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Rebolloso-Hernández CA, Vallejo-Pérez MR, Carrizales-Yáñez L, Garrigos-Lomelí GJ, Razo-Soto I, Diaz-Barriga F. Arsenic and mercury exposure in different insect trophic guilds from mercury mining areas in Mexico. ENVIRONMENTAL MONITORING AND ASSESSMENT 2024; 196:422. [PMID: 38570386 DOI: 10.1007/s10661-024-12571-9] [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: 01/20/2024] [Accepted: 03/23/2024] [Indexed: 04/05/2024]
Abstract
The exposure to arsenic and mercury in various insect trophic guilds from two mercury mining sites in Mexico was assessed. The two study sites were La Laja (LL) and La Soledad (LS) mines. Additionally, a reference site (LSR) was evaluated for LS. The terrestrial ecosystem was studied at LL, whereas both the terrestrial ecosystem and a stream called El Cedral (EC) were assessed at LS. The study sites are situated in the Biosphere Reserve Sierra Gorda (BRSG). Mercury vapor concentrations were measured with a portable analyzer, and concentrations of arsenic and mercury in environmental and biological samples were determined through atomic absorption spectrophotometry. Both pollutants were detected in all terrestrial ecosystem components (soil, air, leaves, flowers, and insects) from the two mines. The insect trophic guilds exposed included pollinivores, rhizophages, predators, coprophages, and necrophages. In LS, insects accumulated arsenic at levels 29 to 80 times higher than those found in specimens from LSR, and 10 to 46 times higher than those from LL. Similarly, mercury exposure in LS was 13 to 62 times higher than LSR, and 15 to 54 times higher than in LL. The analysis of insect exposure routes indicated potential exposure through air, soil, leaves, flowers, animal prey, carrion, and excrement. Water and sediment from EC exhibited high levels of arsenic and mercury compared to reference values, and predatory aquatic insects were exposed to both pollutants. In conclusion, insects from mercury mining sites in the BRSG are at risk.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carlos Alberto Rebolloso-Hernández
- Programa Multidisciplinario de Posgrado en Ciencias Ambientales, Universidad Autónoma de San Luis Potosí, 78000, San Luis Potosí, Mexico
| | - Moisés Roberto Vallejo-Pérez
- Programa Multidisciplinario de Posgrado en Ciencias Ambientales, Universidad Autónoma de San Luis Potosí, 78000, San Luis Potosí, Mexico.
- CONAHCYT-Universidad Autónoma de San Luis Potosí, 78000, San Luis Potosí, Mexico.
| | - Leticia Carrizales-Yáñez
- Facultad de Medicina-Centro de Investigación Aplicada en Ambiente y Salud (CIAAS), Universidad Autónoma de San Luis Potosí, 78210, San Luis Potosí, Mexico
| | - Giulio Jordan Garrigos-Lomelí
- Licenciatura en Ciencias Ambientales-Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Autónoma de San Luis Potosí, 78210, San Luis Potosí, Mexico
| | - Israel Razo-Soto
- Facultad de Ingeniería, Universidad Autónoma de San Luis Potosí, 78210, San Luis Potosí, Mexico
| | - Fernando Diaz-Barriga
- División de Estudios Superiores para la Paz, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Autónoma de San Luis Potosí, 78210, San Luis Potosí, Mexico
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Akhtar ZR, Tariq K, Mavian C, Ali A, Ullah F, Zang LS, Ali F, Nazir T, Ali S. Trophic transfer and toxicity of heavy metals from dengue mosquito Aedes aegypti to predator dragonfly Tramea cophysa. ECOTOXICOLOGY (LONDON, ENGLAND) 2021; 30:1108-1115. [PMID: 34165678 DOI: 10.1007/s10646-021-02448-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 06/09/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Heavy metal pollution in aquatic habitats can be detrimental to both prey and predators in a food web. To investigate the potential for bio-transfer and bioaccumulation of heavy metals between specific trophic levels, 3rd instar larvae of Aedes aegypti were exposed to mercury (Hg), lead (Pb), cadmium (Cd), copper (Cu), and zinc (Zn) for three consecutive generations and fed to dragonfly (Tramea cophysa) nymphs. Exposure to Hg caused the highest mortality in A. aegypti larvae and T. cophysa nymphs. Bioaccumulation and life-history parameters of A. aegypti, including egg hatching time, larval and pupal duration, male and female life span, and fecundity, were also evaluated after metals exposure. All life-history parameters except larval duration were significantly affected by heavy metal treatments. Bioaccumulation of metals in A. aegypti larvae and adults gradually and significantly increased from 1st to 3rd generation. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study describing the acute toxicity of heavy metals to mosquitoes. Our study shows that heavy metals cause dietary toxicity to an aquatic predator, dragonfly, via trophic transfer, which could have considerable consequences on aquatic ecosystems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zunnu Raen Akhtar
- Department of Entomology, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad, Pakistan
| | - Kaleem Tariq
- Department of Agriculture Entomology, Abdul Wali Khan University Mardan, Mardan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan.
- Entomology and Nematology Department, Steinmetz Hall, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, 32611, USA.
- U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, Center for Medical, Agricultural and Veterinary Entomology, Gainesville, FL, 32608, USA.
