Kirkpatrick Anita J, Gerhardt Almut, Dick Jaimie T A, Laming Peter, Berges John A
The Queen's University of Belfast, Medical Biology Centre, Northern Ireland.
Environ Sci Pollut Res Int. 2006 Jul;13(4):242-50. doi: 10.1065/espr2006.06.313.
Biological monitors are increasingly important in 'Biological Early Warning Systems' (BEWS) for monitoring water quality. This study examines the freshwater amphipod Crangonyx pseudogracilis as a potential new indicator species when used in the Multispecies Freshwater Biomonitor (MFB). The MFB is an online continuous biomonitor which uses impedance conversion to record behavioural responses of vertebrates and invertebrates.
Four experiments were undertaken to establish: (1) if the electrical field generated by the MFB affected the organisms' behaviour, (2) if defined behaviours and their response to a gradient of ammonium chloride could be detected by the MFB, (3) if there was variation in the behaviour of C. pseudogracilis over a diel cycle, and (4) if behaviour changed significantly in response to a pulse of ammonium chloride.
Results showed no significant effect of the MFB's current on behaviour of C. pseudogracilis. Four behaviours; swimming, walking, grooming and inactivity, were observed and identified in the MFB. In the MFB, each behaviour changed significantly in response to an increasing gradient of ammonium chloride exposure. The MFB also detected increases in nocturnal activity by C. pseudogracilis. The MFB also detected a significant increase in activity after a pulse of ammonium chloride.
The range of behaviours exhibited by Crangonyx pseudogracilis, together with its ease of culture, suggest future potential of this species as an indicator species for the Multispecies Freshwater Biomonitor.
Further testing is required over a range of toxicants and concentration gradients to establish threshold responses and the full compliment of behaviours that could be useful in online biomonitoring.
生物监测器在用于监测水质的“生物预警系统”（BEWS）中变得越来越重要。本研究考察了淡水双足虾类伪细长足钩虾作为一种潜在的新指示物种，用于多物种淡水生物监测器（MFB）时的情况。MFB是一种在线连续生物监测器，它利用阻抗转换来记录脊椎动物和无脊椎动物的行为反应。
进行了四项实验以确定：（1）MFB产生的电场是否会影响生物体的行为，（2）MFB能否检测到特定行为及其对氯化铵梯度的反应，（3）伪细长足钩虾的行为在昼夜周期中是否存在变化，以及（4）其行为对氯化铵脉冲是否有显著变化。
结果表明MFB的电流对伪细长足钩虾的行为没有显著影响。在MFB中观察并识别出四种行为：游泳、行走、梳理和静止不动。在MFB中，每种行为对氯化铵暴露梯度增加的反应都有显著变化。MFB还检测到伪细长足钩虾夜间活动增加。MFB也检测到氯化铵脉冲后活动显著增加。
伪细长足钩虾表现出的行为范围，加上其易于养殖的特点，表明该物种未来有潜力作为多物种淡水生物监测器的指示物种。
需要在一系列有毒物质和浓度梯度上进行进一步测试，以确定阈值反应以及可用于在线生物监测的完整行为补充。
