Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

Combined Effect of Invertebrate Predation and Sublethal Pesticide Exposure on the Behavior and Survival of Asellus aquaticus (Crustacea; Isopoda)

  • Published:
Archives of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Invertebrate communities of lentic habitats comprise, amongst others, the crustacean Asellus aquaticus (Isopoda) and the turbellarian Dendrocoelum lacteum (Tricladida). Because D. lacteum preferentially preys on A. aquaticus, contaminants introduced into the aquatic environment may affect this predator–prey interaction, finally influencing the performance of the predator. However, no studies investigating implications of organic pollutants on this food web subsystem currently exist. Hence, the present study assessed short-term implications of pesticides with different modes of action, namely, the triazole fungicide tebuconazole and the pyrethroid insecticide lambda-cyhalothrin, during a 72 h trial. The experiments for tebuconazole showed a statistically significant decrease in predatory success of D. lacteum. Lambda-cyhalothrin, in contrast, increased predation success by 40%, which is, however, not statistically significant. Both the decrease and the increase in predation seemed to be primarily driven by an altered activity of the prey A. aquaticus. This may be hypothesized because any shift in the prey’s activity influenced its probability to stick to mucus, a viscous substance released by D. lacteum, or to encounter the predator directly.

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

Fig. 1
Fig. 2

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Adam O, Badot PM, Degiorgi F, Crini G (2009) Mixture toxicity assessment of wood preservative pesticides in the freshwater amphipod Gammarus pulex (L.). Ecotoxicol Environ Saf 72:441–449

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Arndt W, Manteufel P (1924) Die Turbellarien als Träger von Giften. Zoomorphology 3:344–357

    Google Scholar 

  • Barbee GC, McClain WR, Lanka SK, Stout MJ (2010) Acute toxicity of chlorantraniliprole to non-target crayfish (Procambarus clarkii) associated with rice-crayfish cropping systems. Pest Manag Sci 66:996–1001

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Berenzen N, Lentzen-Godding A, Probst M, Schulz H, Schulz R, Liess M (2005) A comparison of predicted and measured levels of runoff-related pesticide concentrations in small lowland streams on a landscape level. Chemosphere 58:683–691

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Brooks AC, Gaskell PN, Maltby LL (2009) Sublethal effects and predator-prey interactions: implications for ecological risk assessment. Environ Toxicol Chem 28:2449–2457

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Bundschuh M, Zubrod JP, Kosol S, Maltby L, Stang C, Duester L, Schulz R (2011) Fungal composition on leaves explains pollutant-mediated indirect effects on amphipod feeding. Aquat Toxicol 104:32–37

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Cairns J (1984) Are single species toxicity tests alone adequate for estimating environmental hazard. Environ Monit Assess 4:259–273

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cooper CM, Smith S Jr, Moore MT (2003) Surface water, ground water and sediment quality in three oxbow lake watersheds in the Mississippi delta agricultural region: pesticides. Int J Ecol Environ Sci 29:1171–1184

    Google Scholar 

  • Cuppen JG, Van den Brink PJ, Camps E, Uil KF, Brock TC (2000) Impact of the fungicide carbendazim in freshwater microcosms. I. Water quality, breakdown of particulate organic matter and responses of macroinvertebrates. Aquat Toxicol 48:233–250

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Davies RW, Reynoldson TB (1971) Incidence and intensity of predation on lake-dwelling triclads in the field. J Anim Ecol 40:191–214

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • De Silva PK (1976) The importance of mucus of Dendrocoelum lacteum (Müller) (Turbellaria, Tricladida) in community existence. Arch Hydrobiol 78:363–374

    Google Scholar 

  • Dumont HJ, Carels I (1987) Flatworm predator (Mesostoma cf lingua) releases a toxin to catch planktonic prey (Daphnia magna). Limnol Oceanogr 32:699–702

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Graca MAS, Maltby L, Calow P (1993) Importance of fungi in the diet of Gammarus pules and Asellus aquaticus II: effects on growth, reproduction and physiology. Oecologia 96:304–309

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Greene KL (1974) Experiments and observations on the feeding behaviour of the freshwater leech Erpobdella octoculata (L.) (Hirudinca: Erpobdellidae). Arch Hydrobiol 74:87–99

