1
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Kerr S, Otter RR. Diet Affects Egg Laying, Biomass, and Stable Isotope Values in Tetragnathid Spiders. BULLETIN OF ENVIRONMENTAL CONTAMINATION AND TOXICOLOGY 2024; 112:47. [PMID: 38460017 DOI: 10.1007/s00128-024-03872-3] [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: 11/22/2023] [Accepted: 02/24/2024] [Indexed: 03/11/2024]
Abstract
Riparian tetragnathid spiders are used as biosentinels of aquatic contamination because they are specialized feeders of aquatic emergent insects and are also prey items for terrestrial predators (e.g., birds). Analysis of both trophic position (e.g., stable nitrogen isotopes) and contaminant concentrations are needed to utilize tetragnathids as biosentinels, which can present challenges when collecting enough biomass to reach analytical detection limits, due to their relatively small size. The purpose of this study was to investigate the impacts of a controlled diet source on spider biomass, egg laying and stable isotope values (δ13C and δ15N). Diet significantly influenced the biomass and egg laying of tetragnathids, with some spiders losing up to 50% of their biomass in a single egg-laying event. δ13C had a faster turnover rate in the whole-body of spiders compared to legs, which is important, as spider legs are presently used as surrogates for whole-body δ13C values.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah Kerr
- Department of Biology, Middle Tennessee State University, Murfreesboro, TN, 37132, USA
| | - Ryan R Otter
- Department of Biology, Middle Tennessee State University, Murfreesboro, TN, 37132, USA.
- Annis Water Resources Institute, Grand Valley State University, 740 W. Shoreline Dr, Muskegon, MI, 4941-1678, USA.
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2
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Otter RR, Mills MA, Fritz KM, Lazorchak JM, White DP, Beaubien GB, Walters DM. PCB concentrations in riparian spiders (Tetragnathidae) consistently reflect concentrations in water and aquatic macroinvertebrates, but not sediment: Analysis of a seven-year field study. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 912:169230. [PMID: 38072266 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.169230] [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: 10/03/2023] [Revised: 12/04/2023] [Accepted: 12/07/2023] [Indexed: 12/17/2023]
Abstract
Tetragnathid spiders have been used as sentinels to study the biotransport of contaminants between aquatic and terrestrial environments because a significant proportion of their diet consists of adult aquatic insects. A key knowledge gap in assessing tetragnathid spiders as sentinels is understanding the consistency of the year-to-year relationship between contaminant concentrations in spiders and sediment, water, and macroinvertebrates. We collected five years of data over a seven-year investigation at a PCB contaminated-sediment site to investigate if concentrations in spiders were consistently correlated with concentrations in sediment, water, and aquatic macroinvertebrates. Despite significant year-to-year variability in spider PCB concentrations, they were not correlated with sediment concentrations (p = 0.186). However, spider PCB concentrations were significantly, positively correlated with PCB concentrations in water (p < 0.0001, annual r2 = 0.35-0.84) and macroinvertebrates (p < 0.0001; annual r2 = 0.59-0.71). Analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) showed that spider PCB concentrations varied consistently with water (β = 0.63) and macroinvertebrate PCB concentrations (β = 1.023) among years. Overall, this study filled a critical knowledge gap in the utilization of tetragnathid spiders as sentinels of aquatic pollution by showing that despite year-to-year changes in PCB concentrations across environmental compartments, consistent relationships existed between spiders and water and aquatic macroinvertebrates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ryan R Otter
- Annis Water Resources Institute, Grand Valley State University, Muskegon, MI, USA; Data Science Institute, Middle Tennessee State University, Murfreesboro, TN, USA.
| | - Marc A Mills
- Center for Environmental Solutions and Emergency Response, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Cincinnati, OH, USA
| | - Ken M Fritz
- Center for Environmental Measurement and Modeling, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Cincinnati, OH, USA
| | - James M Lazorchak
- Center for Environmental Measurement and Modeling, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Cincinnati, OH, USA
| | - Dalon P White
- Center for Environmental Measurement and Modeling, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Cincinnati, OH, USA
| | - Gale B Beaubien
- Center for Environmental Solutions and Emergency Response, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Cincinnati, OH, USA
| | - David M Walters
- U.S. Geological Survey, Columbia Environmental Research Center, Columbia, MO, USA
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3
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Janssen SE, Kotalik CJ, Eagles-Smith CA, Beaubien GB, Hoffman JC, Peterson G, Mills MA, Walters DM. Mercury Isotope Values in Shoreline Spiders Reveal the Transfer of Aquatic Mercury Sources to Terrestrial Food Webs. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY LETTERS 2023; 10:891-896. [PMID: 37840816 PMCID: PMC10569030 DOI: 10.1021/acs.estlett.3c00450] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2023] [Revised: 08/15/2023] [Accepted: 08/21/2023] [Indexed: 10/17/2023]
Abstract
The transfer of aquatic contaminants, including mercury (Hg), to terrestrial food webs is an often-overlooked exposure pathway to terrestrial animals. While research has implemented the use of shoreline spiders to assess aquatic to terrestrial Hg transfer, it is unclear whether Hg sources, estimated from isotope ratios, can be successfully resolved to inform site assessments and remedy effectiveness. To examine aquatic to terrestrial Hg transfer, we collected shoreline spiders (Tetragnatha spp.) and aquatic insect larvae (suborder Anisoptera) across a mosaic of aquatic and shoreline habitats in the St. Louis River and Bad River, tributaries to Lake Superior. The fraction of industrial Hg in sediments was reflected in the δ202Hg values of aquatic dragonfly larvae and predatory fish, connecting benthic Hg sources to the aquatic food web. Shoreline spiders mirrored these aquatic Hg source signatures with highly positive correlations in δ202Hg between tetragnathids and dragonfly larvae (r2 = 0.90). Further assessment of different spider taxa (i.e., araneids and pisaurids) revealed that differences in prey consumption and foraging strategies resulted in isotope differences, highlighting the importance of spider taxa selection for Hg monitoring efforts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah E. Janssen
- U.S.
Geological Survey Upper Midwest Water Science Center, One Gifford Pinchot Drive, Madison, Wisconsin 53726, United States
| | - Christopher J. Kotalik
- U.S.
Geological Survey Columbia Environmental Research Center, 4200 New Haven Road, Columbia, Missouri 65201, United States
| | - Collin A. Eagles-Smith
- U.S.
