CHAPTER 3
Latent effect of low level of copper contamination on Evechinus chloroticus early life stages
ABSTRACT
Exposure to environmental stressors, such as pollutants, early in life may have latent effects visible only in later life stages. This study follows sea urchin larvae(Evechinus chloroticus) exposed briefly (two days) to four treatments of low level of copper (2.3 - 10.4 μg/L). Stage-dependent sensitivity to copper was evaluated by exposing larvae early or late during larval development, and then examining settlers for 40 d after settlement. Some of the juveniles were exposed to a further short pulse of copper (10.4 μg/L) to investigate a potential resistance to pollution. No major direct effect was observed on larvae or settlement success. However, complex latent effects started to appear from eight days post-settlement. Individuals exposed to the highest level of copper late in larval stage metamorphosed into 14% larger settlers with 45% longer spines. However, they had strongly impaired subsequent growth,with an average radial length and spine to body ratio decreasing by 24% for both variables, and were 23% smaller than controls with 15% shorter spines by 25 d postsettlement. Juveniles previously exposed to copper as larvae were less resistant to a subsequent pulse, with up to four times higher mortality in groups previously exposed to copper during the larval stage. On the other hand, survivors exposed as larvae to the highest copper level had a 35% higher growth rate than naïve juveniles (i.e. no previous exposure). Overall copper impact was stronger in larvae exposed early rather than late in development. Surprisingly, juveniles were more sensitive than pluteus larvae, with direct growth impairment in the highest copper treatment (-8% growth in naïve juveniles vs +15% in controls). These results highlight the importance of considering latent effects when evaluating the impacts of pollution. The effect of exposure to contaminants in larval stages may be far-reaching and much more complex than can be observed in shorter-term experiments.