A first record of the antioxidant defense and selected trace elements in Salamandra salamandra larvae on Mt. Avala and Mt. Vršački Breg (Serbia)

Abstract

We investigated the activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), glutathioneperoxidase (GSH-Px), glutathione reductase (GR) and the phase II biotransformation enzyme glutathioneS-transferase (GST) in the whole body of fire salamander larvae (Salamandra salamandra) from twolocalities on Mt. Avala (AVS and ABP) and one locality on Mt. Vršački Breg (VSB), Serbia. We alsodetermined the total glutathione (GSH) and sulfhydryl group (SH) contents, as well as the concentrations ofmanganese (Mn), copper (Cu), zinc (Zn), selenium (Se), arsenic (As), cadmium (Cd), lead (Pb) and uranium(U). The obtained results show that animals from VSB had significantly lower weights and lengths thananimals from AVS and ABP. The activities of all investigated enzymes were significantly higher, while theSH content was significantly lower in animals from VSB compared to those from AVS and ABP. Nocorrelations between trace-element concentrations in water and animal tissue were observed. We concludedthat the obtained results were more likely a consequence of the combination of developmental differencesand the effects of different habitat conditions, environmental and anthropogenic influences than ofconcentrations of trace elements in the water alone.