Geological Survey, Forest and Rangeland Ecosystem Science Center, 3200 SW Jefferson Way, Corvallis, Oregon 97331, United States
| | - Gale B. Beaubien
- U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency Office of Research and Development,
National Risk Management Research Laboratory, Cincinnati, Ohio 45220, United States
| | - Joel C. Hoffman
- Center
for Computational Toxicology and Exposure, Great Lakes Toxicology
and Ecology Division, U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency Office of Research and Development, 6201 Congdon Boulevard, Duluth, Minnesota 55804, United States
| | - Greg Peterson
- Center
for Computational Toxicology and Exposure, Great Lakes Toxicology
and Ecology Division, U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency Office of Research and Development, 6201 Congdon Boulevard, Duluth, Minnesota 55804, United States
| | - Marc A. Mills
- U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency Office of Research and Development,
National Risk Management Research Laboratory, Cincinnati, Ohio 45220, United States
| | - David M. Walters
- U.S.
Geological Survey Columbia Environmental Research Center, 4200 New Haven Road, Columbia, Missouri 65201, United States
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4
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Kraus JM, Skrabis K, Ciparis S, Isanhart J, Kenney A, Hinck JE. Ecological Harm and Economic Damages of Chemical Contamination to Linked Aquatic-Terrestrial Food Webs: A Study-Design Tool for Practitioners. ENVIRONMENTAL TOXICOLOGY AND CHEMISTRY 2023; 42:2029-2039. [PMID: 36920000 DOI: 10.1002/etc.5609] [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: 10/13/2022] [Revised: 12/06/2022] [Accepted: 03/10/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Contamination of aquatic ecosystems can have cascading effects on terrestrial consumers by altering the availability and quality of aquatic insect prey. Comprehensive assessment of these indirect food-web effects of contaminants on natural resources and their associated services necessitates using both ecological and economic tools. In the present study we present an aquatic-terrestrial assessment tool (AT2), including ecological and economic decision trees, to aid practitioners and researchers in designing contaminant effect studies for linked aquatic-terrestrial insect-based food webs. The tool is tailored to address the development of legal claims by the US Department of the Interior's Natural Resource Damage Assessment and Restoration Program, which aims to restore natural resources injured by oil spills and hazardous substance releases into the environment. Such cases require establishing, through scientific inquiry, the existence of natural resource injury as well as the determination of the monetary or in-kind project-based damages required to restore this injury. However, this tool is also useful to researchers interested in questions involving the effects of contaminants on linked aquatic-terrestrial food webs. Stylized cases exemplify how application of AT2 can help practitioners and researchers design studies when the contaminants present at a site are likely to lead to injury of terrestrial aerial insectivores through loss of aquatic insect prey and/or dietary contaminant exposure. Designing such studies with ecological endpoints and economic modeling inputs in mind will increase the relevance and cost-effectiveness of studies, which can in turn improve the outcomes of cases and studies involving the ecological effects of contaminants on food webs. Environ Toxicol Chem 2023;42:2029-2039. Published 2023. This article is a U.S. Government work and is in the public domain in the USA. Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of SETAC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Johanna M Kraus
- Columbia Environmental Research Center, US Geological Survey, Columbia, Missouri, USA
| | - Kristin Skrabis
- Office of Policy Analysis, US Department of the Interior, Washington, District of Columbia, USA
| | - Serena Ciparis
- Virginia Field Office, US Fish and Wildlife Service, Gloucester, Virginia, USA
| | - John Isanhart
- Office of Restoration and Damage Assessment, US Department of the Interior, Denver, Colorado, USA
| | - Aleshia Kenney
- Illinois-Iowa Field Office, US Fish and Wildlife Service, Moline, Illinois, USA
| | - Jo Ellen Hinck
- Columbia Environmental Research Center, US Geological Survey, Columbia, Missouri, USA
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5
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Roodt AP, Huszarik M, Entling MH, Schulz R. Aquatic-terrestrial transfer of neonicotinoid insecticides in riparian food webs. JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS 2023; 455:131635. [PMID: 37196444 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2023.131635] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/23/2023] [Revised: 05/02/2023] [Accepted: 05/12/2023] [Indexed: 05/19/2023]
Abstract
Current-use pesticides are ubiquitous in freshwaters globally, often at very low concentrations. Emerging aquatic insects can accumulate pesticides during their aquatic development, which can be retained through their metamorphosis into terrestrial adults. Emerging insects thus provide a potential, yet largely understudied linkage for exposure of terrestrial insectivores to waterborne pesticides. We measured 82 low to moderately lipophilic organic pesticides (logKow: -2.87 to 6.9) in the aquatic environment, emerging insects and web-building riparian spiders from stream sites impacted by agricultural land use. Insecticides, mainly neuro-active neonicotinoids were ubiquitous and had the highest concentrations in emerging insects and spiders (∑ insecticides: 0.1-33 and 1-240 ng/g, respectively), although their concentrations in water were low, even when compared to global levels. Furthermore, neonicotinoids, although not considered to be bioaccumulative, were biomagnified in riparian spiders. In contrast, concentrations of fungicides and most herbicides decreased from the aquatic environment to the spiders. Our results provide evidence for the transfer and accumulation of neonicotinoids across the aquatic-terrestrial ecosystem boundary. This could threaten food webs in ecologically sensitive riparian areas worldwide.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexis P Roodt
- iES Landau, Institute for Environmental Sciences, RPTU Kaiserslautern-Landau, Fortstraße 7, D-76829 Landau in der Pfalz, Germany.
