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Zhang L, Ma R, Yang L, Zhang X, He H. Impact of environmental pollution on ant (Camponotus japonicus) development and labial gland disease. JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS 2024; 477:135360. [PMID: 39088954 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2024.135360] [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: 01/25/2024] [Revised: 07/15/2024] [Accepted: 07/26/2024] [Indexed: 08/03/2024]
Abstract
Metallic pollutants can have harmful impacts on ant morphology and physiology. We studied the occurrence of labial gland disease in Camponotus japonicus from two polluted areas (traffic pollution and industrial pollution) and one non-polluted area. We further analyzed the metal levels (Al, As, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, Hg, Mn, Ni, Pb and Zn) and morphological characteristics (head width, body mass, and other morphological traits) of both diseased and healthy workers. Our results showed that labial gland disease was only present in polluted areas, indicating that pollution stress makes ants more vulnerable to infections. Our research revealed that diseased ants in polluted areas accumulate higher levels of metals in their bodies and have lower dry weight and residual body mass compared to healthy ants in non-polluted environments, negatively impacting their development. We evaluated the importance of these elements and found that Cu has the greatest impact on the health risk of C. japonicus. Our study underscores the significant impact of environmental pollution on ant morphology and physiology and raises concerns about the broader ecological implications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liangliang Zhang
- Key Laboratory of National Forestry and Grassland Administration for Control of Forest Biological Disasters in Western China, College of Forestry, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi 712100, China
| | - Ruoqing Ma
- Key Laboratory of National Forestry and Grassland Administration for Control of Forest Biological Disasters in Western China, College of Forestry, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi 712100, China
| | - Lv Yang
- Key Laboratory of National Forestry and Grassland Administration for Control of Forest Biological Disasters in Western China, College of Forestry, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi 712100, China
| | - Xiang Zhang
- Key Laboratory of National Forestry and Grassland Administration for Control of Forest Biological Disasters in Western China, College of Forestry, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi 712100, China
| | - Hong He
- Key Laboratory of National Forestry and Grassland Administration for Control of Forest Biological Disasters in Western China, College of Forestry, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi 712100, China.
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Roivainen P, Muurinen SM, Sorvari J, Juutilainen J, Naarala J, Salomaa S. Transfer of elements into boreal forest ants at a former uranium mining site. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2022; 304:119231. [PMID: 35358630 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2022.119231] [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: 11/19/2021] [Revised: 03/25/2022] [Accepted: 03/26/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Ants can influence ecological processes, such as the transfer of elements or radionuclides, in several ways. For example, they redistribute materials while foraging and maintaining their nests and have an important role in terrestrial food webs. Quantitative data of the transfer of elements into ants is needed, e.g., for developing improved radioecological models. In this study, samples of red wood ants (genus Formica), nest material, litter and soil were collected from a former uranium mining site in Eastern Finland. Concentrations of 33 elements were analyzed by Inductively Coupled Plasma-Mass Spectroscopy/Optical Emission Spectroscopy. Estimated element concentrations in spruce needles were used as a proxy for studying the transfer of elements into ants via aphids because spruces host the most important aphid farms in boreal forests. Empirically determined organism/medium concentration ratios (CRs) are commonly used in radioecological models. Ant/soil CRs were calculated and the validity of the fundamental assumption behind the of use of CRs (linear transfer) was evaluated. Elements that accumulated in ants in comparison to other compartments were cadmium, potassium, phosphorus, sulfur, and zinc. Ant uranium concentrations were low in comparison to soil, litter, or nest material but slightly elevated in comparison to spruce needles. Ant element concentrations were quite constant regardless of the soil concentrations. Non-linear transfer models could therefore describe the soil-to-ant transfer better than conventional CRs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Päivi Roivainen
- Department of Environmental and Biological Sciences, University of Eastern Finland, P.O. Box 1627, 70211 Kuopio, Finland; Radiation and Nuclear Safety Authority (STUK), P.O. Box 14, 00811 Helsinki, Finland.
| | - Saara-Maria Muurinen
- Department of Environmental and Biological Sciences, University of Eastern Finland, P.O. Box 1627, 70211 Kuopio, Finland; Radiation and Nuclear Safety Authority (STUK), P.O. Box 14, 00811 Helsinki, Finland
| | - Jouni Sorvari
- Department of Biology, University of Turku, 20014 Turku, Finland
| | - Jukka Juutilainen
- Department of Environmental and Biological Sciences, University of Eastern Finland, P.O. Box 1627, 70211 Kuopio, Finland
| | - Jonne Naarala
- Department of Environmental and Biological Sciences, University of Eastern Finland, P.O. Box 1627, 70211 Kuopio, Finland
| | - Sisko Salomaa
- Department of Environmental and Biological Sciences, University of Eastern Finland, P.O. Box 1627, 70211 Kuopio, Finland; Radiation and Nuclear Safety Authority (STUK), P.O. Box 14, 00811 Helsinki, Finland
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Kavehei A, Gore DB, Wilson SP, Hosseini M, Hose GC. Assessment of legacy mine metal contamination using ants as indicators of contamination. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2021; 274:116537. [PMID: 33529902 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2021.116537] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2020] [Revised: 12/27/2020] [Accepted: 01/18/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Most legacy mines contributed to contamination of the environment before and after cessation of mining. Contamination from waste rock, slag and tailings can introduce large concentrations of metals and metalloids to the surface soil and downstream sediments. Since ants are able to accumulate metals in their bodies, we investigated the possibility of using the elemental compositions of ants as indicators of metals at legacy mines developed on ores rich in copper (Cu), zinc (Zn), arsenic (As), silver (Ag) and lead (Pb). Our results showed the concentrations of manganese (Mn) and Cu in ants were not significantly different between mine and reference samples and only Zn was significantly different between contaminated and reference areas. Crematogaster spp. and Notoncus spp. from reference areas accumulated larger concentrations of metals in their bodies compared to ants from the mine. Ants accumulated metals in different parts of their bodies. The abdomen was the main site for accumulation of Mn, iron (Fe) and Zn. Mandibles were only associated with accumulation of Zn. Copper and Pb showed no area of preferential accumulation and traces were detected in the whole body of the ants. Ants from five genera had similar regions for metal accumulation. The exoskeleton did not contribute to accumulation of metals; instead all metals were stored in internal organs. Not all genera were suitable for use as indicators; only Iridomyrmex spp. and Ochetellus spp. accumulated larger amount of metals in mine samples compared to reference samples.
