Impact of multiple stressors on the biological components of freshwater ecosystems

Grgić, Ivana (2023) Impact of multiple stressors on the biological components of freshwater ecosystems. Doctoral thesis, Prirodoslovno-matematički fakultet.

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Abstract

Freshwater ecosystems are subject to numerous natural and anthropogenic pressures. The main objective of this research was to investigate the processes and molecular responses of several key components of freshwater ecosystems while exposed to multiple stressors. To this end, laboratory experiments were conducted with i) caddisflies and macrophytes exposed to microplastics, pharmaceuticals and endocrine disruptors, and ii) biofilms exposed to drought and a mixture of emerging contaminants. A robust method was developed for simultaneous characterisation of stressors and monitoring the corresponding molecular responses of organisms, allowing the detection of emerging contaminants (pharmaceuticals, endocrine disrupting compounds and microplastics), metabolites and proteins from a single tissue sample. By analyzing metabolic and total protein variations, the experiment on caddisflies and macrophytes provides valuable insights into adverse effects of microplastics on aquatic organisms and compares the effects of microplastics with those of pharmaceuticals and endocrine disruptors. The biofilm experiment shows a dynamic interaction between the microbial community and its environment during exposure to desiccation and emerging contaminants. Desiccation stress shapes the microbial community, which in turn, under the influence of emerging contaminants, modulates chemical composition of the environment.

Item Type:	Thesis (Doctoral thesis)
Uncontrolled Keywords:	caddisflies; moss; biofilm; emerging contaminants; proteins; metabolites; antibiotic resistance
Subjects:	NATURAL SCIENCES > Biology NATURAL SCIENCES > Biology > Microbiology NATURAL SCIENCES > Biology > Zoology NATURAL SCIENCES > Biology > Ecology NATURAL SCIENCES > Interdisciplinary Natural Sciences > Environmental Science
Divisions:	Division of Physical Chemistry
Projects:	Project title Project leader Project code Project type Višestruki stresori u vodenom okolišu: razumijevanje svojstava stresora i receptora-UNDERSTANDOR Marko Rožman; Sandra Babić; Igor Novak; Ana Previšić; Ivančica Ternjej IP-2018-01-2298 HRZZ
Depositing User:	Ivana Grgić
Date Deposited:	28 Jun 2023 12:38
URI:	http://fulir.irb.hr/id/eprint/7996

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