title: Effect of sublethal doses of cadmium on the phototactic behavior of Daphnia magna.
abstract: The effect of a sublethal concentration of cadmium (0.06 mg/ L) was tested on the phototactic behavior of a positively phototactic Daphnia magna clone. In experiments lasting 10 min, using animals that had been exposed to cadmium for 1 to 6 h, it was observed that the animals became significantly less positively phototactic after 4 h of exposure to 0.06 mg/L cadmium compared to control animals that had not been exposed to cadmium. In flow-through experiments that lasted for 6 h and during which there were repeated measurements, there was again a significant effect of cadmium exposure on the phototactic behavior of the animals. Irrespective of treatment, time had a significant effect. Results suggest that phototactic behavior can be used to detect sublethal concentrations of pollutant within a few hours, in short-term as well as in longer-lasting experiments with continuous flow-through and repeated stimulation of the animals.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Aquatic Ecology, K.U. Leuven, Belgium. erik.michels@bio.kuleuven.ac.be
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Michels
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Semsari
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Bin
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: De Meester
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002104:Cadmium / Q000009:adverse effects*; D003621:Daphnia; D004784:Environmental Monitoring / Q000379:methods; D008027:Light; D008124:Locomotion / Q000187:drug effects*; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D002104:Cadmium