| | - Maike Huszarik
- iES Landau, Institute for Environmental Sciences, RPTU Kaiserslautern-Landau, Fortstraße 7, D-76829 Landau in der Pfalz, Germany
| | - Martin H Entling
- iES Landau, Institute for Environmental Sciences, RPTU Kaiserslautern-Landau, Fortstraße 7, D-76829 Landau in der Pfalz, Germany
| | - Ralf Schulz
- iES Landau, Institute for Environmental Sciences, RPTU Kaiserslautern-Landau, Fortstraße 7, D-76829 Landau in der Pfalz, Germany
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6
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Beaubien GB, White DP, Walters DM, Otter RR, Fritz K, Crone B, Mills MA. Riparian Spiders: Sentinels of Polychlorinated Dibenzo-p-dioxin and Dibenzofuran-Contaminated Sediment. ENVIRONMENTAL TOXICOLOGY AND CHEMISTRY 2023; 42:414-420. [PMID: 36420666 PMCID: PMC10084846 DOI: 10.1002/etc.5531] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2022] [Revised: 10/10/2022] [Accepted: 11/21/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxin and polychlorinated dibenzofuran (PCDD/F) are persistent, toxic, and bioaccumulative. Currently, PCDD/F monitoring programs primarily use fish and birds with potentially large home ranges to monitor temporal trends over broad spatial scales; sentinel organisms that provide targeted sediment contaminant information across small geographic areas have yet to be developed. Riparian orb-weaving spiders, which typically have small home ranges and consume primarily adult aquatic insects, are potential PCDD/F sentinels. Recent studies have demonstrated that spider tissue concentrations indicate the source and magnitude of dioxin-like chlorinated compounds in contaminated sediments, including polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs). Our aim in the present study was to assess the utility of riparian spiders as sentinels for PCDD/F-contaminated sediments. We measured PCDD/F (total [Σ] and homologs) in surface sediments and spiders collected from three sites within the St. Louis River basin (Minnesota and Wisconsin, USA). We then compared (1) patterns in ΣPCDD/F concentrations between sediment and spiders, (2) the distribution of homologs within sediments and spiders when pooled across sites, and (3) the relationship between sediment and spider concentrations of PCDD/F homologs across 13 stations sampled across the three sites. The ΣPCDD/F concentrations in sediment (mean ± standard error 286 591 ± 97 614 pg/g) were significantly higher than those in riparian spiders (2463 ± 977 pg/g, p < 0.001), but the relative abundance of homologs in sediment and spiders were not significantly different. Spider homolog concentrations were significantly and positively correlated with sediment concentrations across a gradient of sediment PCDD/F contamination (R2 = 0.47, p < 0.001). Our results indicate that, as has been shown for other legacy organic chemicals like PCBs, riparian spiders are suitable sentinels of PCDD/F in contaminated sediment. Environ Toxicol Chem 2023;42:414-420. © 2022 SETAC. This article has been contributed to by U.S. Government employees and their work is in the public domain in the USA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gale B. Beaubien
- Center for Environmental Solutions and Emergency Response, Office of Research and Development, US Environmental Protection Agency, Cincinnati, Ohio
| | - Dalon P. White
- Center for Environmental Measurement and Modeling, Office of Research and Development, US Environmental Protection Agency, Cincinnati, Ohio
| | - David M. Walters
- Columbia Environmental Research Center, US Geological Survey, Columbia, Missouri
| | - Ryan R. Otter
- Data Science Institute, Middle Tennessee State University, Murfreesboro, Tennessee, USA
| | - Ken Fritz
- Center for Environmental Measurement and Modeling, Office of Research and Development, US Environmental Protection Agency, Cincinnati, Ohio
| | - Brian Crone
- Center for Environmental Solutions and Emergency Response, Office of Research and Development, US Environmental Protection Agency, Cincinnati, Ohio
| | - Marc A. Mills
- Center for Environmental Solutions and Emergency Response, Office of Research and Development, US Environmental Protection Agency, Cincinnati, Ohio
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7
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Burgess RM, Cantwell MG, Dong Z, Grundy JS, Joyce AS. Comparing Equilibrium Concentrations of Polychlorinated Biphenyls Based on Passive Sampling and Bioaccumulation in Water Column Deployments. ENVIRONMENTAL TOXICOLOGY AND CHEMISTRY 2023; 42:317-332. [PMID: 36484760 PMCID: PMC10789481 DOI: 10.1002/etc.5536] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2022] [Revised: 08/18/2022] [Accepted: 12/02/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Biomonitoring at contaminated sites undergoing cleanup, including Superfund sites, often uses bioaccumulation of anthropogenic contaminants by field-deployed organisms as a metric of remedial effectiveness. Bioaccumulation studies are unable to assess the equilibrium status of the organisms relative to the contaminants to which they are exposed. Establishing equilibrium provides a reproducible benchmark on which scientific and management decisions can be based (e.g., comparison with human dietary consumption criteria). Unlike bioaccumulating organisms, passive samplers can be assessed for their equilibrium status. In our study, over a 3-year period, we compared the bioaccumulation of selected polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) by mussels in water column deployments at the New Bedford Harbor Superfund site (New Bedford, MA, USA) to codeployed passive samplers. Based on comparisons to the calculated passive sampler equilibrium concentrations, the mussels were not at equilibrium, and the subsequent analysis focused on evaluating approaches for estimating equilibrium bioaccumulation. In addition, a limited evaluation of metal bioaccumulation by the exposed mussels and a metal passive sampler was performed. In general, mussel and passive sampler accumulation of PCBs was significantly correlated; however, surprisingly, agreement on the magnitude of accumulation was optimal when bioaccumulation and passive sampler uptake were not corrected for nonequilibrium conditions. A subsequent comparison of four approaches for estimating equilibrium mussel bioaccumulation using octanol-water partition coefficients (KOW ), triolein-water partition coefficients (KTW ), and two types of polymer-lipid partition coefficients demonstrated that field-deployed mussels were not at equilibrium with many PCBs. A range of estimated equilibrium mussel bioaccumulation concentrations were calculated, with the magnitude of the KOW -based values being the smallest and the polymer-lipid partition coefficient-based values being the largest. These analyses are intended to assist environmental scientists and managers to interpret field deployment data when transitioning from biomonitoring to passive sampling. Environ Toxicol Chem 2023;42:317-332. Published 2022. This article is a U.S. Government work and is in the public domain in the USA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robert M. Burgess
- ORD/CEMM Atlantic Coastal Environmental Sciences Division, US Environmental Protection Agency, Narragansett, Rhode Island
| | - Mark G. Cantwell
- ORD/CEMM Atlantic Coastal Environmental Sciences Division, US Environmental Protection Agency, Narragansett, Rhode Island
| | - Zhao Dong
- Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - James S. Grundy
- ORD/CEMM Atlantic Coastal Environmental Sciences Division, Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education, US Environmental Protection Agency, Narragansett, Rhode Island
| | - Abigail S. Joyce
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina, USA
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8
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Perrotta BG, Kidd KA, Walters DM. PCB exposure is associated with reduction of endosymbionts in riparian spider microbiomes. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2022; 842:156726. [PMID: 35716742 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.156726] [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: 03/29/2022] [Revised: 06/07/2022] [Accepted: 06/12/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Microbial communities, including endosymbionts, play diverse and critical roles in host biology and reproduction, but contaminant exposure may cause an imbalance in the microbiome composition with subsequent impacts on host health. Here, we examined whether there was a significant alteration of the microbiome community within two taxa of riparian spiders (Tetragnathidae and Araneidae) from a site with historical polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) contamination in southern Ontario, Canada. Riparian spiders specialize in the predation of adult aquatic insects and, as such, their contaminant levels closely track those of nearby aquatic ecosystems. DNA from whole spiders from sites with either low or high PCB contamination was extracted, and spider microbiota profiled by partial 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing. The most prevalent shift in microbial communities we observed was a large reduction in endosymbionts in spiders at the high PCB site. The abundance of endosymbionts at the high PCB site was 63 % and 98 % lower for tetragnathids and araneids, respectively, than at the low PCB site. Overall, this has potential implications for spider reproductive success and food webs, as riparian spiders are critical gatekeepers of energy and material fluxes at the land-water interface.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brittany G Perrotta
- Department of Biology, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada; Contractor, U.S. Geological Survey, Columbia Environmental Research Center, Columbia, Missouri, USA
| | - Karen A Kidd
- Department of Biology, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada; School of Earth, Environment and Society, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada.