| | - Carla Mavian
- Emerging Pathogens Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, 32611, USA
| | - Asad Ali
- Department of Agriculture Entomology, Abdul Wali Khan University Mardan, Mardan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan
| | - Farman Ullah
- Department of Entomology, College of Plant Protection, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100193, China
| | - Lian-Sheng Zang
- Ayub Agricultural Research Institute, Faisalabad, Punjab, Pakistan
| | - Farman Ali
- Department of Agriculture Entomology, Abdul Wali Khan University Mardan, Mardan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan
| | - Tamsila Nazir
- Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide and Agricultural Bioengineering, Guizhou University, Guiyang, P. R. China
| | - Sajjad Ali
- Department of Entomology, UCA & ES, The Islamia University of Bahawalpur, Bahawalpur, 63100, Pakistan
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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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Skaldina O, Ciszek R, Peräniemi S, Kolehmainen M, Sorvari J. Facing the threat: common yellowjacket wasps as indicators of heavy metal pollution. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2020; 27:29031-29042. [PMID: 32424749 PMCID: PMC7376518 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-020-09107-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/13/2020] [Accepted: 04/28/2020] [Indexed: 05/31/2023]
Abstract
We investigated the common wasp, Vespula vulgaris as a bioindicator and biomonitor of metals in the industrial area. Using traps, we collected 257 yellowjackets along a pollution gradient in the Harjavalta Cu-Ni smelter in Southwest Finland. Our method detected metal elements such as arsenic (As), cobalt (Co), copper (Cu), iron (Fe), nickel (Ni), lead (Pb), zinc (Zn), and mercury (Hg) in wasps. The data analyses revealed V. vulgaris can be a proper indicator for As, Cd, Co, Cu, Ni, and Pb, rather than for Fe and Zn contamination. Body burdens of As, Cd, Co, Cu, Ni, and Pb decreased with an increase in distance from smelter. Enrichment factor (EF) followed the pattern Pb ˃ Cd ˃ As ˃ Co ˃ Cu ˃ Ni. The highest bioaccumulation (BAF) values were revealed for Cd (5.9) and the lowest for Pb (0.1). Specially designed software (WaspFacer) allowed revealing body burdens of As, Cd, Co, Cu, Ni, and Pb to be associated with rather smaller than more asymmetric facial colour markings in yellowjackets. These results add to the body of literature on how heavy metal contaminants can have tangible phenotypic effects on insects and open future opportunities for using wasps as indicators of metal pollution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Oksana Skaldina
- Department of Environmental and Biological Sciences, University of Eastern Finland, PO Box 1627, FI-70211 Kuopio, Finland
| | - Robert Ciszek
- A. I. Virtanen Institute for Molecular Sciences, University of Eastern Finland, PO Box 1627, FI-70211 Kuopio, Finland
| | - Sirpa Peräniemi
- School of Pharmacy, University of Eastern Finland, PO Box 1627, FI-70211 Kuopio, Finland
| | - Mikko Kolehmainen
- Department of Environmental and Biological Sciences, University of Eastern Finland, PO Box 1627, FI-70211 Kuopio, Finland
| | - Jouni Sorvari
- Department of Environmental and Biological Sciences, University of Eastern Finland, PO Box 1627, FI-70211 Kuopio, Finland
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López-Rojo N, Pérez J, Alonso A, Correa-Araneda F, Boyero L. Microplastics have lethal and sublethal effects on stream invertebrates and affect stream ecosystem functioning. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2020; 259:113898. [PMID: 31927275 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2019.113898] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/22/2019] [Revised: 11/22/2019] [Accepted: 12/28/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Microplastics (MPs) are contaminants of increasing concern due to their abundance, ubiquity and persistence over time. However, knowledge about MP distribution in fresh waters and their effects on freshwater organisms is still scarce, and there is virtually no information about their potential influence on ecosystem functioning. We used a microcosm experiment to examine the effects of MPs (fluorescent, 10-μm polystyrene microspheres) at different concentrations (from 0 to 103 particles mL-1) on leaf litter decomposition (a key process in stream ecosystems) and associated organisms (the caddisfly detritivore Sericostoma pyrenaicum), and the extent to which MPs were attached to leaf litter and ingested and egested by detritivores, thus assessing mechanisms of MP trophic transfer. We found that MPs caused detritivore mortality (which increased 9-fold at the highest concentration) but did not affect their growth. Analysis of fluorescence in samples suggested that MPs were rapidly ingested (most likely through ingestion of particles attached to leaf litter) and egested. Leaf litter decomposition was reduced as a result of increasing MP concentrations; the relationship was significant only in the presence of detritivores, but microbially-mediated decomposition showed a similar trend. Our findings provide novel evidence of harmful effects of MPs on aquatic insects and stream ecosystem functioning, and highlight the need for the standardization of methods in future experiments with MPs in order to allow comparisons and generalizations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Naiara López-Rojo
- Department of Plant Biology and Ecology, Faculty of Science and Technology, University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU), 48940, Leioa, Spain.
| | - Javier Pérez
- Department of Plant Biology and Ecology, Faculty of Science and Technology, University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU), 48940, Leioa, Spain
| | - Alberto Alonso
- Department of Plant Biology and Ecology, Faculty of Science and Technology, University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU), 48940, Leioa, Spain
| | - Francisco Correa-Araneda
- Unidad de Cambio Climático y Medio Ambiente, Instituto de Estudios del Hábitat, Facultad de Arquitectura y Construcción, Universidad Autónoma de Chile, Temuco, Chile
| | - Luz Boyero
- Department of Plant Biology and Ecology, Faculty of Science and Technology, University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU), 48940, Leioa, Spain; IKERBASQUE, Basque Foundation for Science, Bilbao, Spain
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Gavrić J, Despotović S, Prokić M, Gavrilović B, Radovanović T, Anđelković M, Tomović L, Borković-Mitić S, Pavlović S, Saičić Z. Do different diets affect oxidative stress biomarkers and metal bioaccumulation in two snake species? Comp Biochem Physiol C Toxicol Pharmacol 2019; 223:26-34. [PMID: 31128280 DOI: 10.1016/j.cbpc.2019.05.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/19/2019] [Revised: 05/09/2019] [Accepted: 05/10/2019] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
In this study we examined possible differences in heavy metal accumulation and oxidative stress parameters in the liver and muscle of two semi-aquatic snakes: grass snake (Natrix natrix) and dice snake (N. tessellata), that inhabit the same environment but differ in prey diversity. The obtained results revealed some interspecies, inter-tissue, prey-snake and prey-prey differences in heavy metal concentrations. Grass snakes pray contained significantly higher concentrations of Al, Cr and Fe as compared to food of dice snakes. Both investigated snakes accumulated generally lower concentrations of metals than their prey, indicating that they are not at risk of contaminant biomagnification. A significant interspecies difference in accumulation was observed only for Cu and Mn concentrations. On the other hand, analysis of oxidative stress biomarkers showed clear differences between the investigated snake species and the two investigated tissues. The liver of grass snake had increased superoxide dismutase, glutathione reductase and glutathione-S-transferase activities in comparison to dice snake. In muscle, a reverse trend was observed for the activities of these three enzymes, as well as for glutathione peroxidase activity. The higher number of significant correlations observed between oxidative stress biomarkers and heavy metal concentrations in grass snake points to upregulation of the antioxidative system (AOS), which resulted in a lower TBARS concentration. Results show that while the investigated snake species did not differ significantly in the accumulated metals, their defense mechanisms were different. This reveals the complexity of the AOS and points to the cooperation of different AOS components in individuals from natural populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jelena Gavrić
- Department of Physiology, Institute for Biological Research "Siniša Stanković", University of Belgrade, Bulevar despota Stefana 142, 11060 Belgrade, Serbia.
