Ecological and Societal Services of Aquatic Diptera

Abstract

More than any other group of macro-organisms, true flies (Diptera) dominate the freshwater environment. Nearly one-third of all flies—roughly 46,000 species—have some developmental connection with an aquatic environment. Their abundance, ubiquity, and diversity of adaptations to the aquatic environment position them as major drivers of ecosystem processes and as sources of products and bioinspiration for the benefit of human society. Larval flies are well represented as ecosystem engineers and keystone species that alter the abiotic and biotic environments through activities such as burrowing, grazing, suspension feeding, and predation. The enormous populations sometimes achieved by aquatic flies can provide the sole or major dietary component for other organisms. Harnessing the services of aquatic Diptera for human benefit depends on the ingenuity of the scientific community. Aquatic flies have played a role as indicators of water quality from the earliest years of bioassessment. They serve as indicators of historical and future ecological and climate change. As predators and herbivores, they can serve as biological control agents. The association of flies with animal carcasses in aquatic environments provides an additional set of tools for forensic science. The extremophilic attributes of numerous species of Diptera offer solutions for human adaptation to harsh terrestrial and extraterrestrial environments. The potential pharmaceutical and industrial applications of the symbiotic microbial community in extremophilic Diptera are better explored than are those of dipteran chemistry. Many flies provide valuable ecological and human services as aquatic immatures, but are also pests and vectors of disease agents as terrestrial adults. The scientific community, thus, is challenged with balancing the benefits and costs of aquatic Diptera, while maintaining sustainable populations as more species face extinction.

Use of Larval Morphological Deformities in Chironomus plumosus (Chironomidae: Diptera) as an Indicator of Freshwater Environmental Contamination (Lake Trasimeno, Italy)

“…Among aquatic organisms, benthic macroinvertebrates inhabiting the surficial layer of the bottom sediments in inland waters are valid biological indicators because they are subject to the resulting action of pollutants and thus respond to many ecological stressors [12][13][14][15][16]. Aquatic Diptera typically represent the predominant component of the benthic biocoenosis, and among them chironomids (Chironomidae: Diptera) in particular are characterized by diverse species compositions and have a key role in the trophic network of freshwater ecosystems especially those impaired by substantial organic loads [17]. Therefore, chironomid communities represent an important food source for a wide range of aquatic and terrestrial animals [18], also considering in some cases, the role of pestiferous chironomid species [19].…”

Checklist of aquatic Diptera (Insecta) of Plitvice Lakes National Park, Croatia, a UNESCO world heritage site

“…Most people probably know true flies (Diptera) mainly as a nuisance and as diseasecarrying blood-sucking insects, but Diptera are also key players in the recycling of organic material in ecosystems, from the sewage of our urban communities to the leaf litter of the forest floor. In addition, Diptera provide other general ecosystem services such as pollination and pest control, but are also vectors of disease as terrestrial adults (Pape 2009;Marshall 2012;Adler and Courtney 2019).…”

“…More than any other group of macro-organisms, Diptera dominate the freshwater environment and are the most numerous group in terms of described species in freshwaters. Nearly one-third of all described fly species, roughly 46,000 species, have some connection with an aquatic environment during development process (Adler and Courtney 2019). Their abundance, omnipresence, and diversity of adaptations to the aquatic environment, position them as major drivers of ecosystem processes (Hölker et al 2015).…”

“…Their abundance, omnipresence, and diversity of adaptations to the aquatic environment, position them as major drivers of ecosystem processes (Hölker et al 2015). Fly larvae are well represented as ecosystem engineers and keystone species that alter the abiotic and biotic environments through activities such as burrowing, grazing, suspension feeding, and predation (Wotton et al 1998;Adler and Courtney 2019). The enormous populations sometimes achieved by aquatic flies can provide the sole or major dietary component for other organisms, and as both predators and herbivores, they can serve as biological control agents (Collins and Blackwell 2000;Werner and Pont 2003;Adler and Courtney 2019).…”

“…Fly larvae are well represented as ecosystem engineers and keystone species that alter the abiotic and biotic environments through activities such as burrowing, grazing, suspension feeding, and predation (Wotton et al 1998;Adler and Courtney 2019). The enormous populations sometimes achieved by aquatic flies can provide the sole or major dietary component for other organisms, and as both predators and herbivores, they can serve as biological control agents (Collins and Blackwell 2000;Werner and Pont 2003;Adler and Courtney 2019). They serve as indicators of historical and future ecological and climate change while at the same time they have played a role as indicators of water quality from the earliest years of bioassessment (Walker 1987;Mihaljević et al 1998;Larocque et al 2001;Adler and Courtney 2019).…”