Impact of singular versus combinatorial environmental stress on RONS generation in larvae.

We investigated environmentally correlated abiotic stressor desiccation (D), heat (H), and starvation (S) in the generation of reactive oxygen and nitrogen species (RONS) using larvae as an experimental model, subjected to either individual stressors or exposed to a combinatorial form of stressors (D + H, H + S, and D + S). The study was also extended to find synergistic endpoints where the impacts of all three stressors (D + H + S) were exerted simultaneously. We estimated the lethal time (LT) at specific doses using regression and probit analyses based on the larval survival.

Differential manifestation of RONS and antioxidant enzymes in response to singular versus combinatorial stress in Chironomus ramosus.

In nature, organisms face multiple abiotic stress concurrently. Our previous study has indicated how threshold level of lethality depends on the type and combination of stressors. Many mechanisms exist by which organisms respond to stressors and maintain homeostasis.