Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Chironomidae larvae as bioindicators of an acid mine drainage in Portugal

  • Published:
Hydrobiologia Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The abandoned São Domingos mine in South Portugal discharges acid metal pollution in the drainage system. A dynamic pH- and metal-gradient (pH 3.3–6.8) modulated by rainfall at the confluence of a tributary with the acid mine drainage (AMD)-channel, and a small reservoir contaminated with arsenic were sampled for Chironomidae in three different seasons and compared with a control river, to test whether this insect family is sensitive to AMD-pollution and arsenic. The AMD sites contained 18–22 taxa, compared to 22 taxa in the reservoir and 25 taxa in the control site. The chironomid fauna in the AMD was characterised by a high proportion of Chironominae and predatory Tanypodinae, and a low proportion of Orthocladiinae, these subfamilies being useful and easy bioindicators for AMD. The presence of morphological deformities in Ablabesmyia monilis and Procladius sp. is a potential bioindication of AMD but due to low numbers of larvae, it was of limited use. Despite high arsenic levels in the water, the small reservoir contained many taxa forming a typical lentic community.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • P. D. Armitage J. H. Blackburn (1985) ArticleTitleChironomidae in a Pennine stream system receiving mine drainage and organic enrichment Hydrobiologia 121 165–172 Occurrence Handle10.1007/BF00008720

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • M. Begon J. L. Harper C. R. Townsend (1987) Ecology Individuals, Populations and Communities Blackwell Scientific Publications Oxford 876

    Google Scholar 

  • M. B. Berg (1995) Larval food and feeding behaviour P. D. Armitage P. S. Cranston L. C. V. Pinder (Eds) The Chironomidae: Biology and Ecology of Non-biting Midges Chapman and Hall London NY 136–168

    Google Scholar 

  • G. A. Bird (1994) ArticleTitleUse of chironomid deformities to assess environmental degradation in the Yamaska river, Quebec Environmental Monitoring and Assessment 30 163–175 Occurrence Handle10.1007/BF00545620

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • T. J. Canfield N. E. Kemble W. G. Brumbaugh F. J. Dwyer C. G. Ingersoll J. F. Fairchild (1994) ArticleTitleUse of benthic invertebrate community structure and the sediment quality triad to evaluate metal-contaminated sediment in the upper Clark Fork River, Montana Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry 13 1999–2012 Occurrence Handle1:CAS:528:DyaK2MXitlyjt7g%3D Occurrence Handle10.1897/1552-8618(1994)13[1999:UOBICS]2.0.CO;2

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Cranston P. S., D. R. Oliver & O. A. Saether, 1983. The larvae of Orthocladiinae (Diptera: Chironomidae) of the Holarctic region. Keys and diagnoses. In: Wiederholm, T. (ed.), Chironomidae of the Holarctic region. Keys and diagnoses. Entomologica Scandinavica 19, 457 pp

  • P. S. Cranston P. D. Cooper R. A. Hardwick C. L. Humphrey P. L. Dostine (1997) ArticleTitleTropical acid streams The chironomid (Diptera) response in northern Australia Freshwater Biology 37 473–483 Occurrence Handle10.1046/j.1365-2427.1997.00136.x

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • D. M. DeNicola M. G. Stapleton (2000) ArticleTitleRecovery of streams following passive treatment for acid mine drainage Verhandlungen Internationale Vereinigung für theoretische und angewandte Limnologie 27 3034–3039 Occurrence Handle1:CAS:528:DC%2BD38XhvFCksLo%3D

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • T. P. Diggins K. M. Stewart (1993) ArticleTitleDeformities of aquatic larval midges (Chironomidae:Diptera) in the sediments of the Buffalo River, New York Journal of Great Lakes Research 19 648–659

    Google Scholar 

  • T. P. Diggins K. M. Stewart (1998) ArticleTitleChironomid deformities, benthic community composition and trace elements in the Buffalo River (New York) area of concern Journal of North American Benthological Society 17 311–323 Occurrence Handle10.2307/1468334

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • J. L. Farris S. E. Belanger D. S. Cherry J. Cairns SuffixJr (1989) ArticleTitleCellulolytic activity as a novel approach to assess long-term zinc stress to Corbicula Water Research 23 1275–1283 Occurrence Handle1:CAS:528:DyaK3cXntFOrtA%3D%3D Occurrence Handle10.1016/0043-1354(89)90189-9

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • A. Gerhardt L. Janssensde Bisthoven A. M. V. M Soares (2004) ArticleTitleMacroinvertebrate response to acid mine drainage:community metrics and on-line behavioural toxicity bioassay Environmental Pollution 130 263–274 Occurrence Handle1:CAS:528:DC%2BD2cXkt1ahsrs%3D Occurrence Handle15158039 Occurrence Handle10.1016/j.envpol.2003.11.016

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • T. Goldschmidt F. Witte J. Wanink (1993) ArticleTitleCascading effects of the introduced Nile perch on the detritivorous/phytoplanktivorous species in the sublittoral areas of Lake Victoria Conservation Biology 7 686–700 Occurrence Handle10.1046/j.1523-1739.1993.07030686.x