| | - David M Walters
- U.S. Geological Survey, Columbia Environmental Research Center, Columbia, MO, USA
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9
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Wicht AJ, Heye K, Schmidt A, Oehlmann J, Huhn C. The wastewater micropollutant carbamazepine in insectivorous birds-an exposure estimate. Anal Bioanal Chem 2022; 414:4909-4917. [PMID: 35581428 PMCID: PMC9234033 DOI: 10.1007/s00216-022-04117-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2022] [Revised: 04/28/2022] [Accepted: 05/04/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
Insects with aquatic life stages can transfer sediment and water pollutants to terrestrial ecosystems, which has been described for metals, polyaromatic hydrocarbons, and polychlorinated chemicals. However, knowledge of the transfer of aquatic micropollutants released by wastewater treatment plants is scarce despite some preliminary studies on their occurrence in riparian spiders. In our study, we address a major analytical gap focusing on the transfer of the micropollutant carbamazepine from the larvae to the adult midges of Chironomus riparius using an optimized QuEChERS extraction method and HPLC–MS/MS applicable to both life stages down to the level of about three individuals. We show that the uptake of carbamazepine by larvae is concentration-dependent and reduces the emergence rate. Importantly, the body burden remained constant in adult midges. Using this information, we estimated the daily exposure of insectivorous tree swallows as terrestrial predators to carbamazepine using the energy demand of the predator and the energy content of the prey. Assuming environmentally relevant water concentrations of about 1 μg/L, the daily dose per kilogram of body weight for tree swallows was estimated to be 0.5 μg/kg/day. At places of high water contamination of 10 μg/L, the exposure may reach 5 μg/kg/day for this micropollutant of medium polarity. Considering body burden changes upon metamorphosis, this study fills the missing link between aquatic contamination and exposure in terrestrial habitats showing that wastewater pollutants can impact birds’ life. Clearly, further analytical methods for biota analysis in both habitats are urgently required to improve risk assessment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna-Jorina Wicht
- Institute of Physical and Theoretical Chemistry, Eberhard Karls Universität Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
- Bayerisches Landesamt für Umwelt, Augsburg, Germany
| | - Katharina Heye
- Department Aquatic Ecotoxicology, Goethe-Universität Frankfurt, Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Anja Schmidt
- Department Aquatic Ecotoxicology, Goethe-Universität Frankfurt, Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Jörg Oehlmann
- Department Aquatic Ecotoxicology, Goethe-Universität Frankfurt, Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Carolin Huhn
- Institute of Physical and Theoretical Chemistry, Eberhard Karls Universität Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany.
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10
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Roodt AP, Röder N, Pietz S, Kolbenschlag S, Manfrin A, Schwenk K, Bundschuh M, Schulz R. Emerging Midges Transport Pesticides from Aquatic to Terrestrial Ecosystems: Importance of Compound- and Organism-Specific Parameters. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2022; 56:5478-5488. [PMID: 35441504 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.1c08079] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Emerging aquatic insects have the potential to retain aquatic contaminants after metamorphosis, potentially transporting them into adjacent terrestrial food webs. It is unknown whether this transfer is also relevant for current-use pesticides. We exposed larvae of the nonbiting midge, Chironomus riparius, to a sublethal pulse of a mixture of nine moderately polar fungicides and herbicides (logKow 2.5-4.7) at three field relevant treatment levels (1.2-2.5, 17.5-35.0, or 50.0-100.0 μg/L). We then assessed the pesticide bioaccumulation and bioamplification over the full aquatic-terrestrial life cycle of both sexes including the egg laying of adult females. By applying sensitive LC-MS/MS analysis to small sample volumes (∼5 mg, dry weight), we detected all pesticides in larvae from all treatment levels (2.8-1019 ng/g), five of the pesticides in the adults from the lowest treatment level and eight in the higher treatment levels (1.5-3615 ng/g). Retention of the pesticides through metamorphosis was not predictable based solely on pesticide lipophilicity. Sex-specific differences in adult insect pesticide concentrations were significant for five of the pesticides, with greater concentrations in females for four of them. Over the duration of the adults' lifespan, pesticide concentrations generally decreased in females while persisting in males. Our results suggest that a low to moderate daily dietary exposure to these pesticides may be possible for tree swallow nestlings and insectivorous bats.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexis P Roodt
- Institute for Environmental Sciences, University of Koblenz-Landau, Fortstrasse 7, 76829 Landau in der Pfalz, Germany
| | - Nina Röder
- Institute for Environmental Sciences, University of Koblenz-Landau, Fortstrasse 7, 76829 Landau in der Pfalz, Germany
| | - Sebastian Pietz
- Institute for Environmental Sciences, University of Koblenz-Landau, Fortstrasse 7, 76829 Landau in der Pfalz, Germany
| | - Sara Kolbenschlag
- Institute for Environmental Sciences, University of Koblenz-Landau, Fortstrasse 7, 76829 Landau in der Pfalz, Germany
| | - Alessandro Manfrin
- Institute for Environmental Sciences, University of Koblenz-Landau, Fortstrasse 7, 76829 Landau in der Pfalz, Germany
| | - Klaus Schwenk
- Institute for Environmental Sciences, University of Koblenz-Landau, Fortstrasse 7, 76829 Landau in der Pfalz, Germany
| | - Mirco Bundschuh
- Institute for Environmental Sciences, University of Koblenz-Landau, Fortstrasse 7, 76829 Landau in der Pfalz, Germany
- Department of Aquatic Sciences and Assessment, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Lennart Hjelms väg 9, SWE-75007 Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Ralf Schulz
- Institute for Environmental Sciences, University of Koblenz-Landau, Fortstrasse 7, 76829 Landau in der Pfalz, Germany
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11
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Chumchal MM, Beaubien GB, Drenner RW, Hannappel MP, Mills MA, Olson CI, Otter RR, Todd AC, Walters DM. Use of Riparian Spiders as Sentinels of Persistent and Bioavailable Chemical Contaminants in Aquatic Ecosystems: A Review. ENVIRONMENTAL TOXICOLOGY AND CHEMISTRY 2022; 41:499-514. [PMID: 35113469 PMCID: PMC9703374 DOI: 10.1002/etc.5267] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/28/2021] [Revised: 11/30/2021] [Accepted: 12/05/2021] [Indexed: 05/29/2023]
Abstract