| | - Svetlana Despotović
- Department of Physiology, Institute for Biological Research "Siniša Stanković", University of Belgrade, Bulevar despota Stefana 142, 11060 Belgrade, Serbia
| | - Marko Prokić
- Department of Physiology, Institute for Biological Research "Siniša Stanković", University of Belgrade, Bulevar despota Stefana 142, 11060 Belgrade, Serbia
| | - Branka Gavrilović
- Department of Physiology, Institute for Biological Research "Siniša Stanković", University of Belgrade, Bulevar despota Stefana 142, 11060 Belgrade, Serbia
| | - Tijana Radovanović
- Department of Physiology, Institute for Biological Research "Siniša Stanković", University of Belgrade, Bulevar despota Stefana 142, 11060 Belgrade, Serbia
| | - Marko Anđelković
- Department of Evolutionary Biology, Institute for Biological Research "Siniša Stanković", University of Belgrade, Bulevar despota Stefana 142, 11060 Belgrade, Serbia
| | - Ljiljana Tomović
- Institute of Zoology, Faculty of Biology, University of Belgrade, Studentski trg 16, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia
| | - Slavica Borković-Mitić
- Department of Physiology, Institute for Biological Research "Siniša Stanković", University of Belgrade, Bulevar despota Stefana 142, 11060 Belgrade, Serbia
| | - Slađan Pavlović
- Department of Physiology, Institute for Biological Research "Siniša Stanković", University of Belgrade, Bulevar despota Stefana 142, 11060 Belgrade, Serbia
| | - Zorica Saičić
- Department of Physiology, Institute for Biological Research "Siniša Stanković", University of Belgrade, Bulevar despota Stefana 142, 11060 Belgrade, Serbia
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Terrestrial Ecosystem Impacts of Sulfide Mining: Scope of Issues for the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness, Minnesota, USA. FORESTS 2019. [DOI: 10.3390/f10090747] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Large-scale metal mining operations are planned or underway in many locations across the boreal forest biome in North America, Europe, and Asia. Although many published analyses of mining impacts on water quality in boreal landscapes are available, there is little guidance regarding terrestrial impacts. Scoping of potential impacts of Cu-Ni exploration and mining in sulfide ores are presented for the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness (BWCAW), Minnesota USA, an area of mostly boreal forest on thin soils and granitic bedrock. Although the primary footprint of the proposed mines would be outside the BWCAW, displacement and fragmentation of forest ecosystems would cause spatial propagation of effects into a secondary footprint within the wilderness. Potential negative impacts include disruption of population dynamics for wildlife species with migration routes, or metapopulations of plant species that span the wilderness boundary, and establishment of invasive species outside the wilderness that could invade the wilderness. Due to linkages between aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems, acid mine drainage can impact lowland forests, which are highly dependent on chemistry of water flowing through them. The expected extremes in precipitation and temperature due to warming climate can also interact with mining impacts to reduce the resilience of forests to disturbance caused by mining.
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Kim M, Lee M, Kim Y, Lee YS, Son J, Hyun S, Cho K. Transfer and biological effects of arsenate from soil through a plant-aphid system to the parasitoid wasp, Aphidius colemani. ECOTOXICOLOGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL SAFETY 2019; 173:305-313. [PMID: 30784793 DOI: 10.1016/j.ecoenv.2019.02.039] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2018] [Revised: 02/11/2019] [Accepted: 02/13/2019] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
The accumulation of metalloid elements during transfer from contaminated soil to higher trophic levels may potentially result in the exposure of parasitic arthropods to toxic concentrations of these elements. This study examined the transfer of arsenate (As(V)) to aphids (Myzus persicae) from pepper plants cultivated in As(V) contaminated soils of two concentrations (2 and 6 mg As(V)/kg dry soil), and the subsequent biological effects on the aphid parasitoid, Aphidius colemani. Results showed that considerable quantities of As(V) were transferred to the plant in a concentration-dependent manner and were partitioned in the plant parts in the order of roots > stems > leaves. The accumulation of As(V) in the aphids increased with the concentrations in the plants; however, the transfer coefficient of As(V) from leaf to aphid was relatively similar and constant (0.07-0.08) at both soil As(V) concentration levels. Increased levels of As(V) significantly affected fecundity and honeydew production in aphids, but survival and developmental time were unaffected. Fecundity (mummification rate) of the parasitoid was not impaired by host As(V) contamination; however, vitality (eclosion rate) was significantly affected. Results are discussed in relation to possible ecological risks posed by the transfer of soil As(V) via the plant-arthropod system to parasitoid arthropods in agroecosystems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Myeongseob Kim
- Department of Environmental Science and Ecological Engineering, Korea University, Seoul 02841, Republic of Korea
| | - Minyoung Lee
- Department of Environmental Science and Ecological Engineering, Korea University, Seoul 02841, Republic of Korea
| | - Yongeun Kim
- Institute of Environment and Ecology, Korea University, Seoul 02841, Republic of Korea; Ojeong Eco-Resilience Institute, Korea University, Seoul 02841, Republic of Korea
| | - Yun-Sik Lee
- Ojeong Eco-Resilience Institute, Korea University, Seoul 02841, Republic of Korea
| | - Jino Son
- Ojeong Eco-Resilience Institute, Korea University, Seoul 02841, Republic of Korea
| | - Seunghun Hyun
- Department of Environmental Science and Ecological Engineering, Korea University, Seoul 02841, Republic of Korea
| | - Kijong Cho
- Department of Environmental Science and Ecological Engineering, Korea University, Seoul 02841, Republic of Korea.