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • L. Janssensde Bisthoven J. Postma A. Vermeulen G. Goemans F. Ollevier (2001) ArticleTitleMorphological deformities in Chironomus riparius Meigen larvae after exposure to cadmium over several generations Water, Air and Soil Pollution 129 167–179 Occurrence Handle10.1023/A:1010367524314 Occurrence Handle1:CAS:528:DC%2BD3MXlsVGjtb4%3D

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • L. Janssensde Bisthoven A. Gerhardt (2003) ArticleTitleChironomidae (Diptera, Nematocera) fauna in three small streams of Skania, Sweden Environmental Monitoring and Assessment 83 89–102 Occurrence Handle1:STN:280:DC%2BD3s7ltVekug%3D%3D Occurrence Handle12666723 Occurrence Handle10.1023/A:1022494222666

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • L. Janssensde Bisthoven A. Gerhardt A. M. V. M Soares (2004) ArticleTitleEffects of acid mine drainage on Chironomus (Diptera, Chironomidae) measured with the multispecies freshwater biomonitor Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry 23 1123–1128 Occurrence Handle15180362 Occurrence Handle10.1897/02-603

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • L. Janssensde Bisthoven P. Nuyts B. Goddeeris F. Ollevier (1998) ArticleTitleSublethal parameters in deformed Chironomus larvae:clues to understanding their biomarker value Freshwater Biology 39 179–191 Occurrence Handle10.1046/j.1365-2427.1998.00265.x

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • A. Jernelöv B. Nagell A. Svenson (1981) ArticleTitleAdaptation to an acid environment in Chironomus riparius (Diptera, Chironomidae) from Smoking Hills, NWT, Canada Holarctic Ecology 4 116–119

    Google Scholar 

  • J-K. Kang Y. Song J-W. Moon H-S. Moon (2001) ArticleTitleWater quality impact of mining in the Wolmyoung area of Korea, and its short-term changes Water, Air and Soil Pollution 129 349–367 Occurrence Handle10.1023/A:1010356400307 Occurrence Handle1:CAS:528:DC%2BD3MXlsVGjurw%3D

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Langton, P. H., 1991. A key to pupal exuviae of West Palaearctic Chironomidae, P. H. Langton (ed), 386 pp.

  • C. Lindegaard (1995) Classification of water-bodies and pollution P. D. Armitage P. S. Cranston L. C. V. Pinder (Eds) The Chironomidae: biology and ecology of non-biting midges Chapman and Hall London, NY 385–404

    Google Scholar 

  • R. J. McKay K. Kersey (1985) ArticleTitleA preliminary study of aquatic insect communities and leaf decomposition in acid streams near Dorset, Ontario Hydrobiologia 122 3–11 Occurrence Handle10.1007/BF00018954

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • D. M. McKnight G. L. Feder (1984) ArticleTitleThe ecological effect of acid conditions and precipitation of hydrous metal oxides in a Rocky Mountain stream Hydrobiologia 119 129–138 Occurrence Handle1:CAS:528:DyaL2MXhsFCnsbY%3D Occurrence Handle10.1007/BF00011952

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • E. A. Martinez B. C. Moore J. Schaumloffel N. Dasgupta (2002) ArticleTitleThe potential association between menta deformities and trace elements in Chironomidae (Diptera) taken from a heavy metal contaminated river Archives of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology 42 286–291 Occurrence Handle1:CAS:528:DC%2BD38XisF2qtLk%3D Occurrence Handle11910456 Occurrence Handle10.1007/s00244-001-0190-0

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • C. Orendt (1999) ArticleTitleChironomids as bioindicators in acidified streams:a contribution to the acidity tolerance of chironomid species with a classification in sensitivity classes Internationale Revue gesamte Hydrobiologie 84 439–449 Occurrence Handle1:CAS:528:DyaK1MXms1aks74%3D

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • V. Pettigrove W. Korth M. Thomas K. H. Bowmer (1995) The impact of pesticides used in rice agriculture on larval chironomid morphology P. Cranston (Eds) Chironomids. From genes to ecosystems CSIRO, Canberra 81–88

    Google Scholar 

  • L. C. V. Pinder (1995) The habitats of chironomid larvae P. D. Armitage P. S. Cranston L. C. V. Pinder (Eds) The Chironomidae:biology and ecology of non-biting midges Chapman and Hall London NY 107–135

    Google Scholar 

  • J. Podani (2000) Introduction to the exploration of multivariate biological data Backhuys Publishers Leiden 407

    Google Scholar 

  • K. Rasmussen C. Lindegaard (1988) ArticleTitleEffects of iron compounds on macroinvertebrate communities in a Danish lowland river system Water Research 22 1101–1108 Occurrence Handle1:CAS:528:DyaL1MXksVGqsg%3D%3D Occurrence Handle10.1016/0043-1354(88)90004-8

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • M. Rieradevall E. García-Berthou N. Prat (1995) Chironomids in the diet of fish in Lake Banyoles (Catalonia, Spain) P. Cranston (Eds) Chironomids from genes to ecosystems CSIRO Canberra 335–340