Aquatic ecosystems around the world are contaminated with a wide range of anthropogenic chemicals, including metals and organic pollutants, that originate from point and nonpoint sources. Many of these chemical contaminants have complex environmental cycles, are persistent and bioavailable, can be incorporated into aquatic food webs, and pose a threat to the health of wildlife and humans. Identifying appropriate sentinels that reflect bioavailability is critical to assessing and managing aquatic ecosystems impacted by contaminants. The objective of the present study is to review research on riparian spiders as sentinels of persistent and bioavailable chemical contaminants in aquatic ecosystems. Our review of the literature on riparian spiders as sentinels suggests that significant progress has been made during the last two decades of research. We identified 55 published studies conducted around the world in which riparian spiders (primarily of the families Tetragnathidae, Araneidae, Lycosidae, and Pisauridae) were used as sentinels of chemical contamination of lotic, lentic, and estuarine systems. For several contaminants, such as polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), Hg, and Se, it is now clear that riparian spiders are appropriate sentinels. However, many contaminants and factors that could impact chemical concentrations in riparian spiders have not been well characterized. Further study of riparian spiders and their potential role as sentinels is critical because it would allow for development of national-scale programs that utilize riparian spiders as sentinels to monitor chemical contaminants in aquatic ecosystems. A riparian spider sentinel program in the United States would be complementary to existing national sentinel programs, including those for fish and immature dragonflies. Environ Toxicol Chem 2022;41:499-514. © 2021 SETAC.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Gale B. Beaubien
- Office of Research and Development, Center for Environmental Solutions and Emergency Response, US Environmental Protection Agency, Cincinnati, Ohio
| | - Ray W. Drenner
- Biology Department, Texas Christian University, Fort Worth, Texas, USA
| | | | - Marc A. Mills
- Office of Research and Development, Center for Environmental Solutions and Emergency Response, US Environmental Protection Agency, Cincinnati, Ohio
| | - Connor I. Olson
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Syracuse University, Syracuse, New York, USA
| | - Ryan R. Otter
- Department of Biology, Molecular Bioscience, Data Science Institute, Middle Tennessee State University, Murfreesboro, Tennessee, USA
| | - Andrew C. Todd
- Biology Department, Texas Christian University, Fort Worth, Texas, USA
| | - David M. Walters
- US Geological Survey, Columbia Environmental Research Center, Columbia, Missouri
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12
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Alvarez DA, Corsi SR, De Cicco LA, Villeneuve DL, Baldwin AK. Identifying Chemicals and Mixtures of Potential Biological Concern Detected in Passive Samplers from Great Lakes Tributaries Using High-Throughput Data and Biological Pathways. ENVIRONMENTAL TOXICOLOGY AND CHEMISTRY 2021; 40:2165-2182. [PMID: 34003517 PMCID: PMC8361951 DOI: 10.1002/etc.5118] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2021] [Revised: 02/09/2021] [Accepted: 05/12/2021] [Indexed: 05/24/2023]
Abstract
Waterborne contaminants were monitored in 69 tributaries of the Laurentian Great Lakes in 2010 and 2014 using semipermeable membrane devices (SPMDs) and polar organic chemical integrative samplers (POCIS). A risk-based screening approach was used to prioritize chemicals and chemical mixtures, identify sites at greatest risk for biological impacts, and identify potential hazards to monitor at those sites. Analyses included 185 chemicals (143 detected) including polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), legacy and current-use pesticides, fire retardants, pharmaceuticals, and fragrances. Hazard quotients were calculated by dividing detected concentrations by biological effect concentrations reported in the ECOTOX Knowledgebase (toxicity quotients) or ToxCast database (exposure-activity ratios [EARs]). Mixture effects were estimated by summation of EAR values for chemicals that influence ToxCast assays with common gene targets. Nineteen chemicals-atrazine, N,N-diethyltoluamide, di(2-ethylhexyl)phthalate, dl-menthol, galaxolide, p-tert-octylphenol, 3 organochlorine pesticides, 3 PAHs, 4 pharmaceuticals, and 3 phosphate flame retardants-had toxicity quotients >0.1 or EARs for individual chemicals >10-3 at 10% or more of the sites monitored. An additional 4 chemicals (tributyl phosphate, triethyl citrate, benz[a]anthracene, and benzo[b]fluoranthene) were present in mixtures with EARs >10-3 . To evaluate potential apical effects and biological endpoints to monitor in exposed wildlife, in vitro bioactivity data were compared to adverse outcome pathway gene ontology information. Endpoints and effects associated with endocrine disruption, alterations in xenobiotic metabolism, and potentially neuronal development would be relevant to monitor at the priority sites. The EAR threshold exceedance for many chemical classes was correlated with urban land cover and wastewater effluent influence, whereas herbicides and fire retardants were also correlated to agricultural land cover. Environ Toxicol Chem 2021;40:2165-2182. Published 2021. This article is a U.S. Government work and is in the public domain in the USA. Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of SETAC.
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Affiliation(s)
- David A. Alvarez
- Columbia Environmental Research CenterUS Geological SurveyColumbiaMissouri
| | - Steven R. Corsi
- Upper Midwest Science CenterUS Geological SurveyMiddletonWisconsin
| | | | - Daniel L. Villeneuve
- Center for Computational Toxicology and Exposure, Great Lakes Toxicology and Ecology DivisionUS Environmental Protection AgencyDuluthMinnesota
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13
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Janssen SE, Hoffman JC, Lepak RF, Krabbenhoft DP, Walters D, Eagles-Smith CA, Peterson G, Ogorek JM, DeWild JF, Cotter A, Pearson M, Tate MT, Yeardley RB, Mills MA. Examining historical mercury sources in the Saint Louis River estuary: How legacy contamination influences biological mercury levels in Great Lakes coastal regions. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2021; 779:146284. [PMID: 33744580 PMCID: PMC9563104 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.146284] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/20/2020] [Revised: 03/01/2021] [Accepted: 03/01/2021] [Indexed: 05/12/2023]
Abstract
Industrial chemical contamination within coastal regions of the Great Lakes can pose serious risks to wetland habitat and offshore fisheries, often resulting in fish consumption advisories that directly affect human and wildlife health. Mercury (Hg) is a contaminant of concern in many of these highly urbanized and industrialized coastal regions, one of which is the Saint Louis River estuary (SLRE), the second largest tributary to Lake Superior. The SLRE has legacy Hg contamination that drives high Hg concentrations within sediments, but it is unclear whether legacy-derived Hg actively cycles within the food web. To understand the relative contributions of legacy versus contemporary Hg sources in coastal zones, Hg, carbon, and nitrogen stable isotope ratios were measured in sediments and food webs of SLRE and the Bad River, an estuarine reference site. Hg stable isotope values revealed that legacy contamination of Hg was widespread and heterogeneously distributed in sediments of SLRE, even in areas lacking industrial Hg sources. Similar isotope values were found in benthic invertebrates, riparian spiders, and prey fish from SLRE, confirming legacy Hg reaches the SLRE food web. Direct comparison of prey fish from SLRE and the Bad River confirmed that Hg isotope differences between the sites were not attributable to fractionation associated with rapid Hg bioaccumulation at estuarine mouths, but due to the presence of industrial Hg within SLRE. The Hg stable isotope values of game fish in both estuaries were dependent on fish migration and diet within the estuaries and extending into Lake Superior. These results indicate that Hg from legacy contamination is actively cycling within the SLRE food web and, through migration, this Hg also extends into Lake Superior via game fish. Understanding sources and the movement of Hg within the estuarine food web better informs restoration strategies for other impaired Great Lakes coastal zones.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah E Janssen
- U.S. Geological Survey Upper Midwest Water Science Center, 8505 Research Way, Middleton, WI 53562, USA.
