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Li X, Liu Y, Chen D, Ding C, Ma P, He J, Su D. Riparian plant-soil-microbial C:N:P stoichiometry: are they conserved at plant functional group level? ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2024:10.1007/s11356-024-34153-5. [PMID: 38990259 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-024-34153-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/11/2024] [Accepted: 06/24/2024] [Indexed: 07/12/2024]
Abstract
As a consequence of the tight linkages between plants, soil, and microorganisms, we hypothesized the variations in plant species would change soil and microbial stoichiometry. Here, we examined the plant leaf carbon (C):nitrogen (N):phosphorus (P) ratios of nine species coming from three plant functional groups (PFGs) in the riparian zones of Hulunbuir steppe during near-peak biomass. The soil C:N:P, microbial biomass carbon (MBC):microbial biomass nitrogen (MBN), and extracellular enzyme's C:N:P were also assessed using the soils from each species. We found that plant tissue, soil nutrient, microbial, and enzyme activity stoichiometry significantly differed among different PFGs. Plant leaf and soil nutrient ratios tended to be similar (p > 0.05) between different species within the same PFGs. The variations in leaf C:N:P significantly correlated with the changes in soil C:N:P and MBC:MBN ratios. The homeostatic coefficients (H) < 1 suggested the relationships between plants and their resources C:N:P ratios might be non-homeostatic in the examined riparian zone. By assessing plant tissue and its soil nutrient stoichiometry, this study provided a perspective to understand the linkages of plant community, soil nutrient, and microbial characteristics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xingfu Li
- Industry Development and Planning Institute, National Forestry and Grassland Administration of P.R. China, Beijing, 100010, China
| | - Yu Liu
- Grassland Resources and Ecology Research Center, Beijing Forestry University, Haidian District, No. 35 E(ast) Tsinghua Road, Beijing, 100083, China
| | - Dan Chen
- Industry Development and Planning Institute, National Forestry and Grassland Administration of P.R. China, Beijing, 100010, China
| | - Chenxiang Ding
- Academy of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Science, Qinghai University, Xining, 810016, China
| | - Pu Ma
- Grassland Resources and Ecology Research Center, Beijing Forestry University, Haidian District, No. 35 E(ast) Tsinghua Road, Beijing, 100083, China
| | - Jing He
- Grassland Resources and Ecology Research Center, Beijing Forestry University, Haidian District, No. 35 E(ast) Tsinghua Road, Beijing, 100083, China
| | - Derong Su
- Grassland Resources and Ecology Research Center, Beijing Forestry University, Haidian District, No. 35 E(ast) Tsinghua Road, Beijing, 100083, China.
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2
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Monteiro LC, Vieira LCG, Bernardi JVE, Recktenvald MCNDN, Nery AFDC, Fernandes IO, de Miranda VL, da Rocha DMS, de Almeida R, Bastos WR. Mercury distribution, bioaccumulation, and biomagnification in riparian ecosystems from a neotropical savanna floodplain, Araguaia River, central Brazil. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2024; 252:118906. [PMID: 38609069 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2024.118906] [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: 12/20/2023] [Revised: 04/01/2024] [Accepted: 04/08/2024] [Indexed: 04/14/2024]
Abstract
Litterfall is the main source of dry deposition of mercury (Hg) into the soil in forest ecosystems. The accumulation of Hg in soil and litter suggests the possibility of transfer to terrestrial invertebrates through environmental exposure or ingestion of plant tissues. We quantified total mercury (THg) concentrations in two soil layers (organic: 0-0.2 m; mineral: 0.8-1 m), litter, fresh leaves, and terrestrial invertebrates of the Araguaia River floodplain, aiming to evaluate the THg distribution among terrestrial compartments, bioaccumulation in invertebrates, and the factors influencing THg concentrations in soil and invertebrates. The mean THg concentrations were significantly different between the compartments evaluated, being higher in organic soil compared to mineral soil, and higher in litter compared to mineral soil and fresh leaves. Soil organic matter content was positively related to THg concentration in this compartment. The order Araneae showed significantly higher Hg concentrations among the most abundant invertebrate taxa. The higher Hg concentrations in Araneae were positively influenced by the concentrations determined in litter and individuals of the order Hymenoptera, confirming the process of biomagnification in the terrestrial trophic chain. In contrast, the THg concentrations in Coleoptera, Orthoptera and Hymenoptera were not significantly related to the concentrations determined in the soil, litter and fresh leaves. Our results showed the importance of organic matter for the immobilization of THg in the soil and indicated the process of biomagnification in the terrestrial food web, providing insights for future studies on the environmental distribution of Hg in floodplains.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lucas Cabrera Monteiro
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ecologia, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade de Brasília, Brasília, DF, Brazil; Núcleo de Estudos e Pesquisas Ambientais e Limnológicas, Faculdade UnB Planaltina, Universidade de Brasília, Planaltina, DF, Brazil; Laboratório de Geoestatística e Geodésia, Faculdade UnB Planaltina, Universidade de Brasília, Planaltina, DF, Brazil.
