Relationship of Allozyme Genotype to Survivorship of Mayflies (Stenonema femoratum) Exposed to Copper

Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
The relationship of allozyme genotype to survivorship of Stenonema femoratum (Say) (Ephemeroptera:Heptageniidae) exposed to copper was tested. Mayflies were exposed to 1.6 mg/L copper sulfate for 125 hr, and individual times to death (TTD) were recorded. All individuals were then analyzed electrophoretically at three polymorphic loci: glucose phosphate isomerase (GPI); phosphoglucomutase (PGM); and malate dehydrogenase (MDH). TTD was significantly shorter in two GPI genotypes, although one of those genotypes was extremely rare. Reduction in genetic variability by differential elimination of sensitive genotypes may reduce the ability of impacted populations to recover from additional impacts or adapt to slowly changing environmental conditions. Periodic genetic sampling may be a sensitive method for monitoring the stability of natural populations.

This publication has 0 references indexed in Scilit: