Premium
Influence of developmental stage on sensitivity to ammonium nitrate of aquatic stages of amphibians
Author(s) -
OrtizSantaliestra Manuel E.,
Marco Adolfo,
Fernández María José,
Lizana Miguel
Publication year - 2006
Publication title -
environmental toxicology and chemistry
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.1
H-Index - 171
eISSN - 1552-8618
pISSN - 0730-7268
DOI - 10.1897/05-023r.1
Subject(s) - nitrate , ammonium , developmental stage , environmental chemistry , ammonium nitrate , stage (stratigraphy) , chemistry , biology , ecology , psychology , developmental psychology , organic chemistry , paleontology
In static renewal experiments, we studied how developmental stage influences the effect of ammonium nitrate on embryonic and larval stages of anuran amphibians. The observed lethal effects caused by ammonium nitrate increased with both concentration and duration of exposure. Significant differences were observed in sensitivity to ammonium nitrate as a function of developmental stage in Discoglossus galganoi, Pelobates cultripes , and Bufo calamita . In D. galganoi and P. cultripes , younger individuals displayed greater acute effects from the chemical fertilizer compared with older individuals. For example, 100% of P. cultripes hatchlings died after 4 d of exposure to a nominal concentration of 225.8 mg N‐NO 3 NH 4 /L, whereas less than 40% of individuals from older larval stages died when exposed to this concentration. A delay of 4 d in the beginning of the exposure to the chemical was enough to cause significant differences in sensitivity. Bufo calamita showed a higher sensitivity in later larval stages after 12 d of exposure. Hyla meridionalis and B. calamita were less sensitive than the other two species. Peak ammonium nitrate concentrations usually occur when amphibians are breeding and, thus, when the most sensitive aquatic stage is in the water. The developmental stage of the test animals should be considered when evaluating the risk of ammonium nitrate to amphibians.