| | - Ludgero Cardoso Galli Vieira
- Núcleo de Estudos e Pesquisas Ambientais e Limnológicas, Faculdade UnB Planaltina, Universidade de Brasília, Planaltina, DF, Brazil
| | - José Vicente Elias Bernardi
- Laboratório de Geoestatística e Geodésia, Faculdade UnB Planaltina, Universidade de Brasília, Planaltina, DF, Brazil
| | | | | | - Iara Oliveira Fernandes
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências Ambientais, Faculdade UnB Planaltina, Universidade de Brasília, Planaltina, DF, Brazil
| | - Vinicius Lima de Miranda
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Zoologia, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade de Brasília, Brasília, DF, Brazil
| | | | - Ronaldo de Almeida
- Laboratório de Biogeoquímica Ambiental, Universidade Federal de Rondônia, Porto Velho, RO, Brazil
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3
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Xu Z, Lu Q, Jia D, Li S, Luo K, Su T, Chen Z, Qiu G. Significant biomagnification of methylmercury in songbird nestlings through a rice-based food web: Insights from stable mercury isotopes. JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS 2024; 468:133783. [PMID: 38367440 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2024.133783] [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: 11/01/2023] [Revised: 02/07/2024] [Accepted: 02/12/2024] [Indexed: 02/19/2024]
Abstract
To elucidate the sources and transfer of mercury (Hg) in terrestrial food chains, particularly in heavily Hg-contaminated rice paddy ecosystems, we collected rice leaves, invertebrates, and Russet Sparrow nestlings from a clear food chain and analyzed the dietary compositions and potential Hg sources using stable Hg isotopes coupled with a Bayesian isotope mixing model (BIMM). Our findings indicated that MeHg exposure is dominant through the dietary route, with caterpillars, grasshoppers, and katydids being the main prey items, while the less provisioned spiders, dragonflies, and mantises contributed the most of the Hg to nestlings. We found minimal MIF but certain MDF in this terrestrial food chain and identified two distinct MeHg sources of dietary exposure and maternal transfer. We firstly found that the dietary route contributed substantially (almost tenfold) more MeHg to the nestlings than maternal transfer. These findings offer new insights into the integration of Hg from the dietary route and maternal transfers, enhancing our understanding of fluctuating Hg exposure risk during the nestling stage. Our study suggested that Hg isotopes combined with BIMM is an effective approach for tracing Hg sources in birds and for gaining in-depth insight into the trophic transfers and biomagnification of MeHg in food chains.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhidong Xu
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Geochemistry, Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guiyang 550081, China
| | - Qinhui Lu
- The Key Laboratory of Environment Pollution Monitoring and Disease Control, Ministry of Education, Guizhou Provincial Engineering Research Center of Ecological Food Innovation, School of Public Health, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang 550025, China
| | - Dongya Jia
- School of Chemistry and Materials Science, Guizhou Normal University, Guiyang 550001, China
| | - Shenghao Li
- School of Chemistry and Materials Science, Guizhou Normal University, Guiyang 550001, China
| | - Kang Luo
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Geochemistry, Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guiyang 550081, China; Ailaoshan Station for Subtropical Forest Ecosystem Studies, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Jingdong 676200, China
| | - Tongping Su
- Key Laboratory of Environment Change and Resources Use in Beibu Gulf, Ministry of Education, Nanning Normal University, Nanning 530001, China
| | - Zhuo Chen
- School of Chemistry and Materials Science, Guizhou Normal University, Guiyang 550001, China.