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Salvarina I, Gravier D, Rothhaupt KO. Seasonal bat activity related to insect emergence at three temperate lakes. Ecol Evol 2018; 8:3738-3750. [PMID: 29686854 PMCID: PMC5901160 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.3943] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/29/2017] [Revised: 01/15/2018] [Accepted: 01/27/2018] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Knowledge of aquatic food resources entering terrestrial systems is important for food web studies and conservation planning. Bats, among other terrestrial consumers, often profit from aquatic insect emergence and their activity might be closely related to such events. However, there is a lack of studies which monitor bat activity simultaneously with aquatic insect emergence, especially from lakes. Thus, our aim was to understand the relationship between insect emergence and bat activity, and investigate whether there is a general spatial or seasonal pattern at lakeshores. We assessed whole‐night bat activity using acoustic monitoring and caught emerging and aerial flying insects at three different lakes through three seasons. We predicted that insect availability and seasonality explain the variation in bat activity, independent of the lake size and characteristics. Spatial (between lakes) differences of bat activity were stronger than temporal (seasonal) differences. Bat activity did not always correlate to insect emergence, probably because other factors, such as habitat characteristics, or bats’ energy requirements, play an important role as well. Aerial flying insects explained bat activity better than the emerged aquatic insects in the lake with lowest insect emergence. Bats were active throughout the night with some activity peaks, and the pattern of their activity also differed among lakes and seasons. Lakes are important habitats for bats, as they support diverse bat communities and activity throughout the night and the year when bats are active. Our study highlights that there are spatial and temporal differences in bat activity and its hourly nocturnal pattern, that should be considered when investigating aquatic–terrestrial interactions or designing conservation and monitoring plans.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Dorian Gravier
- Limnological Insitute University of Konstanz Konstanz Germany
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Griboff J, Horacek M, Wunderlin DA, Monferran MV. Bioaccumulation and trophic transfer of metals, As and Se through a freshwater food web affected by antrophic pollution in Córdoba, Argentina. ECOTOXICOLOGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL SAFETY 2018; 148:275-284. [PMID: 29078130 DOI: 10.1016/j.ecoenv.2017.10.028] [Citation(s) in RCA: 50] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/03/2017] [Revised: 10/06/2017] [Accepted: 10/11/2017] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
The concentration of metals (Al, Cr, Mn, Fe, Ni, Cu, Zn, Ag, Cd, Hg, Pb, U), As and Se in different ecosystem components (water, sediment, plankton, shrimp, and fish muscle) has been determined in a eutrophic reservoir in the Province of Córdoba (Argentina). Los Molinos Lake (LML) was sampled during the dry (DS) and wet seasons (WS) in order to examine the bioaccumulation and transfer of these inorganic elements through the food web. Stable nitrogen isotope (δ15N) was used to investigate trophic interactions. According to this, samples were divided into three categories: plankton, shrimp (Palaemonetes argentinus) and fish (Silverside, Odontesthes bonariensis). The bioaccumulation factor (BAF) was calculated for the organisms, and it was determined that the elements analyzed undergo bioaccumulation, especially in organisms such as plankton. The invertebrates were characterized by the highest BAF for Cu and Zn in both seasons, As (DS), and Cd and Hg (WS). The fish muscle was characterized by the highest BAF for Se (WS), Ag and Hg (DS). On the other hand, a significant decrease in Al, Cr, Mn, Fe, Ni, Cu, Zn, As, Se, Cd and U concentrations through the analyzed trophic web during both seasons was observed. Moreover, a significant increase in Hg levels was observed with increasing trophic levels in the DS, indicating its biomagnification. Despite the increasing impact of metals, As and Se pollution in the studied area due to urban growth and agricultural and livestock activities, no previous study has focused on the behavior and relationships of these pollutants with the biotic and abiotic components of this aquatic reservoir. We expect that these findings may be used for providing directions or guidance for future monitoring and environmental protection policies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julieta Griboff
- ICYTAC, Instituto de Ciencia y Tecnología de Alimentos Córdoba, CONICET and Facultad de Ciencias Químicas, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Bv. Dr. Juan Filloy s/n, Ciudad Universitaria, 5000 Córdoba, Argentina
| | - Micha Horacek
- BLT Wieselburg, HBLFA Francisco-Josephinum, Rottenhauserstrasse, 1, 3250 Wieselburg, Austria; Institute of Lithospheric Research, Vienna University, Althanstr. 14, 1090 Vienna, Austria
| | - Daniel A Wunderlin
- ICYTAC, Instituto de Ciencia y Tecnología de Alimentos Córdoba, CONICET and Facultad de Ciencias Químicas, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Bv. Dr. Juan Filloy s/n, Ciudad Universitaria, 5000 Córdoba, Argentina
| | - Magdalena V Monferran
- ICYTAC, Instituto de Ciencia y Tecnología de Alimentos Córdoba, CONICET and Facultad de Ciencias Químicas, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Bv. Dr. Juan Filloy s/n, Ciudad Universitaria, 5000 Córdoba, Argentina.