| | - Joel C Hoffman
- U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Office of Research and Development, Center for Computational Toxicology and Exposure, Great Lakes Toxicology and Ecology Division, 6201 Congdon Blvd, Duluth, MN 55804, USA
| | - Ryan F Lepak
- U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Office of Research and Development, Center for Computational Toxicology and Exposure, Great Lakes Toxicology and Ecology Division, 6201 Congdon Blvd, Duluth, MN 55804, USA; Environmental Chemistry and Technology Program, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 660 N. Park Street, Madison, WI 53706, USA
| | - David P Krabbenhoft
- U.S. Geological Survey Upper Midwest Water Science Center, 8505 Research Way, Middleton, WI 53562, USA
| | - David Walters
- U.S. Geological Survey Columbia Environmental Research Center, 4200 New Haven Rd, Columbia, MO 65201, USA
| | - Collin A Eagles-Smith
- U.S. Geological Survey, Forest and Rangeland Ecosystem Science Center, 3200SW Jefferson Way, Corvallis, OR 97331, USA
| | - Greg Peterson
- U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Office of Research and Development, Center for Computational Toxicology and Exposure, Great Lakes Toxicology and Ecology Division, 6201 Congdon Blvd, Duluth, MN 55804, USA
| | - Jacob M Ogorek
- U.S. Geological Survey Upper Midwest Water Science Center, 8505 Research Way, Middleton, WI 53562, USA
| | - John F DeWild
- U.S. Geological Survey Upper Midwest Water Science Center, 8505 Research Way, Middleton, WI 53562, USA
| | - Anne Cotter
- U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Office of Research and Development, Center for Computational Toxicology and Exposure, Great Lakes Toxicology and Ecology Division, 6201 Congdon Blvd, Duluth, MN 55804, USA
| | - Mark Pearson
- U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Office of Research and Development, Center for Computational Toxicology and Exposure, Great Lakes Toxicology and Ecology Division, 6201 Congdon Blvd, Duluth, MN 55804, USA
| | - Michael T Tate
- U.S. Geological Survey Upper Midwest Water Science Center, 8505 Research Way, Middleton, WI 53562, USA
| | - Roger B Yeardley
- U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Office of Research and Development, Center for Environmental Solutions and Emergency Response, Cincinnati, OH 45220, USA
| | - Marc A Mills
- U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Office of Research and Development, Center for Environmental Solutions and Emergency Response, Cincinnati, OH 45220, USA
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14
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Koch A, Jonsson M, Yeung LWY, Kärrman A, Ahrens L, Ekblad A, Wang T. Quantification of Biodriven Transfer of Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances from the Aquatic to the Terrestrial Environment via Emergent Insects. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2021; 55:7900-7909. [PMID: 34029071 PMCID: PMC8277127 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.0c07129] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/13/2023]
Abstract
Emergent aquatic insects are important food subsidies to riparian food webs but can also transfer waterborne contaminants to the terrestrial environment. This study aimed to quantitatively assess this biodriven transfer for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). Aquatic insect larvae, emergent aquatic insects, terrestrial consumers, sediment, and water were collected from a contaminated lake and stream and an uncontaminated pond, and analyzed for PFAS and stable isotopes of carbon and nitrogen. Top predators in this study were spiders, which showed the highest average ∑24PFAS concentration of 1400 ± 80 ng g-1 dry weight (dw) at the lake and 630 ng g-1 dw at the stream. The transfer of PFAS from the lake to the riparian zone, via deposition of emergent aquatic insects, was 280 ng ∑24PFAS m-2 d-1 in 2017 and only 23 ng ∑24PFAS m-2 d-1 in 2018. Because of higher production of emergent aquatic insects, the lake had higher PFAS transfer and higher concentrations in terrestrial consumers compared to the stream, despite the stream having higher PFAS concentration in water and aquatic insect larvae. Our results indicate that biodriven transfer of PFAS from the aquatic systems and subsequent uptake in terrestrial food webs depend more on emergence amounts, i.e., aquatic prey availability, rather than on PFAS concentrations in water and aquatic prey.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alina Koch
- Man-Technology-Environment
Research Centre, Örebro University, 70182 Örebro, Sweden
| | - Micael Jonsson
- Department
of Ecology and Environmental Sciences, Umeå
University, 90187 Umeå, Sweden
| | - Leo W. Y. Yeung
- Man-Technology-Environment
Research Centre, Örebro University, 70182 Örebro, Sweden
| | - Anna Kärrman
- Man-Technology-Environment
Research Centre, Örebro University, 70182 Örebro, Sweden
| | - Lutz Ahrens
- Department
of Aquatic Sciences and Assessment, Swedish
University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU), 75007 Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Alf Ekblad
- Man-Technology-Environment
Research Centre, Örebro University, 70182 Örebro, Sweden
| | - Thanh Wang
- Man-Technology-Environment
Research Centre, Örebro University, 70182 Örebro, Sweden
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15
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Kraus JM, Wanty RB, Schmidt TS, Walters DM, Wolf RE. Variation in metal concentrations across a large contamination gradient is reflected in stream but not linked riparian food webs. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2021; 769:144714. [PMID: 33736264 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.144714] [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: 10/07/2020] [Revised: 12/22/2020] [Accepted: 12/22/2020] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Aquatic insects link food web dynamics across freshwater-terrestrial boundaries and subsidize terrestrial consumer populations. Contaminants that accumulate in larval aquatic insects and are retained across metamorphosis can increase dietary exposure for riparian insectivores. To better understand potential exposure of terrestrial insectivores to aquatically-derived trace metals, metal concentrations in water and tissues were analyzed from different components of streams and riparian food webs across a large (2-3 orders of magnitude) metal gradient (e.g., Zn, Cu, Cd, Pb) in the Rocky Mountains (USA). Our research indicates that the trace metal concentration gradient present among streams was lost during metamorphosis of aquatic larval insects into terrestrially flying adults, decoupling terrestrial exposures from aquatic concentrations. This pattern was caused by declines in 1) among-stream variation in trace metal concentrations, 2) relationships between metal concentrations in paired water and food web components, and 3) mean metal concentrations within aquatic food webs and across the aquatic-terrestrial boundary. Specifically, among-stream variation in trace metal concentrations was highest for water and aquatic vegetation, intermediate for aquatic insect larvae (~30% lower than water) and lowest for adult aquatic insects and riparian spiders (~65% lower). Metal concentrations in paired water and food web components ranged from highly related across the stream-metal gradient (slopes ~1) for water and aquatic vegetation, to less related (slopes closer to 0) for aquatic vegetation and aquatic insect larvae, to unrelated (slopes ~0) for aquatic larval and adult insects. Finally, mean metal concentrations were highest in aquatic vegetation and lowest in adult aquatic insects emerging from streams (~50% lower than aquatic vegetation). Our results indicate less efficient trophic transfer and higher metamorphic loss of trace metals from high metal streams (i.e., exposure-dependent transfer). For many trace metals, aquatic-terrestrial dietary transfer is unlikely to be an important source of exposure for terrestrial insectivores of adult aquatic insects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Johanna M Kraus
- U.S. Geological Survey Columbia Environmental Research Center, 4200 New Haven Road, Columbia, MO 65201, USA.