    Google Scholar 

  • O. A. Saether (1979) ArticleTitleChironomid communities as water quality indicators Holarctic Ecology 2 65–74

    Google Scholar 

  • D. C. Schlenk T. Moore (1994) ArticleTitleEffect of pH and time on the acute toxicity of copper sulphate to the ciliate Protozoan Tetrahymena thermophila Bulletin of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology 53 800–804 Occurrence Handle1:CAS:528:DyaK2cXmvFClt7o%3D Occurrence Handle7881206 Occurrence Handle10.1007/BF00196207

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • V. L. St. Louis (1993) ArticleTitleElement concentrations in chironomids and their abundance in the littoral zone of acidified lakes in Northwestern Ontario Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences 50 953–963 Occurrence Handle1:CAS:528:DyaK2cXitFaqtLo%3D Occurrence Handle10.1139/f93-110

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • M. P. Smith S. Cranston (1995) “Recovery” of an acid mine-waste impacted tropical stream The chironomid story P. Cranston (Eds) Chironomids From genes to ecosystems CSIRO Canberra 482

    Google Scholar 

  • Soriano O, Cobo F, Rieradevall M, Prat N (1997) Lista faunistica de los quironomidos (Diptera, Chironomidae) de la peninsula Iberica e Islas Baleares. In: Listas de la Flora y Fauna de las aguas continentales de la Peninsula Iberica, 13. Associacion Española de Limnologia, pp. 1–210.

  • E. O. Swansburg W. L. Fairchild B. J. Fryer J. J. H. Ciborowski (2002) ArticleTitleMouthpart deformities and community composition of Chironomidae (Diptera) larvae downstream of metal mines in New Brunswick, Canada Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry 21 2675–2684 Occurrence Handle1:CAS:528:DC%2BD38XovFOgs70%3D Occurrence Handle12463564 Occurrence Handle10.1897/1551-5028(2002)021<2675:MDACCO>2.0.CO;2

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • K. J. Tennessen P. K. Gottfried (1983) ArticleTitleVariation in structure of ligula of Tanypodinae larvae (Diptera:Chironomidae) Entomological News 94 109–116

    Google Scholar 

  • K. R. Timmermans W. Peeters M. Tonkes (1992) ArticleTitleCadmium, zinc, lead, and copper in Chironomus riparius (Meigen) larvae (Diptera, Chironomidae): uptake and effects Hydrobiologia 241 119–134 Occurrence Handle1:CAS:528:DyaK3sXitFGn Occurrence Handle10.1007/BF00008264

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • W. F. Warwick (1990) ArticleTitleMorphological deformities in Chironomidae (Diptera) larvae from the Lac St. Louis and Laprairie basins of the St. Lawrence River Journal of Great Lakes Research 16 185–208 Occurrence Handle10.1016/S0380-1330(90)71413-X

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • W. F. Warwick (1991) ArticleTitleIndexing deformities in ligulae and antennae of Procladius larvae (Diptera:Chironomidae):application to contaminant-stressed environments Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences 48 1151–1166 Occurrence Handle1:CAS:528:DyaK3MXmtFCgsLc%3D

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Wiederholm, T. (ed.) (1983). Chironomidae of the Holarctic Region. Keys and Diagnoses. Part 1, Larvae, Entomologica Scandinavica 19 (Suppl), pp. 457

  • T. Wiederholm (1984) ArticleTitleIncidence of deformed chironomid larvae (Diptera: Chironomidae) in Swedish lakes Hydrobiologia 109 243–249 Occurrence Handle10.1007/BF00007742

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • R. W. Winner M. W. Boesel M. P. Farrel (1980) ArticleTitleInsect community structure as an index of heavy-metal pollution in lotic ecosystems Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences 37 647–655 Occurrence Handle1:CAS:528:DyaL3cXkt1ShsLY%3D Occurrence Handle10.1139/f80-081

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • M. Yasuno S. Hatakeyama Y. Sugaya (1985) ArticleTitleCharacteristic distribution of chironomids in the rivers polluted with heavy metals Verhandlungen Internationale Vereinigung für theoretische und angewandte Limnologie 22 2371–2377 Occurrence Handle1:CAS:528:DyaL2MXksFyru7s%3D

    CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. LimCo International, An der Aa 5, D-49477, Ibbenbüren, Germany

    L. Janssens De Bisthoven & A. Gerhardt

  2. Department of Biology, University of Aveiro, 3810-193, Aveiro, Portugal

    L. Janssens De Bisthoven, A. Gerhardt  & A. M. V. M. Soares

Authors
  1. L. Janssens De Bisthoven
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. A. Gerhardt
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. A. M. V. M. Soares
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to L. Janssens De Bisthoven.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

De Bisthoven, L.J., Gerhardt , A. & Soares, A.M.V.M. Chironomidae larvae as bioindicators of an acid mine drainage in Portugal. Hydrobiologia 532, 181–191 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10750-004-1387-z

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Accepted:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10750-004-1387-z

Keywords

Search

Navigation