Marine Ecosystems under Toxic Pressure - Vulnerability of Coastal Ecosystems and Adaptation - page 10

within a species, therefore shows a specific response to each chemical
product. Moreover, the environment in which this species evolves and
its connection with other parts of the ecosystem will also condition its
response. Finally, the direct impact of contaminants on a species
and/or a subsection of it can generate indirect effects on the entirety of
the ecosystem, as we will see later (Figure 1.2).
Figure 1.2. Adaptation of the schematic representation of the field of
ecotoxicology studies depending on the level of complexity of the lifeform and the
time, from [MUN 95] and [ADA 00]
1.3.1. At cellular level
The manifestation of a disturbance in the functioning of the cell is
the result of interaction between the cellular biomolecules and
contaminants. This interaction is very specific: its occurrence and
intensity depend on the organism's physiology at the moment it is
exposed and on the toxic product's mode of action.