| | - Richard B Wanty
- U.S. Geological Survey Southwest Isotope Research Laboratories, Denver Federal Center, MS 963, Denver, CO 80225, USA
| | - Travis S Schmidt
- U.S. Geological Survey Wyoming-Montana Water Science Center, 3162 Bozeman Ave, Helena, MT 509601, USA
| | - David M Walters
- U.S. Geological Survey Columbia Environmental Research Center, 4200 New Haven Road, Columbia, MO 65201, USA
| | - Ruth E Wolf
- Perkin Elmer, Inc., 2651 Warrenville Rd, Suite 100, Downers Grove, IL 60515, USA
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16
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Beaubien GB, Olson CI, Todd AC, Otter RR. The Spider Exposure Pathway and the Potential Risk to Arachnivorous Birds. ENVIRONMENTAL TOXICOLOGY AND CHEMISTRY 2020; 39:2314-2324. [PMID: 32790212 DOI: 10.1002/etc.4848] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/03/2020] [Revised: 07/02/2020] [Accepted: 08/07/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
There is growing concern over the health of North American birds, with evidence suggesting substantial population declines. Spiders are prominent dietary items for many bird species and mediate the transfer of contaminants to arachnivorous birds that consume them. Few studies have investigated the potential risk the spider exposure pathway poses to these birds because most studies have focused on piscivores. In the present study, we developed new chronic and acute As, Cd, Cu, Pb, Ni, Se, Zn, and MeHg spider-based avian wildlife values (SBAWVs) for multiple adult and nestling birds (primarily passerines) and then used the newly generated SBAWVs to characterize the risk to birds across 2 study areas: 1) 5 reaches in the southern Appalachian Mountains, an area with substantial mercury deposition but minimal anthropogenic impact, and 2) 4 reaches adjacent to the Emory River, an area impacted by the largest fly coal-ash spill in US history. We identified MeHg and Cu, Pb, Se, and Zn as contaminants of potential concern (COPC) at the Appalachian Mountain and Emory River study areas, respectively, based on dietary exposure of aquatic contaminants via riparian spiders. The identification of COPC at both study areas due to dietary spider exposure is notable not only because the spider exposure pathway has largely been uninvestigated at these sites but also because the aquatic systems in both areas have been studied extensively. Significant differences in MeHg concentrations were detected among spider taxa and suggest that the selection of spider taxa can impact risk characterization. These results indicate that the spider exposure pathway is important to consider when assessing potential risk, particularly for passerine birds. Environ Toxicol Chem 2020;39:2314-2324. © 2020 SETAC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gale B Beaubien
- Molecular Biosciences, Middle Tennessee State University, Murfreesboro, Tennessee, USA
| | - Connor I Olson
- Department of Biology, Middle Tennessee State University, Murfreesboro, Tennessee, USA
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Syracuse University, Syracuse, New York, USA
| | - Andrew C Todd
- Department of Biology, Middle Tennessee State University, Murfreesboro, Tennessee, USA
| | - Ryan R Otter
- Molecular Biosciences, Middle Tennessee State University, Murfreesboro, Tennessee, USA
- Department of Biology, Middle Tennessee State University, Murfreesboro, Tennessee, USA
- Data Science Institute, Middle Tennessee State University, Murfreesboro, Tennessee, USA
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17
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Nanoparticles transported from aquatic to terrestrial ecosystems via emerging aquatic insects compromise subsidy quality. Sci Rep 2019; 9:15676. [PMID: 31666603 PMCID: PMC6821837 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-52096-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/11/2018] [Accepted: 10/12/2019] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
Nanoparticle contaminants enter aquatic ecosystems and are transported along the stream network. Here, we demonstrate a novel pathway for the return of nanoparticles from aquatic to terrestrial ecosystems via cross-boundary subsidies. During their emergence, trichopteran caddisflies carried titanium dioxide and gold nanoparticles into their terrestrial life stages. Moreover, their emergence was delayed by ≤30 days, and their energy reserves were depleted by ≤25%. Based on worst case estimates, it is suggested that terrestrial predators, such as bats feeding on aquatic prey, may ingest up to three orders of magnitude higher gold levels than anticipated for humans. Additionally, terrestrial predator species may suffer from alterations in the temporal availability and nutritional quality of their prey. Considering the substantial transfer of insect biomass to terrestrial ecosystems, nanoparticles may decouple aquatic and terrestrial food webs with important (meta-)ecosystem level consequences.
