DYSMON. Teilprojekt C1: Oekophysiologischer Vergleich adaptiver Reaktionen unter H_2S-Belastung bei marinen benthischen Arten Abschlussbericht

The aim of the project was to study effects of hydrogen sulphide on life functions of selected marine benthic species from the Baltic and the North Sea under defined experimental conditions. Also larval stages of marine invertebrates were included and reactions of populations of the Baltic Tellin Macoma balthica from different habitats were comparatively analysed. Altogether larvae reacted more sensitively to hydrogen sulphide than the adults. Already low concentrations of sulphide (> 2.5 #mu#M H_2S) led to reduction of development or increased mortality of embryos and larvae of bivalves. Concentrations of about 50 - 100 #mu#M H_2S led to nearly complete mortality. Populations of the Baltic Tellin Macoma balthica showed different reactions to hydrogen sulphide dependent on the contamination with sulphide found in their habitats. Specimens from H_2S contaminated locations survived longer during oxic H_2S incubations than those from uncontaminated locations. Obviously the resistant populations have developed mechanisms to protect cytochrome c oxidase against toxification by sulphide. The results additionally demonstrate that different populations of M balthica perform different adaptability to this metabolic poison. Results of studies using isolated mitochondria suggest that the polychaete Heteromastus filiformis and further species are able to use the energy liberated by oxidation of H_2S for formation of ATP. (orig.)SIGLEAvailable from TIB Hannover: DtF QN1(28,23) / FIZ - Fachinformationszzentrum Karlsruhe / TIB - Technische InformationsbibliothekBundesministerium fuer Forschung und Technologie (BMFT), Bonn (Germany)DEGerman