GENETIC DIFFERENTIATION BETWEEN POPULATIONS OF ORCHESELLA-CINCTA (COLLEMBOLA) FROM HEAVY-METAL CONTAMINATED SITES

In all populations the sexes had different growth rates, but showed a similar growth reduction following Cd exposure. The growth response to Zn differed slightly between the sexes; males showed increased growth, but females showed reduced growth, when exposed to a Zn concentration in the food of 68.8 μmol g-1 dry wt. There was no difference in growth response to Zn between populations. Growth responses to Cd exposure differed between the populations. A significant reduction in growth occurred in populations descended from the reference site and from sites contaminated by industrial activities. Populations descended from highly contaminated sites with a long history of contamination showed no significant growth reduction. Evidence is thus shown for genetic differences between the populations. -from Author