title: Protective effect of high alkalinity against the deleterious effects of chronic waterborne cadmium exposure on the detection of alarm cues by juvenile silver catfish (Rhamdia quelen).
abstract: The objective of the present study was to analyze the effect of chronic cadmium (Cd) exposure at two alkalinity levels (63 and 92 mg l(-1) CaCO(3)) on the antipredatory behavior of juvenile silver catfish (Rhamdia quelen) exposed to conspecific skin extract and predator odor. At an alkalinity of 63 mg l(-1) CaCO(3), 30 days of exposure to either 4.5 or 8.0 microg l(-1) Cd impaired the catfish's antipredatory response to alarm cues. However, silver catfish exposed to 4.5 microg l(-1) Cd at an alkalinity of 92 mg l(-1) CaCO(3) responded to skin extract and predator odor. In catfish exposed to 8.0 microg l(-1) Cd at the same alkalinity, only the number of feeding bites decreased, and this occurred only for specimens exposed to predator odor. Our results show that higher alkalinity protected against the deleterious effects of Cd on alarm cue detection but only in the larvae exposed to the lowest waterborne Cd level.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Fisiologia e Farmacologia, Universidade Federal de Santa Maria, Santa Maria, RS, Brazil.
authors.forename: Daiani
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Kochhann
authors.forename: Ana Paula S
authors.initials: AP
authors.lastname: Benaduce
authors.forename: Carlos E
authors.initials: CE
authors.lastname: Copatti
authors.forename: Karina R
authors.initials: KR
authors.lastname: Lorenzatto
authors.forename: Márcia F
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: Mesko
authors.forename: Erico M M
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: Flores
authors.forename: Valderi L
authors.initials: VL
authors.lastname: Dressler
authors.forename: Bernardo
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Baldisserotto
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001362:Avoidance Learning / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D002104:Cadmium / Q000633:toxicity*; D002254:Carbonates / Q000633:toxicity*; D002397:Catfishes / Q000254:growth & development / Q000502:physiology*; D003463:Cues; D004924:Escape Reaction / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D005239:Fear / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D008018:Life Cycle Stages / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D008297:Male; D009812:Odorants / Q000517:prevention & control; D012867:Skin / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000633:toxicity*
chemical_list: D002254:Carbonates; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical; D002104:Cadmium; C038075:cadmium carbonate