| | - Guangle Qiu
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Geochemistry, Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guiyang 550081, China.
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4
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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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5
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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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6
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Martín-Cruz B, Cecchetti M, Simbaña-Rivera K, Rial-Berriel C, Acosta-Dacal A, Zumbado-Peña M, Henríquez-Hernández LA, Gallo-Barneto R, Cabrera-Pérez MÁ, Melián-Melián A, Suárez-Pérez A, Luzardo OP. Potential exposure of native wildlife to anticoagulant rodenticides in Gran Canaria (Canary Islands, Spain): Evidence from residue analysis of the invasive California Kingsnake (Lampropeltis californiae). THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 911:168761. [PMID: 37996022 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.168761] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2023] [Revised: 11/15/2023] [Accepted: 11/19/2023] [Indexed: 11/25/2023]
Abstract
Anticoagulant rodenticides (ARs), particularly second-generation compounds (SGARs), are extensively used in pest management, impacting non-target wildlife. The California kingsnake (Lampropeltis californiae), an invasive species in Gran Canaria, is under a control plan involving capture and euthanasia. This research aimed to detect 10 different ARs in these snakes, explore geographical and biometrical factors influencing AR exposure, and assess their potential as sentinel species for raptors, sharing similar foraging habits. Liver samples from 360 snakes, euthanized between 2021 and 2022, were analysed for ARs using LC-MS/MS. Results showed all detected rodenticides were SGARs, except for one instance of diphacinone. Remarkably, 90 % of the snakes tested positive for ARs, with over half exposed to multiple compounds. Brodifacoum was predominant, found in over 90 % of AR-positive snakes, while bromadiolone and difenacoum were also frequently detected but at lower levels. The study revealed that larger snakes and those in certain geographic areas had higher AR concentrations. Snakes in less central or more peripheral areas showed lower levels of these compounds. This suggests a correlation between the snakes' size and distribution with the concentration of ARs in their bodies. The findings indicate that the types and prevalence of ARs in California kingsnakes on Gran Canaria mirror those in the island's raptors. This similarity suggests that the kingsnake could serve as a potential sentinel species for monitoring ARs in the ecosystem. However, further research is necessary to confirm their effectiveness in this role.
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Affiliation(s)
- Beatriz Martín-Cruz
- Toxicology Unit, Research Institute of Biomedical and Health Sciences (IUIBS), University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Paseo Blas Cabrera "Físico" s/n, 35016 Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Spain.
