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Duchet C, Grabicová K, Kolar V, Lepšová O, Švecová H, Csercsa A, Zdvihalová B, Randák T, Boukal DS. Combined effects of climate warming and pharmaceuticals on a tri-trophic freshwater food web. WATER RESEARCH 2024; 250:121053. [PMID: 38159539 DOI: 10.1016/j.watres.2023.121053] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/04/2023] [Revised: 12/13/2023] [Accepted: 12/21/2023] [Indexed: 01/03/2024]
Abstract
Multiple anthropogenic stressors influence the functioning of lakes and ponds, but their combined effects are often little understood. We conducted two mesocosm experiments to evaluate the effects of warming (+4 °C above ambient temperature) and environmentally relevant concentrations of a mixture of commonly used pharmaceuticals (cardiovascular, psychoactive, antihistamines, antibiotics) on tri-trophic food webs representative of communities in ponds and other small standing waters. Communities were constituted of phyto- and zooplankton and macroinvertebrates (molluscs and insects) including benthic detritivores, grazers, omnivorous scrapers, omnivorous piercers, water column predators, benthic predators, and phytophilous predators. We quantified the main and interactive effects of warming and pharmaceuticals on each trophic level in the pelagic community and attributed them to the direct effects of both stressors and the indirect effects arising through biotic interactions. Warming and pharmaceuticals had stronger effects in the summer experiment, altering zooplankton community composition and causing delayed or accelerated emergence of top insect predators (odonates). In the summer experiment, both stressors and top predators reduced the biomass of filter-feeding zooplankton (cladocerans), while warming and pharmaceuticals had opposite effects on phytoplankton. In the winter experiment, the effects were much weaker and were limited to a positive effect of warming on phytoplankton biomass. Overall, we show that pharmaceuticals can exacerbate the effects of climate warming in freshwater ecosystems, especially during the warm season. Our results demonstrate the utility of community-level studies across seasons for risk assessment of multiple emerging stressors in freshwater ecosystems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Claire Duchet
- Department of Ecosystem Biology, Faculty of Science, University of South Bohemia, Branišovská 1760, 37005 České Budějovice, Czech Republic; Institute of Entomology, Biology Centre of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Branišovská 31, 37005 České Budějovice, Czech Republic.
| | - Kateřina Grabicová
- South Bohemian Research Center of Aquaculture and Biodiversity of Hydrocenoses, Faculty of Fisheries and Protection of Waters, University of South Bohemia in České Budějovice, Zátiší 728/II, CZ-389 25 Vodňany, Czech Republic
| | - Vojtech Kolar
- Department of Ecosystem Biology, Faculty of Science, University of South Bohemia, Branišovská 1760, 37005 České Budějovice, Czech Republic; Institute of Entomology, Biology Centre of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Branišovská 31, 37005 České Budějovice, Czech Republic
| | - Olga Lepšová
- Department of Botany, Faculty of Science, University of South Bohemia, Branišovská 1760, 37005 České Budějovice, Czech Republic
| | - Helena Švecová
- South Bohemian Research Center of Aquaculture and Biodiversity of Hydrocenoses, Faculty of Fisheries and Protection of Waters, University of South Bohemia in České Budějovice, Zátiší 728/II, CZ-389 25 Vodňany, Czech Republic
| | - Andras Csercsa
- Department of Ecosystem Biology, Faculty of Science, University of South Bohemia, Branišovská 1760, 37005 České Budějovice, Czech Republic
| | - Barbora Zdvihalová
- Department of Ecosystem Biology, Faculty of Science, University of South Bohemia, Branišovská 1760, 37005 České Budějovice, Czech Republic
| | - Tomáš Randák
- South Bohemian Research Center of Aquaculture and Biodiversity of Hydrocenoses, Faculty of Fisheries and Protection of Waters, University of South Bohemia in České Budějovice, Zátiší 728/II, CZ-389 25 Vodňany, Czech Republic
| | - David S Boukal
- Department of Ecosystem Biology, Faculty of Science, University of South Bohemia, Branišovská 1760, 37005 České Budějovice, Czech Republic; Institute of Entomology, Biology Centre of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Branišovská 31, 37005 České Budějovice, Czech Republic
