Mixture pollution in agricultural streams: linking the effect of chemicals to the genome of freshwater organisms using an ecotoxicogenomic approach

Chemical pollution is a global threat that jeopardises ecosystem services and impairs the health of aquatic ecosystems. Mixtures of chemicals reduce species diversity and abundance, but do diversity losses downscale to the genome level?

The objective of this project is to close multiple knowledge gaps regarding whether diversity losses downscale to the genome level affecting gene expression, which compensatory mechanisms are involved in the tolerance to such chemical pressure, and if a replacement towards more tolerant invertebrates occurs in agricultural streams.We will define mixtures in environmental samples and determine -omics responses to those mixtures of chemicals in long-term exposed Gammarus pulex, a keystone invertebrate species, in agricultural streams.

Special attention will be given to the interaction between the type of adverse biological response of the chemicals (mode of action) and the gene expression in G. pulex.

A mechanistic understanding will be developed through the exposure to in situ mixtures and artificial mixtures under laboratory conditions.Aquatic invertebrates are extensively used worldwide as biological indicators to define water quality. Hence, it is critical to develop a mechanistic view of genome-wide responses to chemical mixtures.

The outcomes of the project will close mentioned knowledge gaps and will contribute to achieving environmental society goals, such as “A Non-Toxic Environment” and Global Sustainable Development Goals.