| | - Martina Cecchetti
- Toxicology Unit, Research Institute of Biomedical and Health Sciences (IUIBS), University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Paseo Blas Cabrera "Físico" s/n, 35016 Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Spain; Environment and Sustainability Institute, University of Exeter. Penryn Campus, Penryn TR10 9FE, United Kingdom
| | - Katherine Simbaña-Rivera
- Toxicology Unit, Research Institute of Biomedical and Health Sciences (IUIBS), University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Paseo Blas Cabrera "Físico" s/n, 35016 Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Spain; Centro de Investigación para la Salud en América Latina (CISeAL), Facultad de Medicina, Pontificia Universidad Católica del Ecuador (PUCE), Quito, Ecuador
| | - Cristian Rial-Berriel
- Toxicology Unit, Research Institute of Biomedical and Health Sciences (IUIBS), University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Paseo Blas Cabrera "Físico" s/n, 35016 Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Spain
| | - Andrea Acosta-Dacal
- Toxicology Unit, Research Institute of Biomedical and Health Sciences (IUIBS), University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Paseo Blas Cabrera "Físico" s/n, 35016 Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Spain
| | - Manuel Zumbado-Peña
- Toxicology Unit, Research Institute of Biomedical and Health Sciences (IUIBS), University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Paseo Blas Cabrera "Físico" s/n, 35016 Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Spain; Spanish Biomedical Research Center in Physiopathology of Obesity and Nutrition (CIBERObn), Spain
| | - Luis Alberto Henríquez-Hernández
- Toxicology Unit, Research Institute of Biomedical and Health Sciences (IUIBS), University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Paseo Blas Cabrera "Físico" s/n, 35016 Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Spain; Spanish Biomedical Research Center in Physiopathology of Obesity and Nutrition (CIBERObn), Spain
| | - Ramón Gallo-Barneto
- Gestión y Planeamiento Territorial y Medioambiental, S.A. (GESPLAN). Canary Islands Government, C/León y Castillo 54, bajo, 35003 Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Spain
| | - Miguel Ángel Cabrera-Pérez
- General Directorate to Combat Climate Change and the Environment, Biodiversity Service, Canary Islands Government, Plaza de los Derechos Humanos, 22, 35071 Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Spain
| | - Ayose Melián-Melián
- Gestión y Planeamiento Territorial y Medioambiental, S.A. (GESPLAN). Canary Islands Government, C/León y Castillo 54, bajo, 35003 Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Spain
| | - Alejandro Suárez-Pérez
- Gestión y Planeamiento Territorial y Medioambiental, S.A. (GESPLAN). Canary Islands Government, C/León y Castillo 54, bajo, 35003 Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Spain
| | - Octavio P Luzardo
- Toxicology Unit, Research Institute of Biomedical and Health Sciences (IUIBS), University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Paseo Blas Cabrera "Físico" s/n, 35016 Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Spain; Spanish Biomedical Research Center in Physiopathology of Obesity and Nutrition (CIBERObn), Spain
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7
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Schulz R, Bundschuh M, Entling MH, Jungkunst HF, Lorke A, Schwenk K, Schäfer RB. A synthesis of anthropogenic stress effects on emergence-mediated aquatic-terrestrial linkages and riparian food webs. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 908:168186. [PMID: 37914130 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.168186] [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: 08/09/2023] [Revised: 10/23/2023] [Accepted: 10/27/2023] [Indexed: 11/03/2023]
Abstract
Anthropogenic stress alters the linkage between aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems in various ways. Here, we review the contemporary literature on how alterations in aquatic systems through environmental pollution, invasive species and hydromorphological changes carry-over to terrestrial ecosystems and the food webs therein. We consider both the aquatic insect emergence and flooding as pathways through which stressors can propagate from the aquatic to the terrestrial system. We specifically synthesize and contextualize results on the roles of pollutants in the emergence pathway and their top-down consequences. Our review revealed that the emergence and flooding pathway are only considered in isolation and that the overall effects of invasive species or pollutants on food webs at the water-land interface require further attention. While very few recent studies looked at invasive species, a larger number of studies focused on metal transfer compared to pesticides, pharmaceuticals or PCBs, and multiple stress studies up to now left aquatic-terrestrial linkages unconsidered. Recent research on pollutants and emergence used aquatic-terrestrial mesocosms to elucidate the effects of aquatic stressors such as the mosquito control agent Bti, metals or pesticides to understand the effects on riparian spiders. Quality parameters, such as the structural and functional composition of emergent insect communities, the fatty acid profiles, yet also the composition of pollutants transferred to land prove to be important for the effects on riparian spiders. Process-based models including quality of emergence are useful to predict the resulting top-down directed food web effects in the terrestrial recipient ecosystem. In conclusion, we present and recommend a combination of empirical and modelling approaches in order to understand the complexity of aquatic-terrestrial stressor propagation and its spatial and temporal variation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ralf Schulz
- iES Landau, Institute for Environmental Sciences, RPTU Kaiserslautern-Landau, Landau, Germany.