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Wang L, Liu L, Feng S. The water-exiting behavior and survival of predaceous diving beetles in responses to lambda-cyhalothrin, chlorantraniliprole, and thiamethoxam. AQUATIC TOXICOLOGY (AMSTERDAM, NETHERLANDS) 2024; 267:106812. [PMID: 38150864 DOI: 10.1016/j.aquatox.2023.106812] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2023] [Revised: 12/04/2023] [Accepted: 12/19/2023] [Indexed: 12/29/2023]
Abstract
Predaceous diving beetles (dytiscids) are important top insect predators in various natural, agricultural, and artificial water bodies. How they respond to human disturbances such as insecticide contamination to their habitats has been understudied. In this study, we investigated the lethal effects of lambda-cyhalothrin, chlorantraniliprole, and thiamethoxam at nominal field concentrations in 3 cm-deep water in a hypothetical paddy field (Ci,3) on adult Dytiscus sinensis Feng (Coleoptera: Dytiscidae). Lambda-cyhalothrin exhibited significant lethal effects on D. sinensis adults with its Ci,3 exceeding the 95 % confidence interval lower limits for 24, 48, 72, and 96 h- LC99. Chlorantraniliprole and thiamethoxam showed no significant lethal effects on D. sinensis adults at their respective Ci,3 at 24, 48, or 72 h. Additionally, we assessed the temporal propensity of D. sinensis adults to exit water contaminated with chlorantraniliprole and thiamethoxam, respectively. There were significantly more individuals that temporally exited the chlorantraniliprole-contaminated water than clean water 30 min after placing a tile island in the test arena. Meanwhile, thiamethoxam-contaminated water did not repel significantly more individuals than clean water when observed at 10, 30, or 60 min. The study highlights the availability and importance of selecting safer insecticides for dytiscid conservation in agricultural and adjacent habitats, considering the potential of these water bodies becoming ecological traps that keep attracting and killing aquatic beneficials. The water-exiting behavior found indicates the capability of some wildlife to effectively avoid further exposure to toxicants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leyun Wang
- Guangxi Key Laboratory of Agro-Environment and Agric-Product Safety, College of Agriculture, Guangxi University, Nanning 530004, China; National Demonstration Center for Experimental Plant Science Education, College of Agriculture, Guangxi University, Nanning, Guangxi 530004, China.
| | - Liming Liu
- Guangxi Key Laboratory of Agro-Environment and Agric-Product Safety, College of Agriculture, Guangxi University, Nanning 530004, China; National Demonstration Center for Experimental Plant Science Education, College of Agriculture, Guangxi University, Nanning, Guangxi 530004, China
| | - Shiqian Feng
- State Key Laboratory of Plant Diseases and Insect Pests, Institute of Plant Protection, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Science, Beijing 100193, China
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Duchet C, Hou F, Sinclair CA, Tian Z, Kraft A, Kolar V, Kolodziej EP, McIntyre JK, Stark JD. Neonicotinoid mixture alters trophic interactions in a freshwater aquatic invertebrate community. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 897:165419. [PMID: 37429477 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.165419] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2023] [Revised: 06/17/2023] [Accepted: 07/07/2023] [Indexed: 07/12/2023]
Abstract
Neonicotinoids are increasingly and widely used systemic insecticides in agriculture, residential applications, and elsewhere. These pesticides can sometimes occur in small water bodies in exceptionally high concentrations, leading to downstream non-target aquatic toxicity. Although insects appear to be the most sensitive group to neonicotinoids, other aquatic invertebrates may also be affected. Most existing studies focus on single-insecticide exposure and very little is known concerning the impact of neonicotinoid mixtures on aquatic invertebrates at the community level. To address this data gap and explore community-level effects, we performed an outdoor mesocosm experiment that tested the effect of a mixture of three common neonicotinoids (formulated imidacloprid, clothianidin and thiamethoxam) on an aquatic invertebrate community. Exposure to the neonicotinoid mixture induced a top-down cascading effect on insect predators and zooplankton, ultimately increasing phytoplankton. Our results highlight complexities of mixture toxicity occurring in the environment that may be underestimated with traditional mono-specific toxicological approaches.
