Effects of heavy metal concentration on zooplankton community composition and abundance in the Yellow Sea coast

Chenshi Weng; Dongsheng Ding; Zhengguo Cui; Keming Qu; Yuqiu Wei; Haiyan Hu

doi:10.1016/j.marenvres.2024.106870

Effects of heavy metal concentration on zooplankton community composition and abundance in the Yellow Sea coast

Mar Environ Res. 2024 Nov 29:204:106870. doi: 10.1016/j.marenvres.2024.106870. Online ahead of print.

Authors

Chenshi Weng¹, Dongsheng Ding², Zhengguo Cui², Keming Qu², Yuqiu Wei³, Haiyan Hu⁴

Affiliations

¹ College of Marine Science and Technology, Zhejiang Ocean University, Zhoushan 316022, China; Key Laboratory of Sustainable Development of Marine Fisheries, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Yellow Sea Fisheries Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Fishery Sciences, Qingdao 266071, China; Laboratory for Marine Fisheries Science and Food Production Processes, Pilot National Laboratory for Marine Science and Technology (Qingdao), Qingdao 266071, China.
² Key Laboratory of Sustainable Development of Marine Fisheries, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Yellow Sea Fisheries Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Fishery Sciences, Qingdao 266071, China; Laboratory for Marine Fisheries Science and Food Production Processes, Pilot National Laboratory for Marine Science and Technology (Qingdao), Qingdao 266071, China.
³ Key Laboratory of Sustainable Development of Marine Fisheries, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Yellow Sea Fisheries Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Fishery Sciences, Qingdao 266071, China; Laboratory for Marine Fisheries Science and Food Production Processes, Pilot National Laboratory for Marine Science and Technology (Qingdao), Qingdao 266071, China. Electronic address: weiyuqiu@163.com.
⁴ College of Marine Science and Technology, Zhejiang Ocean University, Zhoushan 316022, China. Electronic address: huhaiyan@zjou.edu.cn.

PMID: 39615105
DOI: 10.1016/j.marenvres.2024.106870

Abstract

The coastal area of the Yellow Sea is a highly urbanized and industrialized region in China, which has been severely polluted because of intensive human activities. And the heavy metals (HMs) pollution has posed a serious threat to aquatic environments and ecosystem health. However, most studies have focused on the toxicity and bio-accumulation of HMs in zooplankton, while neglecting their effects on the overall community structure. To address the gap in this field, four research cruises was conducted in 2022 to analyze the concentrations of representative HMs (Hg, As, Cu, Zn, Pb, and Cd) in surface seawater along the Yellow Sea coast, as well as the composition and abundance of zooplankton communities, aiming to assess the potential ecological impacts in the region. The results indicated that the concentrations of the six HMs in the seawater were in the low to moderate range. Analytical results showed that Zn and As were key metals influencing the abundance and community composition of zooplankton along the Yellow Sea coast: an increase in Zn concentration, coupled with a decrease in As concentration, was associated with an increase in total zooplankton abundance and a more diverse community. The most frequently occurring zooplankton in the survey were copepods, which exhibited a higher tolerance to HMs. Additionally, the significant fluctuations of Zn, As, and Hg during spring and autumn led to explosive growth of Noctiluca scintillans. We observed that the influence of HMs on marine zooplankton was not isolated but rather interacts with multiple factors. Overall, this study highlights the possibility of alterations in marine ecological structures due to changes in HMs concentration levels. It underscores the importance of continuous monitoring of heavy metal concentrations in the Yellow Sea for the long-term protection of marine ecosystems.

Keywords: Abundance; Heavy metals; Yellow sea; Zooplankton composition.