| | - Mirco Bundschuh
- iES Landau, Institute for Environmental Sciences, RPTU Kaiserslautern-Landau, Landau, Germany; Department of Aquatic Sciences and Assessment, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Martin H Entling
- iES Landau, Institute for Environmental Sciences, RPTU Kaiserslautern-Landau, Landau, Germany
| | - Hermann F Jungkunst
- iES Landau, Institute for Environmental Sciences, RPTU Kaiserslautern-Landau, Landau, Germany
| | - Andreas Lorke
- iES Landau, Institute for Environmental Sciences, RPTU Kaiserslautern-Landau, Landau, Germany
| | - Klaus Schwenk
- iES Landau, Institute for Environmental Sciences, RPTU Kaiserslautern-Landau, Landau, Germany
| | - Ralf B Schäfer
- iES Landau, Institute for Environmental Sciences, RPTU Kaiserslautern-Landau, Landau, Germany
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8
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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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9
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Sayers CJ, Evers DC, Ruiz-Gutierrez V, Adams E, Vega CM, Pisconte JN, Tejeda V, Regan K, Lane OP, Ash AA, Cal R, Reneau S, Martínez W, Welch G, Hartwell K, Teul M, Tzul D, Arendt WJ, Tórrez MA, Watsa M, Erkenswick G, Moore CE, Gerson J, Sánchez V, Purizaca RP, Yurek H, Burton MEH, Shrum PL, Tabares-Segovia S, Vargas K, Fogarty FF, Charette MR, Martínez AE, Bernhardt ES, Taylor RJ, Tear TH, Fernandez LE. Mercury in Neotropical birds: a synthesis and prospectus on 13 years of exposure data. ECOTOXICOLOGY (LONDON, ENGLAND) 2023; 32:1096-1123. [PMID: 37907784 PMCID: PMC10622370 DOI: 10.1007/s10646-023-02706-y] [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] [Accepted: 10/09/2023] [Indexed: 11/02/2023]
Abstract
Environmental mercury (Hg) contamination of the global tropics outpaces our understanding of its consequences for biodiversity. Knowledge gaps of pollution exposure could obscure conservation threats in the Neotropics: a region that supports over half of the world's species, but faces ongoing land-use change and Hg emission via artisanal and small-scale gold mining (ASGM). Due to their global distribution and sensitivity to pollution, birds provide a valuable opportunity as bioindicators to assess how accelerating Hg emissions impact an ecosystem's ability to support biodiversity, and ultimately, global health. We present the largest database on Neotropical bird Hg concentrations (n = 2316) and establish exposure baselines for 322 bird species spanning nine countries across Central America, South America, and the West Indies. Patterns of avian Hg exposure in the Neotropics broadly align with those in temperate regions: consistent bioaccumulation across functional groups and high spatiotemporal variation. Bird species occupying higher trophic positions and aquatic habitats exhibited elevated Hg concentrations that have been previously associated with reductions in reproductive success. Notably, bird Hg concentrations were over four times higher at sites impacted by ASGM activities and differed by season for certain trophic niches. We developed this synthesis via a collaborative research network, the Tropical Research for Avian Conservation and Ecotoxicology (TRACE) Initiative, which exemplifies inclusive, equitable, and international data-sharing. While our findings signal an urgent need to assess sampling biases, mechanisms, and consequences of Hg exposure to tropical avian communities, the TRACE Initiative provides a meaningful framework to achieve such goals. Ultimately, our collective efforts support and inform local, scientific, and government entities, including Parties of the United Nations Minamata Convention on Mercury, as we continue working together to understand how Hg pollution impacts biodiversity conservation, ecosystem function, and public health in the tropics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christopher J Sayers
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA.