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11
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França EJ, De Nadai Fernandes EA, Fonseca FY, Magalhães MRL, Santos MLO. Arsenic in terrestrial invertebrates from riparian areas of the Piracicaba River Basin, São Paulo State, Brazil. J Radioanal Nucl Chem 2017. [DOI: 10.1007/s10967-017-5606-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
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12
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Kraus JM, Gibson PP, Walters DM, Mills MA. Riparian spiders as sentinels of polychlorinated biphenyl contamination across heterogeneous aquatic ecosystems. ENVIRONMENTAL TOXICOLOGY AND CHEMISTRY 2017; 36:1278-1286. [PMID: 27764888 PMCID: PMC7362337 DOI: 10.1002/etc.3658] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/21/2016] [Revised: 07/28/2016] [Accepted: 10/17/2016] [Indexed: 05/26/2023]
Abstract
Riparian spiders are being used increasingly to track spatial patterns of contaminants in and fluxing from aquatic ecosystems. However, our understanding of the circumstances under which spiders are effective sentinels of aquatic pollution is limited. The present study tests the hypothesis that riparian spiders may be effectively used to track spatial patterns of sediment pollution by polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in aquatic ecosystems with high habitat heterogeneity. The spatial pattern of ΣPCB concentrations in 2 common families of riparian spiders sampled in 2011 to 2013 generally tracked spatial variation in sediment ΣPCBs across all sites within the Manistique River Great Lakes Area of Concern (AOC), a rivermouth ecosystem located on the south shore of the Upper Peninsula, Manistique (MI, USA) that includes harbor, river, backwater, and lake habitats. Sediment ΣPCB concentrations normalized for total organic carbon explained 41% of the variation in lipid-normalized spider ΣPCB concentrations across 11 sites. Furthermore, 2 common riparian spider taxa (Araneidae and Tetragnathidae) were highly correlated (r2 > 0.78) and had similar mean ΣPCB concentrations when averaged across all years. The results indicate that riparian spiders may be useful sentinels of relative PCB availability to aquatic and riparian food webs in heterogeneous aquatic ecosystems like rivermouths where habitat and contaminant variability may make the use of aquatic taxa less effective. Furthermore, the present approach appears robust to heterogeneity in shoreline development and riparian vegetation that support different families of large web-building spiders. Environ Toxicol Chem 2017;36:1278-1286. Published 2016 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)
- Johanna M Kraus
- Fort Collins Science Center, US Geological Survey, Fort Collins, Colorado, USA
| | - Polly P Gibson
- Contractor, Fort Collins Science Center, US Geological Survey, Fort Collins, Colorado, USA
| | - David M Walters
- Fort Collins Science Center, US Geological Survey, Fort Collins, Colorado, USA
| | - Marc A Mills
- National Risk Management Laboratory, US Environmental Protection Agency, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA
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Hepp LU, Pratas JAMS, Graça MAS. Arsenic in stream waters is bioaccumulated but neither biomagnified through food webs nor biodispersed to land. ECOTOXICOLOGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL SAFETY 2017; 139:132-138. [PMID: 28129598 DOI: 10.1016/j.ecoenv.2017.01.035] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2016] [Revised: 01/16/2017] [Accepted: 01/19/2017] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
Human activities such as mining have contributed substantially to the increase of metals in aquatic environments worldwide. These metals are bioaccumulated by aquatic organisms and can be biomagnified along trophic webs. The dispersal of contaminants from water to land has been little investigated, even though most aquatic invertebrates in streams have aerial stages. We used field and laboratory approaches to investigate the effects of arsenic pollution on stream invertebrate assemblages, and its bioaccumulation, biomagnification and trophic transfer from aquatic to terrestrial environments by emergent insects. We conducted the study in an arsenic-impacted stream (40μgL-1 As at the most polluted site) and a reference stream (0.3μgL-1 As). Invertebrate abundance and richness were lowest at the most impacted site. Arsenic in biofilm and in invertebrates increased with the arsenic content in the water. The highest arsenic accumulators were bryophytes (1760μgg-1), followed by the biofilm (449μgg-1) and shredder invertebrates (313μgg-1); predators had the lowest arsenic concentration. Insects emerging from water and spiders along streambanks sampled from the reference and the impacted stream did not differ in their body arsenic concentrations. In the laboratory, the shredder Sericostoma vittatum had reduced feeding rates when exposed to water from the impacted stream in comparison with the reference stream (15.6 vs. 19.0mg leaves mg body mass-1 day-1; p<0.05), but they grew faster in the polluted water (0.16±0.04% day-1vs. 0.05±0.01% day-1, p<0.05). S. vittatum exposed to contaminated stream water accumulated arsenic from food, not through contact with water. We concluded that although arsenic is bioaccumulated, mainly by food ingestion, it is not biomagnified through food webs and is not transported from the aquatic to terrestrial environment when insects leave the stream water.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luiz U Hepp
- Departament of Biological Sciences, Universidade Regional Integrada do Alto Uruguai e das Missões, 99709-910 Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil.
| | - João A M S Pratas
- MARE - Marine and Environmental Sciences Centre, Department of Earth Sciences, University of Coimbra, 3001-517 Coimbra, Portugal
| | - Manuel A S Graça
- MARE - Marine and Environmental Sciences Centre, Department of Life Sciences, University of Coimbra, 3001-401 Coimbra, Portugal
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Nasri I, Hammouda A, Hamza F, Zrig A, Selmi S. Heavy metal accumulation in lizards living near a phosphate treatment plant: possible transfer of contaminants from aquatic to terrestrial food webs. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2017; 24:12009-12014. [PMID: 26374543 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-015-5390-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2015] [Accepted: 09/07/2015] [Indexed: 06/05/2023]
Abstract
We investigated the accumulation of heavy metals in Bosk's fringe-toed lizards (Acanthodactylus boskianus) living in Gabès region (southeastern Tunisia), in relation to habitat, diet, and distance from the Gabès-Ghannouche factory complex of phosphate treatment. More specifically, we compared the concentrations of cadmium, lead, and zinc in the stomach contents and samples of the liver, kidney, and tail from lizards living in four sites corresponding to different combinations of habitat (coastal dunes vs backshore) and distance from the factory complex (<500 vs 20 km). Examination of stomach contents showed that lizards living on the coastal dunes mainly feed on littoral amphipods, while those living in the backshore feed exclusively on terrestrial invertebrates. The concentrations of heavy metals in lizard tissues were overall positively correlated with those in the preys they ingested. Moreover, there was a general tendency towards increased concentrations of cadmium, lead, and zinc in the samples from lizards living on coastal dunes compared to those from the other sites, although some differences still lacked statistical significance. These results suggest that the highest contamination of lizards living on coastal dunes was probably related to the ingestion of contaminated amphipods. Thus, amphipods and Bosk's fringe-toed lizards seem to provide an important link between the marine and terrestrial food webs, with higher concentrations appearing to accumulate from materials released into the sea rather than the terrestrial environment. With regard to metal distribution among tissues, our results were overall in agreement with previous findings in other reptiles. In particular, cadmium was most concentrated in the liver samples, stressing once more the role of the liver as a storage organ of Cd. Moreover, high concentrations of the three assessed metals were found in the kidney samples, showing the role of the kidney as an active site of heavy metal accumulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Intissar Nasri
- Département des Sciences de la Vie, Faculté des Sciences de Gabès, Université de Gabès, Gabès, Tunisia.
