Chronic effects of cyanobacterial toxins on Daphnia magna and their offspring

The zooplankton grazer Daphnia magna endures living in water bodies up to moderate densities of cyanobacteria, such as Microcystis spp., known for producing toxic secondary metabolites. Although daphnids are affected via decreased food filtering, inhibition of digestive proteases and lethality, development of tolerance against cyanobacterial toxins has also been observed. Aim of our study was to investigate in detail chronic effects of cyanobacterial toxins, with emphasis on microcystin, on D. magna. The animals were exposed chronically for two generations to either microcystin-LR in 5 or 50 μg L⁻¹, or to cyanobacterial crude extract containing the same amount of total microcystin, starting at neonate stadium. Survival, growth, maturation and fecundity were observed for the first generation during two months. In the offspring survival, maturation, and growth were followed for the first week.Low concentration of microcystin-LR slightly affected the growth and reproduction of parent daphnids. Survivorship decreased during chronic exposure with increasing microcystin concentration. Age to maturity of the offspring increased and their survival decreased after parent generation was exposed to the toxin, even if the offspring were raised in control medium. Besides, cessation of the eggs/embryos was observed and malformation of neonates caused by cyanobacterial toxins was firstly recorded.