Spatio-temporal variation in energy content of the periwinkle Littorina littorea, along a pollution gradient in the western Scheldt estuary, The Netherlands

• Published in: Journal of experimental marine biology and ecology 2007-05, Vol.344 (1), p.78-87
• Main Authors: De Wolf, H., Lukambuzi, L., Van den Broeck, H., Smolders, R.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Animal and plant ecology; Animal, plant and microbial ecology; Applied ecology; Biological and medical sciences; Brackish; Ecotoxicology, biological effects of pollution; Energy resources; Estuaries; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Glycogen; Lipid; Littorina littorea; Proteins; Sea water ecosystems; Synecology; Western Scheldt
• ISSN: 0022-0981; 1879-1697
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jembe.2006.12.009

Energy reserves, expressed as lipid, glycogen and protein fractions, were measured in the periwinkle L. littorea after 4 weeks of translocation from a relatively clean, marine (i.e. Westkapelle) to an intermediate (i.e. Ellewoutsdijk) and a highly heavy metal polluted, brackish site (i.e. Hansweert) in the Western Scheldt estuary (The Netherlands). Energy reserves of resident periwinkles from all three sites were assessed over time as well (i.e. 16/03/05, 23/03/05, 30/03/05, 13/04/05 and 11/05/05). None of the energy fractions reflected the upstream decreasing salinity and increasing heavy metal gradients. Glycogen and protein fractions decreased significantly in the translocated specimens, despite no differences were detected among the resident populations, suggesting adaptation and/or acclimation effects at the upstream parts of the estuary. The temporal data revealed a consistent post-winter, pre-spawning increase of glycogen and protein levels and a subsequent drop after spawning. Compared to glycogen and proteins, lipids follow a slightly different pattern, which may be explained by sex related and site specific interactions between biotic and abiotic factors.