| dc.description.abstract | The present study investigates the effect of aqueous aluminium (Al) and acidic water on mortality and respiration in the isopoda Asellus aquaticus. I conducted one mortality experiment lasting 22 days exposing A. aquaticus to an acidic Al-rich medium (pH 5.8), an acidic Al-poor medium (pH 5.8) and untreated natural water (control) (pH 7.0). Followed by three respirometry experiments exposing A. aquaticus to an acidic Al-rich medium, an acidic Al-poor and untreated natural water each for five days and then transferring the animals into closed-respirometry chambers for 48 hours. In the mortality experiment A. aquaticus was more sensitive to the acidic Al-rich medium than the acidic Al-poor- and the control media. In the respirometry experiment Al-exposed A. aquaticus displayed a lower normoxic O2 consumption than in the acidic Al-poor- and control media. Similarly, the critical O2 tension was lower in Al-exposed A. aquaticus than acidic Al-poor- and control media. The critical O2 tension was inconsistent with the mortality A. aquaticus experienced in the mortality experiment. I draw the conclusion that A. aquaticus is more sensitive to aqueous aluminium than to an acidic Al poor medium. | en_US |
