Combined toxic effects of yessotoxin and polystyrene on the survival, reproduction, and population growth of rotifer Brachionus plicatilis at different temperatures.

Abstract

Yessotoxin (YTX) is a disulfated toxin produced by harmful dinoflagellates and causes risks to aquatic animals. Polystyrene (PS) microplastics could absorb toxins in seawaters but pose threats to organism growth. In this study, the combined toxic effects of YTX (0, 20, 50, and 100 µg L^-1) and PS (0, 5, and 10 µg mL^-1) on the survival, reproduction, and population growth of marine rotifer Brachionus plicatilis at 20 °C, 25 °C, and 30 °C were evaluated. Results indicated that the survival time (S), time to first batch of eggs (F_t), total offspring per rotifer (O_t), generational time (T₀), net reproduction rate (R₀), intrinsic growth rate (r_m), and population growth rate (r) of rotifers were inhibited by YTX and PS at 25 °C and 30 °C. Low temperature (20 °C) improved the life-table parameters T₀, R₀, and r_m at YTX concentrations less than 100 µg L^-1. Temperature, YTX, and PS had interactive effects on rotifers' S, F_t, O_t, T₀, R₀, r_m, and r. The combined negative effects of YTX and PS on rotifers' survival, reproduction, and population growth were significantly enhanced at 30 °C. These findings emphasized the importance of environmental temperature in studying the interactive effects of microplastics and toxins on the population growth of zooplankton in eutrophic seawaters.