Crustacean Zooplankton Ingestion of Potentially Toxic <i>Microcystis</i>: In Situ Estimation Using <i>mcyE</i> Gene Gut Content Detection in a Large Temperate Eutrophic Lake
Grazing by zooplankton can regulate bloom-forming cyanobacteria but can also transfer toxin-producing cells, as well as toxic metabolites, to the food web. While laboratory investigations have provided extensive knowledge on zooplankton and toxic cyanobacteria interactions, information on zooplankto...
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MDPI AG
2025-01-01
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| Series: | Toxins |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6651/17/1/42 |
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| author | Helen Agasild Margarita Esmeralda Gonzales Ferraz Madli Saat Priit Zingel Kai Piirsoo Kätlin Blank Veljo Kisand Tiina Nõges Kristel Panksep |
| author_facet | Helen Agasild Margarita Esmeralda Gonzales Ferraz Madli Saat Priit Zingel Kai Piirsoo Kätlin Blank Veljo Kisand Tiina Nõges Kristel Panksep |
| author_sort | Helen Agasild |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Grazing by zooplankton can regulate bloom-forming cyanobacteria but can also transfer toxin-producing cells, as well as toxic metabolites, to the food web. While laboratory investigations have provided extensive knowledge on zooplankton and toxic cyanobacteria interactions, information on zooplankton feeding on toxin-producing cyanobacteria in natural water bodies remains scarce. In this study, we quantified <i>Microcystis</i>-specific <i>mcyE</i> synthase genes from the gut contents of various cladoceran and copepod taxa to assess the in situ crustacean community and taxon-specific ingestion of potentially toxic <i>Microcystis</i> in Lake Peipsi, a large eutrophic lake in Estonia, Northern Europe. <i>Microcystis</i> cells with <i>mcyE</i> genes were found in all crustaceans examined. However, some species, such as the cyclopoid copepod <i>Mesocyclops leuckarti</i>, were more efficient in ingesting potentially toxic <i>Microcystis</i> than other co-occurring cladocerans (<i>Daphnia</i> spp., <i>Bosmina</i> spp., <i>Chydorus sphaericus</i>) and copepods (<i>Eudiaptomus gracilis</i>). The amount of toxigenic <i>Microcystis</i> cells grazed by crustacean population changed temporarily, and copepods were the predominant consumers of toxigenic <i>Microcystis</i> during several months of the 5-month study period. Crustacean ingestion of toxigenic <i>Microcystis</i> was not related to <i>Microcystis</i> biomass or <i>mcyE</i> gene copy numbers in the environment but was instead related to the abundance of major crustacean grazers. Our findings emphasize the close interaction between crustacean zooplankton and toxigenic <i>Microcystis</i>, indicating that some species may play a more significant role in linking toxic cells within the food web than others. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-3e6b6439f0d040e589aefde4d08f9d3a |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2072-6651 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-01-01 |
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| series | Toxins |
| spelling | doaj-art-3e6b6439f0d040e589aefde4d08f9d3a2025-01-24T13:51:18ZengMDPI AGToxins2072-66512025-01-011714210.3390/toxins17010042Crustacean Zooplankton Ingestion of Potentially Toxic <i>Microcystis</i>: In Situ Estimation Using <i>mcyE</i> Gene Gut Content Detection in a Large Temperate Eutrophic LakeHelen Agasild0Margarita Esmeralda Gonzales Ferraz1Madli Saat2Priit Zingel3Kai Piirsoo4Kätlin Blank5Veljo Kisand6Tiina Nõges7Kristel Panksep8Institute of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, Estonian University of Life Sciences, 51006 Tartu, EstoniaInstitute of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, Estonian University of Life Sciences, 51006 Tartu, EstoniaInstitute of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, Estonian University of Life Sciences, 51006 Tartu, EstoniaInstitute of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, Estonian University of Life Sciences, 51006 Tartu, EstoniaInstitute of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, Estonian University of Life