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Affiliation(s)
- Claire Duchet
- Puyallup Research & Extension Center, Washington State University, Puyallup, WA 98371, USA; Institute of Entomology, Biology Centre of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Branišovská 31, CZ-37005 České Budějovice, Czech Republic; Department of Ecosystem Biology, Faculty of Science, University of South Bohemia, Branišovská 1760, CZ-37005 České Budějovice, Czech Republic.
| | - Fan Hou
- Center for Urban Waters, Tacoma, WA 98421, USA; Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
| | - Cailin A Sinclair
- Puyallup Research & Extension Center, Washington State University, Puyallup, WA 98371, USA
| | - Zhenyu Tian
- Center for Urban Waters, Tacoma, WA 98421, USA; Interdisciplinary Arts and Sciences, University of Washington Tacoma, Tacoma, WA 98421, USA
| | - Alyssa Kraft
- Puyallup Research & Extension Center, Washington State University, Puyallup, WA 98371, USA
| | - Vojtech Kolar
- Institute of Entomology, Biology Centre of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Branišovská 31, CZ-37005 České Budějovice, Czech Republic; Department of Ecosystem Biology, Faculty of Science, University of South Bohemia, Branišovská 1760, CZ-37005 České Budějovice, Czech Republic
| | - Edward P Kolodziej
- Center for Urban Waters, Tacoma, WA 98421, USA; Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA; Interdisciplinary Arts and Sciences, University of Washington Tacoma, Tacoma, WA 98421, USA
| | - Jenifer K McIntyre
- Puyallup Research & Extension Center, Washington State University, Puyallup, WA 98371, USA
| | - John D Stark
- Puyallup Research & Extension Center, Washington State University, Puyallup, WA 98371, USA
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Rojas E, Gouret M, Agostini S, Fiorini S, Fonseca P, Lacroix G, Médoc V. From behaviour to complex communities: Resilience to anthropogenic noise in a fish-induced trophic cascade. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2023; 335:122371. [PMID: 37580005 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2023.122371] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2023] [Revised: 07/18/2023] [Accepted: 08/11/2023] [Indexed: 08/16/2023]
Abstract
Sound emissions from human activities represent a pervasive environmental stressor. Individual responses in terms of behaviour, physiology or anatomy are well documented but whether they propagate through nested ecological interactions to alter complex communities needs to be better understood. This is even more relevant for freshwater ecosystems that harbour a disproportionate fraction of biodiversity but receive less attention than marine and terrestrial systems. We conducted a mesocosm investigation to study the effect of chronic exposure to motorboat noise on the dynamics of a freshwater community including phytoplankton, zooplankton, and roach as a planktivorous fish. In addition, we performed a microcosm investigation to test whether roach's feeding behaviour was influenced by the noise condition they experienced in the mesocosms. Indeed, compared to other freshwater fish, the response of roach to motorboat noise apparently does not weaken with repeated exposure, suggesting the absence of habituation. As expected under the trophic cascade hypothesis, predation by roach induced structural changes in the planktonic communities with a decrease in the main grazing zooplankton that slightly benefited green algae. Surprisingly, although the microcosm investigation revealed persistent alterations in the feeding behaviour of the roach exposed to chronic noise, the dynamics of the roach-dominated planktonic communities did not differ between the noisy and noiseless mesocosms. It might be that roach's individual response to noise was not strong enough to cascade or that the biological cues coming from the conspecifics and the many planktonic organisms have diverted each fish's attention from noise. Our work suggests that the top-down structuring influence of roach on planktonic communities might be resilient to noise and highlights how extrapolating impacts from individual responses to complex communities can be tricky.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emilie Rojas
- Equipe Neuro-Ethologie Sensorielle (ENES), Centre de Recherche en Neurosciences de Lyon (CRNL), INSERM UMRS 1028, CNRS UMR 5292, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, Université Jean Monnet - Saint-Etienne, Saint-Etienne, France.
| | - Mélanie Gouret
- Equipe Neuro-Ethologie Sensorielle (ENES), Centre de Recherche en Neurosciences de Lyon (CRNL), INSERM UMRS 1028, CNRS UMR 5292, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, Université Jean Monnet - Saint-Etienne, Saint-Etienne, France.
| | - Simon Agostini
- Centre de Recherche en Ecologie Expérimentale et Prédictive (CEREEP Ecotron Ile De France), Ecole Normale Supérieure, CNRS-UAR 3194, PSL Research University, Saint-Pierre-lès-Nemours, France.
