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The effect of road salt (NaCl) treatment on the hatching success of Daphnia magna and Thamnocephalus platyurus.
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  • Sebastian Szklarek,
  • Aleksandra Górecka,
  • Piotr Jóźwiak,
  • Adrianna WOJTAL-FRANKIEWICZ
Sebastian Szklarek
European Regional Centre for Ecohydrology Polish Academy of Sciences

Corresponding Author:[email protected]

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Aleksandra Górecka
University of Lodz
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Piotr Jóźwiak
University of Lodz Faculty of Biology and Environmental Protection
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Adrianna WOJTAL-FRANKIEWICZ
University of Lodz Faculty of Biology and Environmental Protection
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Abstract

Salinization is an emerging problem for freshwater biodiversity. Road salt treatment results in salinization of local freshwater, influencing its entire ecosystem throughout the year. The present study examines the impact of road salt on the hatching success of two zooplankton species, Daphnia magna and Thamnocephalus platyurus, using pure laboratory lines from MicroBioTest. Hatching success was determined without incubation (T0) and after 3, 7 and 28 day of incubation at 5°C (T3, T7 and T28, respectively). The number of hatchings decreased with increasing NaCl concentration for T. platyurus, and decreased rapidly after a crucial value of 7 600 mg NaCl/L for D. manga. At the second hatching (eggs washed after first incubation and put into standard freshwater), D. manga demonstrated a low hatching rate regardless of NaCl concentration, while most T. platyurus hatchings were observed at the highest NaCl concentration; hence, the highest (15 200 mg/L) and lowest (1 900 mg/L) NaCl concentrations resulted in similar total hatching for the two species. The incubation time (T0, T3, T7 and T28) in NaCl at 5°C had no significant impact on hatching success; however, T28 resulted in significantly lower hatching success at all NaCl concentrations and controls. No significant differences in hatching success were noted if the eggs were first washed after incubation in NaCl and then put into the standard freshwater for hatching.