Dissimilar Behavioral and Spatial Avoidance Responses by Shrimps From Tropical and Temperate Environments Exposed to Copper

Resumen del trabajo presentado en el 14th SETAC Latin America, celebrado de forma virtual del 26 al 29 de septiembre de 2021It is important to have a better understanding of how the behavior of organisms may be affected depending on how the exposure occurs: homogeneous (forced exposure) or heterogeneous (non-forced exposure) scenario. This study aimed at evaluating the effects of copper on two behavioral responses (locomotory activity and spatial avoidance) in two shrimp species (Penaeus vannamei and Palaemon varians), representative of different latitudes. The effects on locomotion were evaluated by exposing the shrimps to a range of copper concentrations (0, 0.5, 5, 50 and 250 µg/L) in a forced exposure scenario and following changes in the movement patterns. The avoidance response was assessed under a non-forced scenario, by placing shrimps in a multicompartment system where they were able to move freely along a gradient of copper (0, 0.5, 5, 50 and 250 µg/L). In terms of locomotion, an opposite trend was observed between the species: movements were significantly reduced in P. varians with concentrations above 50 µg/L, while hyperactivity was observed in P. vannamei. When exposed to a gradient of copper in the multi-compartment system, both species significantly avoided the highest concentrations of copper, although the repellence of copper was stronger for P. vannamei. In summary, both species of shrimps were able to recognize and avoid copper; however, in terms of locomotion, probably they showed a different threshold sensitivity to copper and an opposite behavioral reaction. These results show that a contamination event can trigger different behavioral outcomes depending on the species and the exposure approach (forced and non-forced scenarios). Both approaches should be used complementarily to better characterize and predict the effects of contaminants at higher biological level