| | - Sarah Fiorini
- Centre de Recherche en Ecologie Expérimentale et Prédictive (CEREEP Ecotron Ile De France), Ecole Normale Supérieure, CNRS-UAR 3194, PSL Research University, Saint-Pierre-lès-Nemours, France.
| | - Paulo Fonseca
- Departamento de Biologia Animal, Faculdade de Ciencias, CE3c-Centre for Ecology, Evolution and Environmental Changes, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal.
| | - Gérard Lacroix
- Centre de Recherche en Ecologie Expérimentale et Prédictive (CEREEP Ecotron Ile De France), Ecole Normale Supérieure, CNRS-UAR 3194, PSL Research University, Saint-Pierre-lès-Nemours, France.
| | - Vincent Médoc
- Equipe Neuro-Ethologie Sensorielle (ENES), Centre de Recherche en Neurosciences de Lyon (CRNL), INSERM UMRS 1028, CNRS UMR 5292, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, Université Jean Monnet - Saint-Etienne, Saint-Etienne, France.
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Nelsen J, Yee DA. Non-target effects of methoprene and larvicidal surface films on invertebrate predators of mosquito larvae. JOURNAL OF VECTOR ECOLOGY : JOURNAL OF THE SOCIETY FOR VECTOR ECOLOGY 2023; 48:41-51. [PMID: 37255358 DOI: 10.52707/1081-1710-48.1.41] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2022] [Accepted: 01/01/2023] [Indexed: 06/01/2023]
Abstract
Mosquito larvicides are used across a variety of aquatic habitats, although when applied they likely affect other aquatic organisms. The removal or impairment of top insect predators via larvicides could be beneficial to mosquitoes by allowing their populations to rebound once pesticide levels dissipate. Our goal was to determine if two larvicide types, growth regulators (IGRs) and surface films (SFs), harm non-target aquatic insect communities, and if these chemicals influence the ability of predatory aquatic insects to regulate mosquitoes. We surveyed aquatic sites before and after IGR and SF-application, then compared changes in insect community structure. Evenness was lower in SF treated habitats, and when analyzing prey/controphic taxa only, evenness and diversity changed in untreated reference areas, suggesting that differences measured were due to other environmental factors, not larvicide presence. A field experiment was then conducted by exposing specific predatory aquatic insects to varying doses of IGRs and SFs and then placing them in mesocosms containing mosquito larvae. Surface films were directly lethal to adult dytiscids at recommended and high concentrations. Although we found no significant differences in mosquito emergence among all treatment levels, there was a trend of negative controls (no predator mesocosms) and SF-treated predators allowing the most mosquitoes to emerge compared to positive controls (predators not exposed to larvicides) and IGR-treated predators. Thus, these larvicides may have minimal effects on mosquito larvae predators, but the direct effects of surface films on insects that interact with the water's surface require further investigation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joseph Nelsen
- School of Biological, Environmental, and Earth Sciences, University of Southern Mississippi, Hattiesburg, MS 39460, U.S.A.,
| | - Donald A Yee
- School of Biological, Environmental, and Earth Sciences, University of Southern Mississippi, Hattiesburg, MS 39460, U.S.A
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Aloo BN, Mbega ER, Makumba BA, Tumuhairwe JB. Effects of agrochemicals on the beneficial plant rhizobacteria in agricultural systems. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2021; 28:60406-60424. [PMID: 34535866 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-021-16191-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2021] [Accepted: 08/23/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Conventional agriculture relies heavily on chemical pesticides and fertilizers to control plant pests and diseases and improve production. Nevertheless, the intensive and prolonged use of agrochemicals may have undesirable consequences on the structure, diversity, and activities of soil microbiomes, including the beneficial plant rhizobacteria in agricultural systems. Although literature continues to mount regarding the effects of these chemicals on the beneficial plant rhizobacteria in agricultural systems, our understanding of them is still limited, and a proper account is required. With the renewed efforts and focus on agricultural and environmental sustainability, understanding the effects of different agrochemicals on the beneficial plant rhizobacteria in agricultural systems is both urgent and important to deduce practical solutions towards agricultural sustainability. This review critically evaluates the effects of various agrochemicals on the structure, diversity, and functions of the beneficial plant rhizobacteria in agricultural systems and propounds on the prospects and general solutions that can be considered to realize sustainable agricultural systems. This can be useful in understanding the anthropogenic effects of common and constantly applied agrochemicals on symbiotic systems in agricultural soils and shed light on the need for more environmentally friendly and sustainable agricultural practices.
