Assessing the suitability of genetic diversity of Chironomus riparius (Meigen) as an indicator of environmental pollution

Pedrosa, João A.M.; Machado, Ana Luísa; Cocchiararo, Berardino; Soares, Amadeu M.V.M.; Nowak, Carsten; Pestana, João L.T.

doi:10.1016/j.ecolind.2017.02.014

Cited by 4 publications

(2 citation statements)

References 67 publications

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“…Moreover, Cd and Cu are important environmental contaminants (i.e., classified as toxic and priority pollutants), motivating their selection for this study. Chironomus riparius (Diptera: Chironomidae) was chosen as a model aquatic insect, because of the larval benthic way of life and widespread occurrence of chironomids in freshwater habitats . In addition, chironomids are common and abundant emergent aquatic insects and an important prey for many terrestrial consumers .…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Metal Exposure and Sex Shape the Fatty Acid Profile of Midges and Reduce the Aquatic Subsidy to Terrestrial Food Webs

Pietz

Kainz

Schroeder

et al. 2023

Environ. Sci. Technol.

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Aquatic micropollutants can be transported to terrestrial systems and their consumers by emergent aquatic insects. However, micropollutants, such as metals, may also affect the flux of physiologically important polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs). As certain PUFAs have been linked to physiological fitness and breeding success of terrestrial consumers, reduced fluxes from aquatic systems could affect terrestrial populations and food webs. We chronically exposed larvae of the aquatic insect Chironomus riparius to a range of environmentally relevant sediment contents of cadmium (Cd) or copper (Cu) in a 28-day microcosm study. Since elevated water temperatures can enhance metals' toxic effects, we used two temperature regimes, control and periodically elevated temperatures (heat waves) reflecting an aspect of climate change. Cd and Cu significantly reduced adult emergence by up to 95% and 45%, respectively, while elevated temperatures had negligible effects. Both metal contents were strongly reduced (∼90%) during metamorphosis. Furthermore, the chironomid FA profile was significantly altered during metamorphosis with the factors sex and metal exposure being relevant predictors. Consequently, fluxes of physiologically important PUFAs by emergent adults were reduced by up to ∼80%. Our results suggest that considering fluxes of physiologically important compounds, such as PUFAs, by emergent aquatic insects is important to understand the implications of aquatic micropollutants on aquatic-terrestrial meta-ecosystems.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Metal Exposure and Sex Shape the Fatty Acid Profile of Midges and Reduce the Aquatic Subsidy to Terrestrial Food Webs

Pietz

Kainz

Schroeder

et al. 2023

Environ. Sci. Technol.

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“…Various studies have linked genetic and geographic distances effectively using the geolocation approach ( Lagisz et al 2010 , Vidal et al 2019 , Li et al 2023 ). But focusing solely on geolocation would only highlight patterns of isolation based on distance; adding pollution as a covariate enables researchers to examine the additional ways that anthropogenic environmental change affects gene flow and population connectivity ( Pedrosa et al 2017 , Gouin et al 2019 ).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Limited genetic variability and spatial population structure in grasshoppers between natural and metal-contaminated areas in Egypt

Soliman,

Almadiy,

Al-Akeel

et al. 2024

Journal of Insect Science

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Pollutants in an environment can have long-term implications for the species living there, resulting in local adaptations with implications for their genetic structure. Heavy metal pollutants infiltrate soils and groundwater, bioaccumulate in food webs, and negatively impact biota. In this study, we investigated the degree to which the genetic structure and variability of the slender green-winged grasshopper (Aiolopus thalassinus (Fabricius) (Orthoptera: Acrididae)) were impacted by heavy metal pollution and distance. We used the random amplified polymorphic DNA-polymerase chain reaction (RAPD-PCR) method to examine the genetic variability of populations in 3 heavy metal-polluted and 3 unpolluted locations across varying geographical distances in Egypt. The heavy metal concentrations of cadmium, copper, lead, and zinc were measured from the grasshopper tissue and soils. Sixty-nine unique and polymorphic bands were produced by 4 primers. Cluster and principal component analyses separated the populations inside and outside Cairo into 2 main branches, which were further divided into smaller branches corresponding to their geographical regions. We found no differences in the Shannon genetic diversity index between populations or with increasing heavy metal concentrations in either the soil or the grasshopper tissue. Our results showed a greater genetic variation among populations than between populations within the same location, indicating populations within locations were less differentiated than those between locations. The moderate correlation between genetic similarity and spatial distance suggests geographical isolation influenced grasshopper population differentiation. Based on the RAPD analysis, environmental pollutants and geographical distances impact the A. thalassinus population structure, potentially restricting gene flow between sites even at small spatial scales.

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A synthesis of anthropogenic stress effects on emergence-mediated aquatic-terrestrial linkages and riparian food webs

Schulz,

Bundschuh,

Entling

et al. 2024

Science of The Total Environment

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Assessing the suitability of genetic diversity of Chironomus riparius (Meigen) as an indicator of environmental pollution

Cited by 4 publications

References 67 publications

Metal Exposure and Sex Shape the Fatty Acid Profile of Midges and Reduce the Aquatic Subsidy to Terrestrial Food Webs

Metal Exposure and Sex Shape the Fatty Acid Profile of Midges and Reduce the Aquatic Subsidy to Terrestrial Food Webs

Limited genetic variability and spatial population structure in grasshoppers between natural and metal-contaminated areas in Egypt

A synthesis of anthropogenic stress effects on emergence-mediated aquatic-terrestrial linkages and riparian food webs

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