- Center for Mercury Studies, Biodiversity Research Institute, 276 Canco Road, Portland, ME, 04103, USA.
- Centro de Innovación Científica Amazónica, Puerto Maldonado, Madre de Dios, 17000, Peru.
| | - David C Evers
- Center for Mercury Studies, Biodiversity Research Institute, 276 Canco Road, Portland, ME, 04103, USA
| | | | - Evan Adams
- Center for Mercury Studies, Biodiversity Research Institute, 276 Canco Road, Portland, ME, 04103, USA
| | - Claudia M Vega
- Centro de Innovación Científica Amazónica, Puerto Maldonado, Madre de Dios, 17000, Peru
- Department of Biology, Center for Energy, Environment and Sustainability, Wake Forest University, Winston-Salem, NC, 27106, USA
| | - Jessica N Pisconte
- Centro de Innovación Científica Amazónica, Puerto Maldonado, Madre de Dios, 17000, Peru
| | - Vania Tejeda
- Centro de Innovación Científica Amazónica, Puerto Maldonado, Madre de Dios, 17000, Peru
| | - Kevin Regan
- Center for Mercury Studies, Biodiversity Research Institute, 276 Canco Road, Portland, ME, 04103, USA
| | - Oksana P Lane
- Center for Mercury Studies, Biodiversity Research Institute, 276 Canco Road, Portland, ME, 04103, USA
| | - Abidas A Ash
- Environmental Research Institute, University of Belize, Price Center Road, P.O. Box 340, Belmopan, Cayo District, Belize
| | - Reynold Cal
- Foundation for Wildlife Conservation, Tropical Education Center, 28 George Price Highway, P.O. Box 368, La Democracia, Belize District, Belize
| | - Stevan Reneau
- Foundation for Wildlife Conservation, Tropical Education Center, 28 George Price Highway, P.O. Box 368, La Democracia, Belize District, Belize
| | - Wilber Martínez
- Foundation for Wildlife Conservation, Tropical Education Center, 28 George Price Highway, P.O. Box 368, La Democracia, Belize District, Belize
| | - Gilroy Welch
- Foundation for Wildlife Conservation, Tropical Education Center, 28 George Price Highway, P.O. Box 368, La Democracia, Belize District, Belize
| | - Kayla Hartwell
- Foundation for Wildlife Conservation, Tropical Education Center, 28 George Price Highway, P.O. Box 368, La Democracia, Belize District, Belize
| | - Mario Teul
- Foundation for Wildlife Conservation, Tropical Education Center, 28 George Price Highway, P.O. Box 368, La Democracia, Belize District, Belize
| | - David Tzul
- Foundation for Wildlife Conservation, Tropical Education Center, 28 George Price Highway, P.O. Box 368, La Democracia, Belize District, Belize
| | - Wayne J Arendt
- International Institute of Tropical Forestry, USDA Forest Service, 1201 Calle Ceiba, Jardín Botánico Sur, San Juan, 00926-1119, Puerto Rico
| | - Marvin A Tórrez
- Instituto Interdisciplinario de Ciencias Naturales, Universidad Centroamericana, Managua, Nicaragua
| | - Mrinalini Watsa
- Beckman Center for Conservation Research, San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance, P.O. Box 120551, San Diego, CA, 92112, USA
- Field Projects International, Escondido, CA, 92029, USA
| | | | - Caroline E Moore
- Beckman Center for Conservation Research, San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance, P.O. Box 120551, San Diego, CA, 92112, USA
| | - Jacqueline Gerson
- Department of Earth & Environmental Sciences, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, 48824, USA
| | - Victor Sánchez
- Instituto de Investigación en Ecología y Conservación, Trujillo, Peru
| | - Raúl Pérez Purizaca
- Universidad Nacional de Piura, Urb. Miraflores S/N, Castilla, 20002, Piura, Peru
| | - Helen Yurek
- Center for Mercury Studies, Biodiversity Research Institute, 276 Canco Road, Portland, ME, 04103, USA
| | - Mark E H Burton
- Center for Mercury Studies, Biodiversity Research Institute, 276 Canco Road, Portland, ME, 04103, USA
| | - Peggy L Shrum
- Department of Fisheries and Wildlife Biology, Clemson University, Clemson, SC, 29634, USA
| | | | - Korik Vargas
- Center for Mercury Studies, Biodiversity Research Institute, 276 Canco Road, Portland, ME, 04103, USA
| | - Finola F Fogarty
- Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
- Toucan Ridge Ecology and Education Society, 27.5 Miles Hummingbird Hwy, Stann Creek, Belize
| | - Mathieu R Charette
- Toucan Ridge Ecology and Education Society, 27.5 Miles Hummingbird Hwy, Stann Creek, Belize
| | - Ari E Martínez
- Department of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology, University of California, Santa Cruz, CA, 95064, USA
| | | | - Robert J Taylor
