Rick Ingolf P, Mehlis Marion, Eßer Elisabeth, Bakker Theo C M
Oecologia. 2014 Feb;174(2):393-402. doi: 10.1007/s00442-013-2773-x.
Exposure to enhanced levels of ambient ultraviolet (UV) radiation (UVR) can have adverse effects on aquatic organisms including damage at the cellular and molecular level and impairment of development, fecundity and survival. Much research has been conducted on the role of the harmful UVB radiation. However, due to its greater penetration in water the more abundant UVA radiation can also act as an environmental stressor. Little is known about UVR effects on sperm characteristics although sperm cells should be especially prone to UV-induced oxidative stress. Moreover, UV-related changes in oxidative status may affect the phenotypic expression of energetically costly sexual ornaments. We investigated the effects of long-term exposure to ecologically relevant levels of simulated UVA radiation on sperm quality and sexual ornamentation in three-spined sticklebacks (Gasterosteus aculeatus). Males were assigned to three spectral exposure treatments differing in the UV spectral part so that they received either enhanced, moderate or no UVA radiation. The results reveal that exposure to enhanced ambient UVA levels had detrimental effects on both male breeding coloration and sperm velocity providing evidence that UVR affects traits targeted by pre- and post-copulatory sexual selection. By highlighting the role of UVA as a factor influencing fitness-relevant traits, our findings may contribute to a better understanding of the consequences of current and future levels of solar UVR for mating systems and life history.
暴露于增强水平的环境紫外线（UVR）会对水生生物产生不利影响，包括细胞和分子水平的损伤以及发育、繁殖力和生存能力的损害。关于有害的UVB辐射的作用已经进行了大量研究。然而，由于UVA辐射在水中的穿透性更强，其含量更为丰富，也可能成为一种环境压力源。尽管精子细胞应该特别容易受到紫外线诱导的氧化应激影响，但关于UVR对精子特征的影响却知之甚少。此外，与紫外线相关的氧化状态变化可能会影响高能量消耗的性装饰的表型表达。我们研究了长期暴露于生态相关水平的模拟UVA辐射对三刺鱼（Gasterosteus aculeatus）精子质量和性装饰的影响。将雄性三刺鱼分为三种光谱暴露处理组，它们在紫外线光谱部分有所不同，以便分别接受增强、中等或无UVA辐射。结果表明，暴露于增强的环境UVA水平对雄性繁殖体色和精子速度都有不利影响，这证明UVR会影响交配前和交配后性选择所针对的性状。通过强调UVA作为影响与适应性相关性状的一个因素的作用，我们的研究结果可能有助于更好地理解当前和未来太阳UVR水平对交配系统和生活史的影响。
