Low Jennifer, Higgs Dennis M
Department of Biological Sciences, University of Windsor, 401 Sunset Avenue, Windsor, ON, N9B 3P4, Canada.
Fish Physiol Biochem. 2015 Apr;41(2):357-69. doi: 10.1007/s10695-014-9988-6. Epub 2014 Sep 23.
Aquatic ecosystems are threatened by environmental contaminants, and many heavy metals can influence both the structure and function of sense organs in fishes. The use of these senses is vital to the survival and reproductive success of fish and therefore affects the health of the ecosystem as a whole. The current study examines the effects of cadmium on auditory structure and function in the fathead minnow (Pimephales promelas). In the laboratory, fish were exposed for 96 h to a range of cadmium concentrations and both hearing sensitivity and hair cell morphology were quantified. While hair cell numbers were unaffected, cadmium caused an increase in auditory threshold, with a critical range for toxic effects of cadmium estimated at 2.1-2.9 µg L(-1). Cadmium exposure also caused a decrease in response latency at higher cadmium concentrations. The current study demonstrates the sublethal effects of cadmium on fish sensory function while also pointing to the need for more careful interpretation of cadmium impacts on aquatic populations.
水生生态系统受到环境污染物的威胁，许多重金属会影响鱼类感觉器官的结构和功能。这些感官的运用对鱼类的生存和繁殖成功至关重要，因此会影响整个生态系统的健康。当前的研究考察了镉对黑头呆鱼（Pimephales promelas）听觉结构和功能的影响。在实验室中，将鱼暴露于一系列镉浓度下96小时，对听觉敏感性和毛细胞形态进行了量化。虽然毛细胞数量未受影响，但镉导致听觉阈值升高，估计镉产生毒性作用的临界范围为2.1 - 2.9微克/升。在较高镉浓度下，镉暴露还导致反应潜伏期缩短。当前的研究证明了镉对鱼类感官功能的亚致死效应，同时也指出需要更谨慎地解读镉对水生生物种群的影响。