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Affiliation(s)
- Armin Kavehei
- Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, 2109, Australia.
| | - Damian B Gore
- Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, 2109, Australia
| | - Scott P Wilson
- Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, 2109, Australia
| | - Maryamsadat Hosseini
- School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of New South Wales, Sydney, 2052, Australia
| | - Grant C Hose
- Department of Biological Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, 2109, Australia
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Masoni A, Frizzi F, Natali C, Ciofi C, Santini G. Mating frequency and colony genetic structure analyses reveal unexpected polygyny in the Mediterranean acrobat ant Crematogaster scutellaris. ETHOL ECOL EVOL 2020. [DOI: 10.1080/03949370.2019.1680449] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Alberto Masoni
- Department of Biology, University of Florence, Sesto Fiorentino (Firenze), Italy
| | - Filippo Frizzi
- Department of Biology, University of Florence, Sesto Fiorentino (Firenze), Italy
| | - Chiara Natali
- Department of Biology, University of Florence, Sesto Fiorentino (Firenze), Italy
| | - Claudio Ciofi
- Department of Biology, University of Florence, Sesto Fiorentino (Firenze), Italy
| | - Giacomo Santini
- Department of Biology, University of Florence, Sesto Fiorentino (Firenze), Italy
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Grześ IM, Okrutniak M, Gorzałczany M, Piszczek P. Body size variation of the ant Lasius niger along a metal pollution gradient. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2019; 26:17858-17864. [PMID: 31065978 PMCID: PMC6546855 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-019-04811-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2018] [Accepted: 03/06/2019] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
The phenotypic diversity of ant workers plays a fundamental role in their biology. In this study, we asked if the body size variation of monomorphic workers of the ant Lasius niger (Formicidae) responds adaptively to metal pollution in a post-mining metal-polluted area. Nest samples of workers were collected along a pollution gradient to calculate the within-colony variance in body size (expressed as maximum head width, HW). The results showed that the body size variation of L. niger was unrelated to the pollution index but demonstrated considerable variation between colonies even within the same study site. We suggest that the differences in morphological diversity between the colonies of L. niger could be shaped by colony personality traits, i.e., by colony-specific foraging and/or the feeding efficiency of nursing workers. The study supports previous findings, showing that morphological traits in Lasius ants are weakly related to environmental metal pollution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Irena M Grześ
- Department of Environmental Zoology, Institute of Animal Science, University of Agriculture in Krakow, al. Mickiewicza 24/28, 30-059, Kraków, Poland.
| | - Mateusz Okrutniak
- Department of Environmental Zoology, Institute of Animal Science, University of Agriculture in Krakow, al. Mickiewicza 24/28, 30-059, Kraków, Poland
| | - Monika Gorzałczany
- Department of Environmental Zoology, Institute of Animal Science, University of Agriculture in Krakow, al. Mickiewicza 24/28, 30-059, Kraków, Poland
| | - Piotr Piszczek
- Institute of Botany, Faculty of Biology and Earth Sciences, Jagiellonian University, Kopernika 27, 31-501, Kraków, Poland
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Skaldina O, Peräniemi S, Sorvari J. Ants and their nests as indicators for industrial heavy metal contamination. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2018; 240:574-581. [PMID: 29763860 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2018.04.134] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2018] [Revised: 04/25/2018] [Accepted: 04/28/2018] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
Ants accumulate heavy metals and respond to pollution with modification in species composition, community structure, altered behaviour and immunity. However, the levels of heavy metals in ants' nests and explicit individual-level responses towards heavy metals have not been revealed. We found that red wood ants Formica lugubris accumulate high and correlated values of such heavy metals as Al, Cd, Co, Cu, Fe, Ni, Pb and Zn both in ants and nest material near cobalt smelter in Finland. Relative differences in metal concentrations were higher in nests than in ants. The highest values were obtained for elements such as Co (36.6), Zn (14.9), Cd (9.7), Pb (8.5), Cu (7.4), Ni (6.4), As (4.7), Cr (2.9) and Fe (2.4) in nest material, and Co (32.7), Cd (6.3), Pb (6), Fe (2.8), Ni (2.9) and Zn (2.1) in ants. In industrial and reference areas, ants have no differences in size, but differed in dry and residual body mass. In polluted areas, F. lugubris had less melanised heads, but not thoraxes. The sensitivity of cuticular colouration in red wood ants subjected to heavy metal pollution might be related to metal-binding properties of melanins. The overall results are useful for the improvement of biomonitoring techniques using ants as indicators of industrial contamination and for further discovery of novel ecotoxicological biomarkers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Oksana Skaldina
- Department of Environmental and Biological Sciences, University of Eastern Finland, P.O. Box 1627, FI-70211 Kuopio, Finland
| | - Sirpa Peräniemi
- School of Pharmacy, University of Eastern Finland, P.O. Box 1627, FI-70211 Kuopio, Finland
| | - Jouni Sorvari
- Department of Environmental and Biological Sciences, University of Eastern Finland, P.O. Box 1627, FI-70211 Kuopio, Finland.
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