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18
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Beaubien GB, Olson CI, Otter RR. The Role of Sexual Dimorphism and Tissue Selection in Ecotoxicological Studies Using the Riparian Spider Tetragnatha elongata. BULLETIN OF ENVIRONMENTAL CONTAMINATION AND TOXICOLOGY 2019; 103:225-232. [PMID: 31111167 DOI: 10.1007/s00128-019-02632-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/06/2019] [Accepted: 05/09/2019] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Tetragnathid spiders (Tetragnatha spp.) found in riparian habitats have recently been used as bioindicators of sediment contamination and insect-mediated contaminant flux. We investigated whether sexual dimorphism (size and behavior) influenced the female:male ratio in composite samples, stable isotope ratios (carbon [δ13C], nitrogen [δ15N]), and Hg concentrations in the southern United States. Additionally, we explored whether biomass for contaminant analysis could be preserved by using the legs of tetragnathids as a surrogate for whole-body δ13C and δ15N signatures. We found that female tetragnathids were significantly larger than male spiders and represented a larger proportion of spiders collected at all sites. However, despite the difference in size between sexes, no differences in growth dynamics, isotopic signatures (δ13C and δ15N), or mercury concentrations were observed. It was determined that the leg of a tetragnathid can accurately represent the stable isotope signature of an entire spider.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gale B Beaubien
- Molecular Biosciences, Middle Tennessee State University, Murfreesboro, TN, 37132, USA.
| | - Connor I Olson
- Department of Biology, Middle Tennessee State University, Murfreesboro, TN, 37132, USA
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Syracuse University, Syracuse, NY, 13244, USA
| | - Ryan R Otter
- Molecular Biosciences, Middle Tennessee State University, Murfreesboro, TN, 37132, USA
- Department of Biology, Middle Tennessee State University, Murfreesboro, TN, 37132, USA
- Data Science Institute, Middle Tennessee State University, Murfreesboro, TN, 37132, USA
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19
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Graf N, Battes KP, Cimpean M, Dittrich P, Entling MH, Link M, Scharmüller A, Schreiner VC, Szöcs E, Schäfer RB. Do agricultural pesticides in streams influence riparian spiders? THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2019; 660:126-135. [PMID: 30639710 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2018.12.370] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2018] [Revised: 12/21/2018] [Accepted: 12/24/2018] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Freshwater ecosystems are coupled with their riparian area. Emerging insects are prey for predators in the riparian zone, enriching the terrestrial ecosystem with energy and nutrients. Stressors associated with agriculture can alter insect communities in water and on land, resulting in complex response patterns of terrestrial predators relying on prey from both systems. Examining the effects from individual agricultural stressors such as pesticides is hampered in landscapes with intensive agriculture where multiple stressors like habitat degradation and typically co-occur. In rural regions of Eastern Europe, traditional low intensity agriculture based on working animals and human labour prevails alongside intensive, mechanised agriculture. Assuming that low-intensity agriculture relies on no or limited pesticide use, whereas fertilizer use is similar across different agricultural intensities, such regions may allow to study in-stream pesticide effects independent from other stressors, such as nutrient input or habitat degradation. We examined the taxonomic and trait response of riparian spider communities to gradients of agricultural stressors and environmental variables in the region around Cluj-Napoca, Romania. Pesticide sampling was done using passive samplers in the streams adjacent to spider sampling sites. To capture spiders with different traits and survival strategies, we used multiple collection methods. Community composition was best explained by in-stream pesticide toxicity and shading of the stream bank, a proxy for the quality of the habitat. Species richness and the number of spider individuals were negatively associated with in-stream pesticide toxicity. In contrast, mean body size and shading preference of spider communities responded strongest to shading, whereas mean niche width (habitat preference for moisture and shading) responded strongest to the other environmental variables. Our study suggests that in-stream pesticide toxicity can influence riparian communities. The identification of mechanisms requires further studies targeting the potential contributions of direct toxicity and indirect effects from reduced aquatic and terrestrial prey availability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nadin Graf
- Institue for Environmental Sciences, University Koblenz-Landau, Fortstraße 7, 76829 Landau, Germany.
| | - Karina P Battes
- Department of Taxonomy and Ecology, Faculty of Biology and Geology, Babeș-Bolyai University, 5-7 Clinicilor Str., 400006 Cluj-Napoca, Romania
| | - Mirela Cimpean
- Department of Taxonomy and Ecology, Faculty of Biology and Geology, Babeș-Bolyai University, 5-7 Clinicilor Str., 400006 Cluj-Napoca, Romania
| | - Pitt Dittrich
- Institue for Environmental Sciences, University Koblenz-Landau, Fortstraße 7, 76829 Landau, Germany
| | - Martin H Entling
- Institue for Environmental Sciences, University Koblenz-Landau, Fortstraße 7, 76829 Landau, Germany
| | - Moritz Link
- Institue for Environmental Sciences, University Koblenz-Landau, Fortstraße 7, 76829 Landau, Germany
| | - Andreas Scharmüller
- Institue for Environmental Sciences, University Koblenz-Landau, Fortstraße 7, 76829 Landau, Germany
| | - Verena C Schreiner
- Institue for Environmental Sciences, University Koblenz-Landau, Fortstraße 7, 76829 Landau, Germany
| | - Eduard Szöcs
- Institue for Environmental Sciences, University Koblenz-Landau, Fortstraße 7, 76829 Landau, Germany
| | - Ralf B Schäfer
- Institue for Environmental Sciences, University Koblenz-Landau, Fortstraße 7, 76829 Landau, Germany
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20
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Walters DM, Otter RR, Kraus JM, Mills MA. Riparian spiders indicate the magnitude and sources of polychlorinated biphenyl contamination at a large contaminated sediment site. ENVIRONMENTAL TOXICOLOGY AND CHEMISTRY 2018; 37:2467-2474. [PMID: 29931828 DOI: 10.1002/etc.4216] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2018] [Revised: 03/23/2018] [Accepted: 06/21/2018] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
We investigated polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) contamination at the Ashtabula River (northeast OH, USA) area of concern following remedial dredging using araneid and tetragnathid spiders. The PCB concentrations remain elevated in the area of concern compared with reference conditions. Patterns of contamination were strikingly similar between taxa, but were higher in tetragnathids at the most contaminated sites. Spider PCB homolog distributions identified 2 PCB sources to the area of concern. Based on these findings, we recommend situations where these taxa can be used alone, in concert, or combined into a composite "spider" sample to assess environmental contamination. Environ Toxicol Chem 2018;37:2467-2474. Published 2018 Wiley Periodicals Inc. on behalf of SETAC. This article is a US government work and, as such, is in the public domain in the United States of America.
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Affiliation(s)
- David M Walters
- Fort Collins Science Center, US Geological Survey, Fort Collins, Colorado
| | - Ryan R Otter
- Department of Biology, Middle Tennessee State University, Murfreesboro, Tennessee, USA
| | - Johanna M Kraus
- Fort Collins Science Center, US Geological Survey, Fort Collins, Colorado
| | - Marc A Mills
- National Risk Management Laboratory, US Environmental Protection Agency, Cincinnati, Ohio
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