engleski

Under pressure – molecular responses of aquatic insects and moss to multiple stressors

Freshwater ecosystems are among the most endangered ecosystems in the world. This is due to the numerous negative consequences of human activities, such as contamination and pollution, overexploitation of water bodies, introduction of invasive species, and climate change [1]. Stressors in nature usually do not act in isolation, but in combination with each other, and these relationships can be very complex, with different consequences for living organisms. Effects caused by multiple stressors can be additive (the effect is the sum of the effects of two or more stressors) or non- additive. In the latter case, we distinguish between positive (synergism) and negative (antagonism) effects of one stressor on another [2]. Monitoring the effects of stress is very often done at the community level (e.g., in aquatic habitats as part of regular monitoring), but the most rapid and accurate monitoring of negative effects is achieved by analyzing responses at the molecular level. Therefore, this research aims to monitor changes in metabolic responses and protein production of aquatic insects (Trichoptera, Insecta) and mosses (Bryophyta) when exposed to real concentrations of pharmaceuticals, microplastics, and their combination. By analyzing total protein concentration and metabolite structure, we found that mosses and aquatic insects have different mechanisms of response to environmental stress. In mosses, proteins and metabolites in samples exposed to pharmaceuticals show a similar pattern of increased stress. In aquatic insects, however, stress levels are roughly the same across treatments, but the response becomes less pronounced over time, possibly due to stress adaptation.

metabolites ; proteines ; microplastics

nije evidentirano