| | - Abdessalam Hammouda
- Département des Sciences de la Vie, Faculté des Sciences de Gabès, Université de Gabès, Gabès, Tunisia
| | - Foued Hamza
- Département des Sciences de la Vie, Faculté des Sciences de Gabès, Université de Gabès, Gabès, Tunisia
| | - Ahlem Zrig
- Département des Sciences de la Vie, Faculté des Sciences de Gabès, Université de Gabès, Gabès, Tunisia
| | - Slaheddine Selmi
- Département des Sciences de la Vie, Faculté des Sciences de Gabès, Université de Gabès, Gabès, Tunisia
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Wesner JS, Walters DM, Schmidt TS, Kraus JM, Stricker CA, Clements WH, Wolf RE. Metamorphosis Affects Metal Concentrations and Isotopic Signatures in a Mayfly (Baetis tricaudatus): Implications for the Aquatic-Terrestrial Transfer of Metals. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2017; 51:2438-2446. [PMID: 28078890 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.6b05471] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
Insect metamorphosis often results in substantial chemical changes that can alter contaminant concentrations and fractionate isotopes. We exposed larval mayflies (Baetis tricaudatus) and their food (periphyton) to an aqueous zinc gradient (3-340 μg Zn/l) and measured zinc concentrations at different stages of metamorphosis: larval, subimago, and imago. We also measured changes in stable isotopes (δ15N and δ13C) in unexposed mayflies. Larval zinc concentrations were positively related to aqueous zinc, increasing 9-fold across the exposure gradient. Adult zinc concentrations were also positively related to aqueous zinc, but were 7-fold lower than larvae. This relationship varied according to adult substage and sex. Tissue concentrations in female imagoes were not related to exposure concentrations, but the converse was true for all other stage-by-sex combinations. Metamorphosis also increased δ15N by ∼0.8‰, but not δ13C. Thus, the main effects of metamorphosis on insect chemistry were large declines in zinc concentrations coupled with increased δ15N signatures. For zinc, this change was largely consistent across the aqueous exposure gradient. However, differences among sexes and stages suggest that caution is warranted when using nitrogen isotopes or metal concentrations measured in one insect stage (e.g., larvae) to assess risk to wildlife that feed on subsequent life stages (e.g., adults).
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Affiliation(s)
- Jeff S Wesner
- Department of Biology, University of South Dakota , Vermillion, South Dakota 57069, United States
| | - David M Walters
- U.S. Geological Survey, Fort Collins Science Center, Fort Collins, Colorado 80526, United States
| | - Travis S Schmidt
- U.S. Geological Survey, Colorado Water Science Center, Denver, Colorado 80225, United States
| | - Johanna M Kraus
- U.S. Geological Survey, Fort Collins Science Center, Fort Collins, Colorado 80526, United States
| | - Craig A Stricker
- U.S. Geological Survey, Fort Collins Science Center, Fort Collins, Colorado 80526, United States
| | - William H Clements
- Department of Fish, Wildlife & Conservation Biology and Graduate Degree Program in Ecology, Colorado State University , Fort Collins, Colorado 80523, United States
| | - Ruth E Wolf
- PerkinElmer, Inc. San Jose, California 95134, United States
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Jaffe BD, Ketterer ME, Hofstetter RW. Terrestrial Invertebrate Arsenic Accumulation Associated With an Arsenic Hyperaccumulating Fern, Pteris vittata (Polypodiales: Pteridaceae). ENVIRONMENTAL ENTOMOLOGY 2016; 45:1306-1315. [PMID: 27516432 DOI: 10.1093/ee/nvw096] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2016] [Accepted: 07/13/2016] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
Arsenic (As) can play an important role in the contamination of soils, waters, and air. The toxicity of As to most organisms is well established, but little is known about the interactions between environmental As and terrestrial invertebrates and the fate of As through trophic levels. Pteris vittata L. (Polypodiales: Pteridaceae), a fern that hyperaccumulates arsenic, serves as a potential mechanism to facilitate interactions between environmental arsenic and other biota. We compared invertebrate arsenic concentrations (hereafter as [As]) and bioaccumulation factors associated with soil and fern [As] to elucidate relationships between invertebrate and environmental As exposure. We collected invertebrates in pitfall traps from field sites associated with P. vittata, and identified them to order for whole body arsenic analysis and subsequently family for classification into functional feeding groups. We found that overall [As] in invertebrates increased with soil [As], but not with fern [As]. The absence of a relationship between fern [As] and invertebrate [As] may indicate invertebrates are avoiding the fern. Individual taxonomic groups significantly differed in whole body [As], and individual taxa also varied in their relationship between whole body [As] relative to soil and fern [As]. Overall invertebrate abundance decreased as invertebrate [As] load increased but varied across taxa. One particular herbivore, Callopistria floridensis (Florida fern caterpillar), associated with relatively low environmental As exposure contained over 4,000 mg kg-1 As. Our results show that As bioaccumulates into higher trophic levels and invertebrate body [As] covary with exposure to naturally occurring environmental [As] associated with P. vittata.
