metal increase in the exposed organisms, followed by slight reductions after decontamination in clean seawater. The viscera and kidneys of C. meridionalis accumulated most of the dissolved cadmium. The shells of the mussels also accumulated cadmium, indicating the possible use of shells as a detoxification matrix. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING:Swaarmetale is persisterende omgewingskontaminante waarvan die insetbronne beide natuurlik of van menslike oorsprong kan wees. Die kontaminasievlakke van swaarmetale (kadmium, koper, nikkel, lood en sink) in die Valsbaai tussengetysone is in die water, sedimente en invertebraatspesies bepaal vanaf Augustus 2000 tot Augustus 2001. Voorlopige resultate van die water- en sedimentontledings het getoon dat die meeste besoedeling by die noordelikke oewer van die baai voorgekom het tussen Strand and Muizenberg, waar die mees digbewoonde en ge-industrialiseerde opvangsgebiede is. Betekenisvolle ruimtelike en seisoenale variasie het in die konsentrasies van swaarmetale voorgekom, met die ruimtelike variasie wat moontlik gelokaliseerde kontaminasie aandui terwyl die seisoenale variasies weer verband mag hou met veranderings in die neerslag en afloop gedurende verskillende tye van die jaar. Die konsentrasie van kadmium, nikkel en lood was somtyds hoer as die vlakke wat deur die Suid-Afrikaanse Waterkwaliteitsstandaarde voorgestel word. Die moontlike bronne van besoedeling in die verskillende areas is ook in bespreking genoem. Die konsentrasies van die vyf swaametale in die verskillende invertebraatspesies (Oxystele tigrina, 0. sinensis, Choromytilus meridionalis, Patella oculus, Patiriella exigua and Tetraclita serrata) het ook seisoenale en ruimtelike variasies vertoon, die swaarmetale het in die sagte weefsel en skulpe van die invertebrate geakkumuleer. Die hoogste gemiddelde konsentrasie van kadmium (70.67 ).lg/g droe massa) is in die heel-liggaam monsters van die eendemossel T serrata gemeet wat by Rooiels versamel is. Die vlakke mag verband hou met die oprigting en aktiwiteite van die wapentoetsingsaanleg in die opvanggebied van die Rooiels lokaliteit tussen 1987 en 1994, maar geen bewyse daarvan is gevind nie. Die tolletjie, 0. tigrina wat in die 10kaliteit by Strand versamel is het die hoogste gemiddelde konsentrasie koper gehad 70.25 pig droe massa), terwyl die klipmossel P. oculus by dieselfde versamelpunt die hoogste konsentrasie nikkel (35.75 ).lg/gdroe massa) gehad het. Eksperimentele studies is ook uitgevoer op vier invertebraat spesies wat vir 14 dae in akwaria blootgestel is aan see-water met 200 en 400 p,g/L CdCh, en daama gedekontamineer is in skoon seewater. / The NRF and the University of Stellenbosch, for funding this study.