- Department of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, 77843, USA
| | - Timothy H Tear
- Center for Mercury Studies, Biodiversity Research Institute, 276 Canco Road, Portland, ME, 04103, USA
| | - Luis E Fernandez
- Centro de Innovación Científica Amazónica, Puerto Maldonado, Madre de Dios, 17000, Peru
- Department of Biology, Center for Energy, Environment and Sustainability, Wake Forest University, Winston-Salem, NC, 27106, USA
- Department of Global Ecology, Carnegie Institution for Science, Stanford, CA, 94305, USA
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10
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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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11
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Perrotta BG, Simonin M, Colman BP, Anderson SM, Baruch E, Castellon BT, Matson CW, Bernhardt ES, King RS. Chronic Engineered Nanoparticle Additions Alter Insect Emergence and Result in Metal Flux from Aquatic Ecosystems into Riparian Food Webs. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2023; 57:8085-8095. [PMID: 37200151 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.3c00620] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/20/2023]
Abstract
Freshwater ecosystems are exposed to engineered nanoparticles (NPs) through discharge from wastewater and agricultural runoff. We conducted a 9-month mesocosm experiment to examine the combined effects of chronic NP additions on insect emergence and insect-mediated contaminant flux to riparian spiders. Two NPs (copper, gold, plus controls) were crossed by two levels of nutrients in 18 outdoor mesocosms open to natural insect and spider colonization. We collected adult insects and two riparian spider genera, Tetragnatha and Dolomedes, for 1 week on a monthly basis. We estimated a significant decrease in cumulative insect emergence of 19% and 24% after exposure to copper and gold NPs, irrespective of nutrient level. NP treatments led to elevated copper and gold tissue concentrations in adult insects, which resulted in terrestrial fluxes of metals. These metal fluxes were associated with increased gold and copper tissue concentrations for both spider genera. We also observed about 25% fewer spiders in the NP mesocosms, likely due to reduced insect emergence and/or NP toxicity. These results demonstrate the transfer of NPs from aquatic to terrestrial ecosystems via emergence of aquatic insects and predation by riparian spiders, as well as significant reductions in insect and spider abundance in response to NP additions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brittany G Perrotta
- Center for the Environmental Implications of NanoTechnology, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina 27708, United States
- Center for Reservoir and Aquatic Systems Research (CRASR), Baylor University, Waco, Texas 76798, United States
- Department of Biology, Baylor University, Waco, Texas 76798, United States
| | - Marie Simonin
- Center for the Environmental Implications of NanoTechnology, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina 27708, United States
- Department of Biology, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina 27708, United States
- University of Angers, Institut Agro, INRAE, IRHS, SFR QUASAV, F-49000 Angers, France
| | - Benjamin P Colman
- Center for the Environmental Implications of NanoTechnology, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina 27708, United States
- Department of Ecosystem and Conservation Sciences, University of Montana, Missoula, Montana 59812, United States
| | - Steven M Anderson
- Center for the Environmental Implications of NanoTechnology, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina 27708, United States
- Department of Biology, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina 27708, United States
| | - Ethan Baruch
- Center for the Environmental Implications of NanoTechnology, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina 27708, United States
- Department of Biology, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina 27708, United States
| | - Benjamin T Castellon
- Center for the Environmental Implications of NanoTechnology, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina 27708, United States
- Center for Reservoir and Aquatic Systems Research (CRASR), Baylor University, Waco, Texas 76798, United States