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Affiliation(s)
- B D Jaffe
- Department of Biological Sciences, Northern Arizona University, 617 S. Beaver St., PO Box 5640, Flagstaff, AZ 86011 (; )
| | - M E Ketterer
- Department of Chemistry, Metropolitan State University of Denver, PO Box 173362, Denver, CO 80217
| | - R W Hofstetter
- School of Forestry, Northern Arizona University, 200 East Pine Knoll Drive, Flagstaff, AZ 86011
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De la Torre Roche R, Servin A, Hawthorne J, Xing B, Newman LA, Ma X, Chen G, White JC. Terrestrial Trophic Transfer of Bulk and Nanoparticle La2O3 Does Not Depend on Particle Size. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2015; 49:11866-74. [PMID: 26356537 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.5b02583] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/25/2023]
Abstract
The bioaccumulation and trophic transfer of bulk and nanoparticle (NP) La2O3 from soil through a terrestrial food chain was determined. To investigate the impact of growth conditions, lettuce (Lactuca sativa) was grown in 350 or 1200 g of bulk/NP amended soil. Leaf tissues were fed to crickets (Acheta domesticus) or darkling beetles (Tenebrionoidea); select crickets were fed to mantises. In the small pot (350 g), La2O3 exposure reduced plant biomass by 23-30% and La tissue content did not differ with particle size. In the large pot (1200 g), biomass was unaffected by exposure and La content in the tissues were significantly greater with bulk particle treatment. Darkling beetles exposed to bulk and NP La2O3-contaminated lettuce contained La at 0.18 and 0.08 mg/kg; respectively (significantly different, P < 0.05). Crickets fed bulk or NP La2O3-exposed lettuce contained 0.53 and 0.33 mg/kg, respectively (significantly different, P < 0.05) with 48 h of depuration. After 7 d of depuration, La content did not differ with particle size, indicating that 48 h may be insufficient to void the digestive system. Mantises that consumed crickets from bulk and NP-exposed treatments contained La at 0.05-0.060 mg/kg (statistically equivalent). These results demonstrate that although La does trophically transfer, biomagnification does not occur and NP levels are equivalent or less than the bulk metal.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roberto De la Torre Roche
- Department of Analytical Chemistry, The Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station , New Haven, Connecticut 06504, United States
| | - Alia Servin
- Department of Analytical Chemistry, The Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station , New Haven, Connecticut 06504, United States
| | - Joseph Hawthorne
- Department of Analytical Chemistry, The Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station , New Haven, Connecticut 06504, United States
| | - Baoshan Xing
- Stockbridge School of Agriculture, University of Massachusetts , Amherst, Massachusetts 01003, United States
| | - Lee A Newman
- Department of Environmental and Forest Biology, SUNY - College of Environmental Science and Forestry , Syracuse, New York 13210, United States
| | - Xingmao Ma
- Zachry Department of Civil Engineering, Texas A&M University , College Station, Texas 77843, United States
| | - Guangcai Chen
- Department of Environmental and Forest Biology, SUNY - College of Environmental Science and Forestry , Syracuse, New York 13210, United States
- Research Institute of Subtropical Forestry, Chinese Academy of Forestry , Fuyang, Zhejiang 311400, China
| | - Jason C White
- Department of Analytical Chemistry, The Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station , New Haven, Connecticut 06504, United States
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Meyer CB, Schlekat TH, Walls SJ, Iannuzzi J, Souza MJ. Evaluating risks to wildlife from coal fly ash incorporating recent advances in metals and metalloids risk assessment. INTEGRATED ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT AND MANAGEMENT 2015; 11:67-79. [PMID: 25158048 DOI: 10.1002/ieam.1576] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/04/2014] [Revised: 05/05/2014] [Accepted: 08/18/2014] [Indexed: 05/11/2023]
Abstract
Current scientific advances in metal and metalloid risk assessment were applied to evaluate risk to aquatic and riparian wildlife species potentially impacted by residual coal fly ash after cleanup of an unprecedented large ash release into an aquatic environment-the first assessment of its kind. Risk was evaluated using multiple lines of evidence (LOE), including 1) tissue-based risk assessment of inorganic concentrations in piscivorous and insectivorous bird eggs and raccoon organs, 2) deterministic and probabilistic diet-based risk estimates for 10 receptors species, 3) raccoon health metrics, and 4) tree swallow nest productivity measures. Innovative approaches included use of tissue-based toxicity reference values (TRVs), adjustment of bioavailability in the dietary uptake models (using sequential metal extractions in sediment), partitioning chemical species into uptake compartments (e.g., prey gut, nongut, sediment), incorporating uncertainty in both modeled dose and dietary TRVs, matching TRVs to chemical forms of constituents, and pairing these LOEs with reproductive success or health status of sensitive receptor species. The weight of evidence revealed that risk to wildlife from residual ash was low and that risk, though low, was most pronounced for insectivorous birds from exposure to Se and As. This information contributes to the debate surrounding coal combustion residue regulations prompted by this ash release. Because of the responsible party's proactive approach of applying state-of-the-art methods to assess risk using several LOEs that produced consistent results, and because of their inclusion of the regulating agencies in decisions at every step of the process, the risk assessment results were accepted, and an effective approach toward cleanup protective of the environment was quickly implemented. This study highlights the value of using multiple LOEs and the latest scientific advances to assist in timely decision making to obtain an effective remedy for an emergency spill.
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Bartrons M, Gratton C, Spiesman BJ, Vander Zanden MJ. Taking the trophic bypass: aquatic-terrestrial linkage reduces methylmercury in a terrestrial food web. ECOLOGICAL APPLICATIONS : A PUBLICATION OF THE ECOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA 2015; 25:151-159. [PMID: 26255364 DOI: 10.1890/14-0038.1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/04/2023]
Abstract
Ecosystems can be linked by the movement of matter and nutrients across habitat boundaries via aquatic insect emergence. Aquatic organisms tend to have higher concentrations of certain toxic contaminants such as methylmercury (MeHg) compared to their terrestrial counterparts. If aquatic organisms come to land, terrestrial organisms that consume them are expected to have elevated MeHg concentrations. But emergent aquatic insects could have other impacts as well, such as altering consumer trophic position or increasing ecosystem productivity as a result of nutrient inputs from insect carcasses. We measure MeHg in terrestrial arthropods at two lakes in northeastern Iceland and use carbon and nitrogen stable isotopes to quantify aquatic reliance and trophic position. Across all terrestrial focal arthropod taxa (Lycosidae, Linyphiidae, Acari, Opiliones), aquatic reliance had significant direct and indirect (via changes in trophic position) effects on terrestrial consumer MeHg. However, contrary to our expectations, terrestrial consumers that consumed aquatic prey had lower MeHg concentrations than consumers that ate mostly terrestrial prey. We hypothesize that this is due to the lower trophic position of consumers feeding directly on midges relative to those that fed mostly on terrestrial prey and that had, on average, higher trophic positions. Thus, direct consumption of aquatic inputs results in a trophic bypass that creates a shorter terrestrial food web and reduced biomagnification of MeHg across the food web. Our finding that MeHg was lower at terrestrial sites with aquatic inputs runs counter to the conventional wisdom that aquatic systems are a source of MeHg contamination to surrounding terrestrial ecosystems.