Sciences, 51006 Tartu, EstoniaInstitute of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, Estonian University of Life Sciences, 51006 Tartu, EstoniaInstitute of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, Estonian University of Life Sciences, 51006 Tartu, EstoniaInstitute of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, Estonian University of Life Sciences, 51006 Tartu, EstoniaInstitute of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, Estonian University of Life Sciences, 51006 Tartu, EstoniaGrazing by zooplankton can regulate bloom-forming cyanobacteria but can also transfer toxin-producing cells, as well as toxic metabolites, to the food web. While laboratory investigations have provided extensive knowledge on zooplankton and toxic cyanobacteria interactions, information on zooplankton feeding on toxin-producing cyanobacteria in natural water bodies remains scarce. In this study, we quantified <i>Microcystis</i>-specific <i>mcyE</i> synthase genes from the gut contents of various cladoceran and copepod taxa to assess the in situ crustacean community and taxon-specific ingestion of potentially toxic <i>Microcystis</i> in Lake Peipsi, a large eutrophic lake in Estonia, Northern Europe. <i>Microcystis</i> cells with <i>mcyE</i> genes were found in all crustaceans examined. However, some species, such as the cyclopoid copepod <i>Mesocyclops leuckarti</i>, were more efficient in ingesting potentially toxic <i>Microcystis</i> than other co-occurring cladocerans (<i>Daphnia</i> spp., <i>Bosmina</i> spp., <i>Chydorus sphaericus</i>) and copepods (<i>Eudiaptomus gracilis</i>). The amount of toxigenic <i>Microcystis</i> cells grazed by crustacean population changed temporarily, and copepods were the predominant consumers of toxigenic <i>Microcystis</i> during several months of the 5-month study period. Crustacean ingestion of toxigenic <i>Microcystis</i> was not related to <i>Microcystis</i> biomass or <i>mcyE</i> gene copy numbers in the environment but was instead related to the abundance of major crustacean grazers. Our findings emphasize the close interaction between crustacean zooplankton and toxigenic <i>Microcystis</i>, indicating that some species may play a more significant role in linking toxic cells within the food web than others.https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6651/17/1/42<i>Microcystis</i>toxic cyanobacteriacladoceranscopepodsaquatic food webqPCR |
| spellingShingle | Helen Agasild Margarita Esmeralda Gonzales Ferraz Madli Saat Priit Zingel Kai Piirsoo Kätlin Blank Veljo Kisand Tiina Nõges Kristel Panksep Crustacean Zooplankton Ingestion of Potentially Toxic <i>Microcystis</i>: In Situ Estimation Using <i>mcyE</i> Gene Gut Content Detection in a Large Temperate Eutrophic Lake Toxins <i>Microcystis</i> toxic cyanobacteria cladocerans copepods aquatic food web qPCR |
| title | Crustacean Zooplankton Ingestion of Potentially Toxic <i>Microcystis</i>: In Situ Estimation Using <i>mcyE</i> Gene Gut Content Detection in a Large Temperate Eutrophic Lake |
| title_full | Crustacean Zooplankton Ingestion of Potentially Toxic <i>Microcystis</i>: In Situ Estimation Using <i>mcyE</i> Gene Gut Content Detection in a Large Temperate Eutrophic Lake |
| title_fullStr | Crustacean Zooplankton Ingestion of Potentially Toxic <i>Microcystis</i>: In Situ Estimation Using <i>mcyE</i> Gene Gut Content Detection in a Large Temperate Eutrophic Lake |
| title_full_unstemmed | Crustacean Zooplankton Ingestion of Potentially Toxic <i>Microcystis</i>: In Situ Estimation Using <i>mcyE</i> Gene Gut Content Detection in a Large Temperate Eutrophic Lake |
| title_short | Crustacean Zooplankton Ingestion of Potentially Toxic <i>Microcystis</i>: In Situ Estimation Using <i>mcyE</i> Gene Gut Content Detection in a Large Temperate Eutrophic Lake |
| title_sort | crustacean zooplankton ingestion of potentially toxic i microcystis i in situ estimation using i mcye i gene gut content detection in a large temperate eutrophic lake |
| topic | <i>Microcystis</i> toxic cyanobacteria cladocerans copepods aquatic food web qPCR |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6651/17/1/42 |
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