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Affiliation(s)
- Becky Nancy Aloo
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Eldoret, P.O. Box 1125-30100, Eldoret, Kenya.
| | - Ernest Rashid Mbega
- Department of Sustainable Agriculture and Biodiversity Conservation, Nelson Mandela African Institution of Science and Technology, P.O. Box 447, Arusha, Tanzania
| | - Billy Amendi Makumba
- Department of Biological Sciences, Moi University, P.O. Box 3900-30100, Eldoret, Kenya
| | - John Baptist Tumuhairwe
- Department of Agricultural Production, College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, Makerere University, P.O. Box, 7062, Kampala, Uganda
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Refocusing multiple stressor research around the targets and scales of ecological impacts. Nat Ecol Evol 2021; 5:1478-1489. [PMID: 34556829 DOI: 10.1038/s41559-021-01547-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/26/2020] [Accepted: 08/01/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Ecological communities face a variety of environmental and anthropogenic stressors acting simultaneously. Stressor impacts can combine additively or can interact, causing synergistic or antagonistic effects. Our knowledge of when and how interactions arise is limited, as most models and experiments only consider the effect of a small number of non-interacting stressors at one or few scales of ecological organization. This is concerning because it could lead to significant underestimations or overestimations of threats to biodiversity. Furthermore, stressors have been largely classified by their source rather than by the mechanisms and ecological scales at which they act (the target). Here, we argue, first, that a more nuanced classification of stressors by target and ecological scale can generate valuable new insights and hypotheses about stressor interactions. Second, that the predictability of multiple stressor effects, and consistent patterns in their impacts, can be evaluated by examining the distribution of stressor effects across targets and ecological scales. Third, that a variety of existing mechanistic and statistical modelling tools can play an important role in our framework and advance multiple stressor research.
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Courtois È, Garant D, Pelletier F, Bélisle M. Nonideal nest box selection by tree swallows breeding in farmlands: Evidence for an ecological trap? Ecol Evol 2021; 11:16296-16313. [PMID: 34824828 PMCID: PMC8601888 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.8323] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2021] [Revised: 10/04/2021] [Accepted: 10/12/2021] [Indexed: 01/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Animals are expected to select a breeding habitat using cues that should reflect, directly or not, the fitness outcome of the different habitat options. However, human-induced environmental changes can alter the relationships between habitat characteristics and their fitness consequences, leading to maladaptive habitat choices. The most severe case of such nonideal habitat selection is the ecological trap, which occurs when individuals prefer to settle in poor-quality habitats while better ones are available. Here, we studied the adaptiveness of nest box selection in a tree swallow (Tachycineta bicolor) population breeding over a 10-year period in a network of 400 nest boxes distributed along a gradient of agricultural intensification in southern Québec, Canada. We first examined the effects of multiple environmental and social habitat characteristics on nest box preference to identify potential settlement cues. We then assessed the links between those cues and habitat quality as defined by the reproductive performance of individuals that settled early or late in nest boxes. We found that tree swallows preferred nesting in open habitats with high cover of perennial forage crops, high spring insect biomass, and high density of house sparrows (Passer domesticus), their main competitors for nest sites. They also preferred nesting where the density of breeders and their mean number of fledglings during the previous year were high. However, we detected mismatches between preference and habitat quality for several environmental variables. The density of competitors and conspecific social information showed severe mismatches, as their relationships to preference and breeding success went in opposite direction under certain circumstances. Spring food availability and agricultural landscape context, while related to preferences, were not related to breeding success. Overall, our study emphasizes the complexity of habitat selection behavior and provides evidence that multiple mechanisms may potentially lead to an ecological trap in farmlands.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ève Courtois
- Département de BiologieUniversité de SherbrookeSherbrookeQuebecCanada
| | - Dany Garant
- Département de BiologieUniversité de SherbrookeSherbrookeQuebecCanada
| | - Fanie Pelletier
- Département de BiologieUniversité de SherbrookeSherbrookeQuebecCanada
| | - Marc Bélisle
- Département de BiologieUniversité de SherbrookeSherbrookeQuebecCanada