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Brodin T, Piovano S, Fick J, Klaminder J, Heynen M, Jonsson M. Ecological effects of pharmaceuticals in aquatic systems--impacts through behavioural alterations. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2014; 369:20130580. [PMID: 25405968 PMCID: PMC4213591 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2013.0580] [Citation(s) in RCA: 272] [Impact Index Per Article: 27.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
The study of animal behaviour is important for both ecology and ecotoxicology, yet research in these two fields is currently developing independently. Here, we synthesize the available knowledge on drug-induced behavioural alterations in fish, discuss potential ecological consequences and report results from an experiment in which we quantify both uptake and behavioural impact of a psychiatric drug on a predatory fish (Perca fluviatilis) and its invertebrate prey (Coenagrion hastulatum). We show that perch became more active while damselfly behaviour was unaffected, illustrating that behavioural effects of pharmaceuticals can differ between species. Furthermore, we demonstrate that prey consumption can be an important exposure route as on average 46% of the pharmaceutical in ingested prey accumulated in the predator. This suggests that investigations of exposure through bioconcentration, where trophic interactions and subsequent bioaccumulation of exposed individuals are ignored, underestimate exposure. Wildlife may therefore be exposed to higher levels of behaviourally altering pharmaceuticals than predictions based on commonly used exposure assays and pharmaceutical concentrations found in environmental monitoring programmes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tomas Brodin
- Department of Ecology and Environmental Science, Umeå University, 90187 Umeå, Sweden
| | - Susanna Piovano
- School of Biological and Chemical Sciences, The University of the South Pacific, Fiji Department of Life Sciences and Systems Biology, University of Torino, 10124 Turin, Italy
| | - Jerker Fick
- Department of Chemistry, Umeå University, 90187 Umeå, Sweden
| | - Jonatan Klaminder
- Department of Ecology and Environmental Science, Umeå University, 90187 Umeå, Sweden
| | - Martina Heynen
- Department of Ecology and Environmental Science, Umeå University, 90187 Umeå, Sweden
| | - Micael Jonsson
- Department of Ecology and Environmental Science, Umeå University, 90187 Umeå, Sweden
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Syaripuddin K, Kumar A, Sing KW, Halim MRA, Nursyereen MN, Wilson JJ. Mercury accumulation in bats near hydroelectric reservoirs in Peninsular Malaysia. ECOTOXICOLOGY (LONDON, ENGLAND) 2014; 23:1164-1171. [PMID: 24840106 DOI: 10.1007/s10646-014-1258-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 05/06/2014] [Indexed: 06/03/2023]
Abstract
In large man-made reservoirs such as those resulting from hydroelectric dam construction, bacteria transform the relatively harmless inorganic mercury naturally present in soil and the submerged plant matter into toxic methylmercury. Methylmercury then enters food webs and can accumulate in organisms at higher trophic levels. Bats feeding on insects emerging from aquatic systems can show accumulation of mercury consumed through their insect prey. In this study, we investigated whether the concentration of mercury in the fur of insectivorous bat species was significantly higher than that in the fur of frugivorous bat species, sampled near hydroelectric reservoirs in Peninsular Malaysia. Bats were sampled at Temenggor Lake and Kenyir Lake and fur samples from the most abundant genera of the two feeding guilds-insectivorous (Hipposideros and Rhinolophus) and frugivorous (Cynopterus and Megaerops) were collected for mercury analysis. We found significantly higher concentrations of total mercury in the fur of insectivorous bats. Mercury concentrations also differed significantly between insectivorous bats sampled at the two sites, with bats from Kenyir Lake, the younger reservoir, showing higher mercury concentrations, and between the insectivorous genera, with Hipposideros bats showing higher mercury concentrations. Ten bats (H. cf. larvatus) sampled at Kenyir Lake had mercury concentrations approaching or exceeding 10 mg/kg, which is the threshold at which detrimental effects occur in humans, bats and mice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Khairunnisa Syaripuddin
- Museum of Zoology, Institute of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science, University of Malaya, 50603, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
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Jonsson M, Fick J, Klaminder J, Brodin T. Antihistamines and aquatic insects: bioconcentration and impacts on behavior in damselfly larvae (Zygoptera). THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2014; 472:108-111. [PMID: 24291135 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2013.10.104] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/24/2013] [Revised: 10/28/2013] [Accepted: 10/28/2013] [Indexed: 06/02/2023]
Abstract
Because aquatic insects use histamines as neurotransmitters, adverse impacts on aquatic insects living in aquatic environments that receive antihistamines with wastewater effluent are plausible. In this study, we exposed damselfly larvae to low concentrations of two commonly used antihistamines (Hydroxyzine and Fexofenadine, 360 ± 42 and 2,200 ± 43 ng l(-1), respectively), and recorded damselfly larvae behavior before and after exposure. Further, after the second set of behavioral assays was performed, we quantified bioconcentration of the antihistamines in the damselfly bodies. Our results showed significant changes in damselfly behavior following antihistamine exposure. After Hydroxyzine exposure, the damselfly larvae became less active, and they showed reduced fleeing response (i.e. increased boldness) after being exposed to Fexofenadine, the latter also being significantly different from the non-exposed (control) individuals. Further, we found high levels of bioconcentration in the damselflies; Hydroxyzine showed an average bioconcentration factor (BCF) of 2000. As such, our results indicate that low concentrations of antihistamines can have sub-lethal effects on aquatic insects manifested as behavioral changes, and that bioconcentration of these substances can be high. Therefore, the need to investigate the impact of emergent aquatic contaminants also on aquatic insects, and on behaviors that are of ecological importance, is further highlighted.
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Affiliation(s)
- M Jonsson
- Department of Ecology and Environmental Science, Umeå University, SE 90187, Umeå, Sweden.
| | - J Fick
- Department of Chemistry, Umeå University, SE 90187, Umeå, Sweden
| | - J Klaminder
- Department of Ecology and Environmental Science, Umeå University, SE 90187, Umeå, Sweden
| | - T Brodin
- Department of Ecology and Environmental Science, Umeå University, SE 90187, Umeå, Sweden
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