What Is the Impact of Dexamethasone and Prednisolone Glucocorticoids on the Structure of Meiobenthic Nematode Communities?

Mohamed Allouche, Sahar Ishak, Ahmed Nasri, Abdel Halim Harrath, Saleh Alwasel, Hamouda Beyrem, Octavian Pacioglu and Fehmi Boufahja
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Mohamed Allouche: LR01ES14 Laboratory of Environment Biomonitoring, Coastal Ecology and Ecotoxicology Unit, Faculty of Sciences of Bizerte, University of Carthage, Zarzouna 7021, Tunisia
Sahar Ishak: LR01ES14 Laboratory of Environment Biomonitoring, Coastal Ecology and Ecotoxicology Unit, Faculty of Sciences of Bizerte, University of Carthage, Zarzouna 7021, Tunisia
Ahmed Nasri: LR01ES14 Laboratory of Environment Biomonitoring, Coastal Ecology and Ecotoxicology Unit, Faculty of Sciences of Bizerte, University of Carthage, Zarzouna 7021, Tunisia
Abdel Halim Harrath: Zoology Department, College of Science, King Saud University, P.O. Box 2455, Riyadh 11451, Saudi Arabia
Saleh Alwasel: Zoology Department, College of Science, King Saud University, P.O. Box 2455, Riyadh 11451, Saudi Arabia
Hamouda Beyrem: LR01ES14 Laboratory of Environment Biomonitoring, Coastal Ecology and Ecotoxicology Unit, Faculty of Sciences of Bizerte, University of Carthage, Zarzouna 7021, Tunisia
Octavian Pacioglu: National Institute of Research and Development for Biological Sciences, 060031 Bucharest, Romania
Fehmi Boufahja: LR01ES14 Laboratory of Environment Biomonitoring, Coastal Ecology and Ecotoxicology Unit, Faculty of Sciences of Bizerte, University of Carthage, Zarzouna 7021, Tunisia

Sustainability, 2022, vol. 14, issue 9, 1-16

Abstract: The toxic effects of two commonly used glucocorticoids, the dexamethasone and prednisolone, on meiobenthic nematodes were assessed in a laboratory experiment for 30 days. Nine treatments were employed, comprised of two single and mixed concentrations of dexamethasone and prednisolone (i.e., 0.14 and 1.4 µg·L −1 ). The exposure to both glucocorticoids showed significant effects on the abundance and taxonomic diversity of nematodes. Such changes were mainly induced by the decrease in the abundance of the species Microlaimus honestus , considered to be sensitive to prednisolone and by the increase in Enoplolaimus longicaudatus abundance, which can be considered tolerant. The exposure to these glucocorticoids also led to a decrease in 2A feeding groups, 2–4 mm body-size interval, and c-p3 life history type in most treatments, with type of life history and shape of amphids as the most relevant functional traits impacted by these two glucocorticoids. The results could also be explained by the potential antagonism between these two pharmaceuticals.

Keywords: glucocorticoids; meiobenthic nematodes; diversity; functional traits (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
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