![]() In addition, the researchers evaluated the rate of photosynthesis and energy consumption of entire ecosystem, but found that the presence of the antidepressant didn’t really manifest in any obvious way on the those metrics, he said. “So crayfish are changing kind of where and how many different microbial components of the ecosystem are located.” “We think that’s because they are both stirring up a little bit of sediment on the bottom but also they are excreting when they feed on stuff on the bottom of the stream,” said Reisinger, who conducted the study as a postdoctoral researcher. The researchers also measured changes in algal biomass and organic matter, and found that the exposed crayfish increased the amount of algae in the water column of the streams. This suggests that in the real world this behaviour could make them more vulnerable to predators and also consume more resources, which could change food web dynamics, said lead author AJ Reisinger, an assistant professor in the soil and water sciences department at the University of Florida. The crayfish exposed to the antidepressants were bolder – more likely to go out and explore and forage. Two groups of crayfish were placed in artificial streams – one group was exposed to an antidepressant belonging to a family of drugs called selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRI), while the control group was not, over a 14-day period. In this study, researchers recreated the crayfish’s natural environment in the lab. Often these chemicals are not considered harmful because they are found in concentrations low enough to not kill, but changes in aggression, the ability to smell, and courtship have been observed in animals exposed. Researchers have long evaluated the impact of pharmaceuticals and personal care products that are found in the environment. When exposed to low levels of antidepressants, the crayfish were more outgoing – emerging from hiding relatively quicker and spent more time foraging, behaviours that make them more susceptible to predators, according to the study published in the journal Ecosphere.
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