Using mesocosms to evaluate the impacts of pasture intensification and pasture-sugarcane conversion on tadpoles in Brazil

• Published in: Environmental science and pollution research international 2023-02, Vol.30 (8), p.21010-21024
• Main Authors: Girotto, Lais, Freitas, Isabele Baima Ferreira, Yoshii, Maria Paula Cardoso, Goulart, Bianca Veloso, Montagner, Cassiana Carolina, Schiesari, Luis César, Espíndola, Evaldo Luiz Gaeta, Freitas, Juliane Silberschmidt
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: 2,4-D; 2,4-Dichlorophenoxyacetic Acid - metabolism; acetylcholinesterase; Acetylcholinesterase - metabolism; Animals; Anura; Aquatic Pollution; Atmospheric Protection/Air Quality Control/Air Pollution; biomarkers; biotransformation; Brazil; carboxylesterase; catalase; Catalase - metabolism; Earth and Environmental Science; Ecotoxicology; Environment; Environmental Chemistry; Environmental Health; Fertilizers; fipronil; glutathione transferase; Glutathione Transferase - metabolism; Larva; malondialdehyde; NADP-glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase; oxidative stress; pastures; Physalaemus; pollution; Research Article; Saccharum - metabolism; species; sugarcane; tadpoles; Waste Water Technology; Water Management; Water Pollutants, Chemical - metabolism; Water Pollution Control
• ISSN: 1614-7499; 1614-7499
• DOI: 10.1007/s11356-022-23691-5

This study evaluated the effects of environmental contamination caused by pasture intensification and pasture-sugarcane conversion on oxidative stress, biotransformation, esterase enzymes, and development of Scinax fuscovarious and Physalaemus nattereri . Tadpoles were exposed in mesocosms allocated in three treatments: (1) untreated extensive pasture (EP); (2) intensive-pasture conversion (IP) (2,4-D herbicide + fertilizers); and (3) pasture-sugarcane conversion (SC) (fipronil + 2,4-D + fertilizers). After 7 days of exposure, IP reduced catalase (CAT) and increased malondialdehyde (MDA) levels in P. nattereri , while this treatment decreased glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PDH) and CAT activities in S. fuscovarious. SC decreased CAT, G6PDH, and glutathione S-transferase (GST) activities in P. nattereri . In S. fuscovarius , SC reduced G6PDH, acetylcholinesterase (AChE), and carboxylesterase (CbE) activities. MDA was raised in both tadpole species exposed to SC, evidencing oxidative stress. Integrated biomarker responses showed higher scores in both species exposed to SC. Our results warn that management practices currently applied to sugarcane cultivation in Brazil can negatively impact the functional responses of amphibians at natural systems.