- Department of Environmental Science, Baylor University, Waco, Texas 76798, United States
- Institute of Biomedical Studies, Baylor University, Waco, Texas 76798, United States
| | - Cole W Matson
- Center for the Environmental Implications of NanoTechnology, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina 27708, United States
- Center for Reservoir and Aquatic Systems Research (CRASR), Baylor University, Waco, Texas 76798, United States
- Department of Environmental Science, Baylor University, Waco, Texas 76798, United States
- Institute of Biomedical Studies, Baylor University, Waco, Texas 76798, United States
| | - Emily S Bernhardt
- Center for the Environmental Implications of NanoTechnology, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina 27708, United States
- Department of Biology, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina 27708, United States
| | - Ryan S King
- Center for the Environmental Implications of NanoTechnology, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina 27708, United States
- Center for Reservoir and Aquatic Systems Research (CRASR), Baylor University, Waco, Texas 76798, United States
- Department of Biology, Baylor University, Waco, Texas 76798, United States
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12
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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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13
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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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14
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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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15
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Drenner RW, Chumchal MM, Gaul SP, Hembrough MT, Khan AM, Rolfe IM, Wallace GR, Hannappel MP. Sentinel Riparian Spiders Predict Mercury Contamination of Riverine Fish. ENVIRONMENTAL TOXICOLOGY AND CHEMISTRY 2022; 41:1297-1303. [PMID: 35156228 DOI: 10.1002/etc.5307] [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: 11/13/2021] [Revised: 12/28/2021] [Accepted: 02/03/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Mercury (Hg) is a widespread and toxic environmental contaminant. It is challenging to determine the level of Hg contamination of food chains and fish within the millions of water bodies in the United States. Mercury contamination can vary 10-fold between ecosystems, even those in the same region. Therefore, aquatic ecosystems need to be individually monitored for Hg contamination to determine which ecosystems are most contaminated and pose the greatest risk to human and wildlife health. One approach to monitoring Hg is to use sentinel species, defined as biological monitors that accumulate a contaminant in their tissues without significant adverse effects. Riparian spiders such as long-jawed orb weavers (Tetragnathidae) have been proposed as sentinels of persistent bioavailable contaminants, like Hg, in aquatic systems. Long-jawed orb weavers feed on emergent aquatic insects and have concentrations of Hg that reflect levels of Hg contamination in the aquatic food web. Previous studies have documented elevated contaminant concentrations in long-jawed orb weavers from shorelines of aquatic ecosystems, suggesting that they could be used as sentinels of chemical contaminants in aquatic ecosystems. We demonstrate for the first time that long-jawed orb weavers can be used as sentinels to identify aquatic systems that contain fish with elevated concentrations of Hg. Environ Toxicol Chem 2022;41:1297-1303. © 2022 SETAC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ray W Drenner
- Department of Biology, Texas Christian University, Fort Worth, Texas, USA
| | - Matthew M Chumchal
- Department of Biology, Texas Christian University, Fort Worth, Texas, USA
| | - Simon P Gaul
- Department of Biology, Texas Christian University, Fort Worth, Texas, USA
| | | | - Amal M Khan
- Department of Biology, Texas Christian University, Fort Worth, Texas, USA
| | - Ian M Rolfe
- Department of Biology, Texas Christian University, Fort Worth, Texas, USA
| | - Garrett R Wallace
- Department of Biology, Texas Christian University, Fort Worth, Texas, USA
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