Energy reserves and accumulation of metals in the ground beetle Pterostichus oblongopunctatus from two metal-polluted gradients

Abstract

Living in an area chronically polluted with metals is usually associated with changes in the energy distribution in organisms due to increased energy expenses associated with detoxification and excretion processes. These expenses may be reflected in the available energy resources, such as lipids, carbohydrates, and proteins. In this context, the energy status of Pterostichus oblongopunctatus (Coleoptera: Carabidae) was studied in two metal pollution gradients near Olkusz and Miateczko Śląskie in southern Poland. Both regions are rich in metal ores, and the two largest Polish zinc smelters have been operating there since the 1970s. Beetles were collected from five sites at each gradient. Zinc and cadmium concentrations were measured in both the soil and the beetles. The possible reduction in energy reserves as a cost of detoxifying assimilated metals was evaluated biochemically by determining the total lipid, carbohydrates, and protein contents. At the most polluted sites, the Zn concentration in the soil organic layer reached 2,906 mg/kg, and the Cd concentration reached 55 mg/kg. Body Zn and Cd concentrations increased with increasing soil Zn and Cd concentrations (p = 0.003 and p = 0.0001, respectively). However, no relationship between pollution level and energetic reserves was found. The results suggest that populations of P. oblongopunctatus inhabiting highly metal-polluted sites are able to survive without any serious impact on their energy reserves, though they obviously have to cope with elevated body metal concentrations.

Distribution of toxic elements between biotic and abiotic components of terrestrial ecosystem along an urbanization gradient: Soil, leaf litter and ground beetles

“…Our findings corroborate that food preferences, breeding and sex cause differences between toxic element concentrations in ground beetle species. Similar to other findings (Bednarska et al, 2013;Sklaski et al, 2011) we did not find significant differences in the toxic element concentrations in ground beetles along the urbanization gradient. Elements (Zn, Cu and Mn) are accumulated in the body in a relatively constant amount (Purchart and Kula, 2007).…”

“…Thus, the differences between the toxic element concentrations of species may be caused by the different food preferences and different breeding. Bednarska et al (2013) demonstrated that species can use different strategies to survive in contaminated areas. Among carabid species, for example the P. oblongopunctatus are able to survive in pollutes areas, without any serious impact on their energy reserves (Bednarska et al, 2013).…”

“…Bednarska et al (2013) demonstrated that species can use different strategies to survive in contaminated areas. Among carabid species, for example the P. oblongopunctatus are able to survive in pollutes areas, without any serious impact on their energy reserves (Bednarska et al, 2013). Lagisz and Laskowski (2008) studied the effect of heavy metal pollution on the morphology of P. oblongopunctatus and demonstrated that the change in morphology may incur long term negative effects of pollution in the fitness of carabid beetles.…”

“…Among terrestrial invertebrates carabid beetles are frequently used to study the effects of environmental changes (Avgin and Luff, 2000;Bednarska et al, 2013;Lagisz and Laskowski, 2008) because of they are one of the most resistant insect group to metals and inhabit highly contaminated areas (Sklaski et al, 2011). Carabid beetles can accumulate metals from soil through dermal absorption during larval period, feeding on contaminated food during larval and adult period (Brunsting and Heessen, 1984).…”

“…Jelaska et al (2007) showed that the internal Cu and Zn concentration also correlated with the elemental concentration of soil. Studied about metal kinetics of ground beetles indicated that metals probably due to the efficient detoxification by excretion (Bednarska et al, 2013;Janssen et al, 1991;Kramarz, 1999;Mozdzer et al, 2003;Talarico et al, 2014). At the same time, ground beetles as holometabolous insects are present in the soil during their development phases, so they are poor metal accumulator (Cortet et al, 1999).…”