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Survival of Ceriodaphnia dubia (Crustacea,
Cladocera) Exposed to Different Screens Against
Natural Ultraviolet Radiation
P. De Los Rios1, P. Acevedo2, K. Verdugo1
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1Universidad Católica de Temuco, Facultad de Recursos Naturales, Escuela de Ciencias Biológicas y Químicas,
Casilla 15-D, Temuco, Chile
2Universidad de la Frontera, Facultad de Ingeniería, Ciencias y Administración, Departamento de Ciencias Físicas,
Casilla 54-D, Temuco, Chile
Pol. J. Environ. Stud. 2007;16(3):481-485
KEYWORDS
ABSTRACT
The current increase of penetration of natural ultraviolet radiation (UVR ) in southern South America
affects water bodies because the UVR can penetrate the water column. In this scenario, the zooplankton
develops photoprotective strategies such as vertical migrations against UVR or synthesis of photoprotective
substances. The present study was done using a population of Ceriodaphnia dubia. that was collected
from small shallow wetland near Temuco, Chile. The specimens were exposed for 7 to 9 hours to natural
ultraviolet radiation, and with different colored nylon as protection against UVR , the experiment was done
during the southern summer of 2006. The results revealed that in the presence of protection against UVR
provided by colored nylon, the mortality was low, whereas under exposure to UVR and covering by transparent
nylon total mortality was observed. The relation between mortality and the dose of UV that can
penetrate the different colored nylon is represented by LC50 in UV (280-400 nm) and UVB (280-320 nm),
within intensities of 234.82 and 14.96 kJ/m2, respectively.