Examinando por Autor "Montenegro, Diana"

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  • Miniatura
    Ítem
    Impact of multiple-factors on health and infections in marine mussels (Perumytilus purpuratus) inhabiting contaminated sites in the Humboldt Current System
    (Nature Portfolio, 2025) Montenegro, Diana; Gonzalez, Maria Teresa
    Marine organisms are increasingly exposed to a combination of environmental stressors. However, most studies focus on single factors, limiting our understanding of real-world ecological challenges. This study investigates the combined effects of metal pollution, parasites, pathogens, and environmental variables on the health of Perumytilus purpuratus, a mussel species inhabiting the coast of northern Chile. The upwelling system in this area, combined with low water turnover, creates a unique environment in which to study how multiple factors interact. Mussels were sampled from several sites affected by metal discharges. Analyses revealed that individuals from central and northern sites exhibited the highest levels of parasites, pathogens, and tissue lesions. These health impacts were strongly associated with elevated pH, salinity, cadmium and copper concentrations in the water. Findings emphasise the synergistic effects of chemical and abiotic factors, underscoring the importance of incorporating multiple factors interactions into monitoring programmes. Such an approach can enhance predictions of ecological responses, inform conservation efforts, and guide policies addressing global challenges like aquatic pollution. Our study provides critical insights into how combined factors threaten aquatic ecosystems, offering a framework for more comprehensive environmental assessment.
  • Miniatura
    Ítem
    Tolerance of free-living larval stage of a parasite from coastal mining areas in northern Humboldt Current to copper pollution at low and high temperatures
    (Public Library of Science, 2024-11-01) Leiva, Natalia V.; Montenegro, Diana; Orrego, Rodrigo; Vidal, Rodrigo; González, M.Teresa.
    Metal pollution is a worldwide problem and one of the greatest threats to ecosystem integrity due to its toxicity, persistence, and bioaccumulation in biological systems. Anthropogenic pollution impacts marine organisms and host-parasite dynamics, with the northern Chilean coast experiencing elevated copper levels in marine waters and sediments due to mining activities. In this study, we assessed the effects of exposure to copper concentrations at low and high-water temperatures on the survival and longevity of the marine parasite Himasthla sp. cercariae (Trematoda: Digenea) using the snail Echinolittorina peruviana as its first intermediate host. Snails were collected from intertidal rocky pools in northern Chile (23 degrees S). To assess parasite survival and longevity, cercariae were collected from a pool of infected snails, and their mortality was recorded every 6 hours until all cercariae were dead. In a preliminary experiment conducted at 19 degrees C, cercariae were exposed to different copper concentrations (0.2, 1.5, 3.0, and 6.0 mg/L) for 78 hours. Cercariae showed tolerance to copper. However, at the higher copper concentration (6 mg/L), survival was negatively impacted (50%) at 54 hours. In contrast, at the lower concentration (0.2 mg/L) and in the control group, cercariae sustained a 73-90% survival rate even after 54 hours. Based on these findings, we conducted subsequent experiments involving two copper treatments (0.2 and 3.0 mg/L) and two temperatures (14 and 22 degrees C). Survival and longevity were significantly higher at lower temperature and copper concentration (14 degrees C and 0.2 mg/L). Conversely, at higher temperature and copper concentration (22 degrees C and 3 mg/L), survival and longevity decreased to only 66 hours. Our results show that Himasthla sp. cercariae tolerated most copper concentrations, with vulnerability observed primarily in high water temperatures, indicating an adverse effect on cercariae performance. This study contributes valuable insights into how parasites respond to environmental pollution, in marine ecosystems influenced by anthropogenic activities.