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Lewis JL, Agostini G, Jones DK, Relyea RA. Cascading effects of insecticides and road salt on wetland communities. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2021; 272:116006. [PMID: 33189447 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2020.116006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/13/2020] [Revised: 10/13/2020] [Accepted: 11/04/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Novel stressors introduced by human activities increasingly threaten freshwater ecosystems. The annual application of more than 2.3 billion kg of pesticide active ingredient and 22 billion kg of road salt has led to the contamination of temperate waterways. While pesticides and road salt are known to cause direct and indirect effects in aquatic communities, their possible interactive effects remain widely unknown. Using outdoor mesocosms, we created wetland communities consisting of zooplankton, phytoplankton, periphyton, and leopard frog (Rana pipiens) tadpoles. We evaluated the toxic effects of six broad-spectrum insecticides from three families (neonicotinoids: thiamethoxam, imidacloprid; organophosphates: chlorpyrifos, malathion; pyrethroids: cypermethrin, permethrin), as well as the potentially interactive effects of four of these insecticides with three concentrations of road salt (NaCl; 44, 160, 1600 Cl- mg/L). Organophosphate exposure decreased zooplankton abundance, elevated phytoplankton biomass, and reduced tadpole mass whereas exposure to neonicotinoids and pyrethroids decreased zooplankton abundance but had no significant effect on phytoplankton abundance or tadpole mass. While organophosphates decreased zooplankton abundance at all salt concentrations, effects on phytoplankton abundance and tadpole mass were dependent upon salt concentration. In contrast, while pyrethroids had no effects in the absence of salt, they decreased zooplankton and phytoplankton density under increased salt concentrations. Our results highlight the importance of multiple-stressor research under natural conditions. As human activities continue to imperil freshwater systems, it is vital to move beyond single-stressor experiments that exclude potentially interactive effects of chemical contaminants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jacquelyn L Lewis
- Department of Biological Sciences, Darrin Fresh Water Institute, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, NY, 12180, USA.
| | - Gabriela Agostini
- Department of Biological Sciences, Darrin Fresh Water Institute, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, NY, 12180, USA; CONICET-Buenos Aires University, Institute of Ecology, Genetics and Evolution of Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Devin K Jones
- Department of Biological Sciences, Darrin Fresh Water Institute, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, NY, 12180, USA; Department of Biological Sciences, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN, 46556, USA
| | - Rick A Relyea
- Department of Biological Sciences, Darrin Fresh Water Institute, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, NY, 12180, USA
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Gardner AM, Muturi EJ, Allan BF. Discovery and exploitation of a natural ecological trap for a mosquito disease vector. Proc Biol Sci 2018; 285:rspb.2018.1962. [PMID: 30464065 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2018.1962] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2018] [Accepted: 11/02/2018] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Ecological traps occur due to a mismatch between a habitat's attractiveness and quality, wherein organisms show preference for low-quality habitats over other available high-quality habitats. Our previous research identified leaf litter from common blackberry (Rubus allegheniensis) as a natural ecological trap for an important vector for West Nile virus (Culex pipiens), attracting mosquitoes to oviposit in habitats deleterious to the survival of their larvae. Here we demonstrate that manipulation of leaf litter in stormwater catch basins, an important source of disease vector mosquitoes in urban environments, can increase Cx. pipiens oviposition but reduce survival. In a series of experiments designed to elucidate the mechanisms that explain the attractive and lethal properties of this native plant, behavioural bioassays suggest that oviposition site selection by Cx. pipiens is mediated primarily by chemical cues as leaves decompose. However, we also show that juvenile mosquito survival is mainly related to the suitability of the bacterial community in the aquatic habitat for mosquito nutritional needs, which does not appear to create a cue that influences oviposition choice. This mismatch between oviposition cues and drivers of larval habitat quality may account for the ecological trap phenomenon detected in this study. Our findings provide new insights into potential mechanistic pathways by which ecological traps may occur in nature and proof-of-concept for a new 'attract-and-kill' tool for mosquito control.
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Affiliation(s)
- Allison M Gardner
- School of Biology and Ecology, University of Maine, 5722 Deering Hall, Orono, ME 04469, USA
| | - Ephantus J Muturi
- Crop Bioprotection Research Unit, USDA, ARS, 1815 N. University St, Peoria, IL 61604, USA
| | - Brian F Allan
- Department of Entomology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 505 S. Goodwin Ave., Urbana, IL 61801, USA
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