Cadmium (Cd), a heavy metal found in the aquatic environment, accumulates in organisms through the food chain. In the study, we investigated the survival rates, measurement of body Cd levels, and expression analysis of the stress response genes (Heat shock protein 70: HSP70 and Heat shock protein 60: HSP60) and antioxidant enzyme Glutathione S-Transferases (GST) on benthic oligochaete worm Tubifex tubifex exposed three concentrations of Cd, to analyze the bioaccumulation and changes of stress gene expressions to exposure toxicity of the Cd-spiked sediment. Survival rates of T. tubifex exposed to the Cdspiked sediment were 93% at 0.4 mg kg-1 Cd, 96% at 1.87 mg kg-1 Cd, and 93% at 6.09 mg kg-1 Cd for 10 days. Cd concentration in the body of T. tubifex was higher than that in the sediment. After Cd exposures for 10 days, the body Cd levels were 18.4 mg kg-1, 13.06 mg kg-1, and 79.11 mg kg-1 at exposed three concentrations of Cd, respectively. Upregulation of HSP70 gene expression was observed at all concentrations of exposed Cd as a time-dependent manner, whereas transcriptional expression of the HSP60 gene increased as a timedependent manner in T. tubifex exposed to the relative high concentration (6.09 mg kg-1) of Cd. However, GST gene expression increased on day 1 at all concentrations after Cd exposures, and then downregulated until 10 days. These results indicate to ecotoxicological and molecular effects in benthic oligochaete worm T. tubifex to Cd-spiked sediment and provide the basic information for the utilization of environmental toxicity assessment using the T. tubifex as a aquatic pollution indicator species.

Monitoring and assessing aquatic ecosystems using the behavior of organisms is essential for sustainable ecosystem management. Oligochaetes, which inhabit various freshwater ecosystems, are frequently used to evaluate the environmental conditions of freshwater ecosystems. Tubifex tubifex (Müller, 1774) (Oligochaeta, Tubificidae) is tolerant to organic pollution and has been used to evaluate the toxicity of toxicants, including heavy metals. We studied the behavioral responses of T. tubifex to three different copper concentrations (0.1, 0.5, and 1.0 mg L-1). The specimens were exposed to copper in an observation cage containing 150 mL of dechlorinated water. Movement behavior (diameter, speed, acceleration, meander, and turning rate) was continuously observed for two hours before and after the copper treatments. After the treatments, the diameter shrank and showed rapid twisting movement under all the copper conditions. The turning rate had a positive correlation with meander and acceleration both before and after treatment at all three concentrations, whereas speed and meander had a negative correlation. Length and turning rate also showed a negative correlation. The correlation coefficient between speed and acceleration in the highest copper concentration changed from positive before treatment (r=0.64) to negative (r= - 0.52) after treatment. Our results present the possibility of using behavioral parameters to detect copper contamination in freshwater ecosystems.

In this study, we investigated the response of freshwater oligochaete, Tubifex tubifex, to the water temperature changes and the differences of substrate composition in a laboratory condition. The changes of body shape were observed in a test cage according to the water temperature change ranging from 10℃ to 30℃ with 2℃ interval every 10 minutes. The substrate preference was observed with four different substrate composition from silt-clay to coarse sand. Our results displayed that T. tubifex preferred substrates with the smallest particle size (<0.063 mm). The water temperature influenced on the activity and body shape of T. tubifex, showing low activity with the coiled and constricted body shapes at lower temperature and high activity with relaxed linear body shapes at higher temperature.

실지렁이는 다양한 수환경에서 서식하며 일반적으로 유기물 퇴적이 많은 곳에서 군체를 형성하여 서식한다. 실지렁이(Tubifex tubifex)는 유기물 오염에 대한 내성이 강하여 수질 오염도의 지표종으로 전세계적으로 널리 적용되고 있다. 실지렁이를 이용한 생태독성 연구, 유기물 분해능에 대한 연구는 오래전부터 수행되어 왔으나 상대적으로 기초 행동에 대한 연구가 미진하다. 수온은 수생생물들의 발생, 생장, 활동에 영향을 미치는 가장 중요한 요인 중의 하나이다. 이에, 이 연구에서는 다양한 수온 조건에서 실지렁이의 활동성 및 하상 선호도를 비교하였다. 수온은 10 ℃에서 30 ℃까지 2℃ 간격으로 증가시키면서 실지렁이의 행동을 관찰하였다. 형태적 변화는 활동성 변화를 대변해 주며 낮은 온도조건(예, 10 – 14 ℃)의 경우 T. tubifex는 몸을 수축하고 있으나 온도가 증가함에 따라 수축된 몸이 길게 이완 되었다. 전반적으로 16 – 18 ℃에서 대부분의 T. tubifex 개체들이 몸이 이완되었으며 24 ℃이상에서는 몸을 길게 펼쳐진 형태가 주로 지속되었다. 다양한 하상 조건 중에서 하상에 관계없이 항상 가장 작은 하상에서 가장 높은 밀도를 보여 하상크기가 작은 것을 선호하는 특성을 보였다. 아크릴 수조에 silt(<0.0625mm), very fine + fine(0.0625 - 0.25), medium(0.25-0.5), coarse(0.5-1) sand를 제공한 경우 silt에서 가장 높은 밀도를 보였다.