    Google Scholar 

  • Ham L, Quinn R, Pascoe D (1995) Effects of cadmium on the predator-prey interaction between the turbellarian Dendrocoelum lacteum (Müller, 1774) and the isopod crustacean Asellus aquaticus (L.). Arch Environ Contam Toxicol 29:358–365

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Hanazato T (1991) Effects of repeated application of carbaryl on zooplankton communities in experimental ponds with or without the predator Chaoborus. Environ Pollut 74:309–324

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • He L-M, Troiano J, Wang A, Goh K (2008) Environmental chemistry, ecotoxicity, and fate of lambda-cyhalothrin. Rev Environ Contam Toxicol 195:71–91

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Herrmann J (1984a) Factors affecting the occurrence of Dendrocoelum lacteum (Turbellaria) in Swedish lakes. Hydrobiologia 114:3–8

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Herrmann J (1984b) Prey choice and its impact on the reproductive output in Dendrocoelum lacteum (Turbellaria). Arch Hydrobiol 100:355–370

    Google Scholar 

  • Herrmann J (1986) Reproductive ecology of Dendrocoelum lacteum (turbellaria) in a rapid stream in southern Sweden and comparisons with a lake population. Hydrobiologia 132:273–277

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kumar A, Sharma B, Pandey RS (2011) Assessment of acute toxicity of lambda-cyhalothrin to a freshwater catfish, Clarias batrachus. Environ Chem Lett 9:43–46

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Levy R, Miller TW (1978) Tolerance of planarian Dugesia dorotocephala to high concentrations of pesticides and growth regulators. Entomophaga 23:31–34

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Miyazawa K, Jeon JK, Noguchi T, Ito K, Hashimoto K (1987) Distribution of tetrodotoxin in the tissues of the flatworm Planocera multitentaculata (Platyhelminthes). Toxicon 25:975–980

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Norgaard KB, Cedergreen N (2010) Pesticide cocktails can interact synergistically on aquatic crustaceans. Environ Sci Pollut Res 17:957–967

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Ochoa-Acuna HG, Bialkowski W, Yale G, Hahn L (2009) Toxicity of soybean rust fungicides to freshwater algae and Daphnia magna. Ecotoxicology 18:440–446

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Rabiet M, Margoum C, Gouy V, Carluer N, Coquery M (2010) Assessing pesticide concentrations and fluxes in the stream of a small vineyard catchment––effect of sampling frequency. Environ Pollut 158:737–748

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Rask M, Hiisivuori C (1985) The predation on Asellus aquaticus (L.) by perch, Perca fluviatilis (L.), in a small forest lake. Hydrobiologia 121:27–33

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Reynoldson TB (1975) Food overlap of lake dwelling triclads in the field. J Anim Ecol 44:245–250

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Reynoldson TB (1981) The ecology of the Turbellaria with special reference to the freshwater triclads. Hydrobiologia 84:87–90

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sancho E, Villarroel MJ, Andreu E, Ferrando MD (2009) Disturbances in energy metabolism of Daphnia magna after exposure to tebuconazole. Chemosphere 74:1171–1178

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Schroer AFW, Belgers JDM, Brock TCM, Matser AM, Maund SJ, Van den Brink PJ (2004) Comparison of laboratory single species and field population-level effects of the pyrethroid insecticide lambda-cyhalothrin on freshwater invertebrates. Arch Environ Contam Toxicol 46:324–335

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Schulz R, Dabrowski JM (2001) Combined effects of predatory fish and sublethal pesticide contamination on the behavior and mortality of mayfly nymphs. Environ Toxicol Chem 20:2537–2543

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Stenersen J (2004) Chemical pesticides––mode of action and toxicology. CRC Press, Boca Raton

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Sucahyo D, van Straalen NM, Krave A, van Gestel CAM (2008) Acute toxicity of pesticides to the tropical freshwater shrimp Caridina laevis. Ecotoxicol Environ Saf 69:421–427

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • R Development Core Team (2009) R: a language and environment for statistical computing. http://www.r-project.org/. Accessed 8 Jan 2011

  • Wang W, Cai DJ, Shan ZJ, Chen WL, Poletika N, Gao XW (2007) Comparison of the acute toxicity for gamma-cyhalothrin and lambda-cyhalothrin to zebra fish and shrimp. Regul Toxicol Pharmacol 47:184–188

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Whitehurst IT (1991) The Gammarus-Asellus ratio as an index of organic pollution. Water Res 25:333–340

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Wootton JT (2002) Indirect effects in complex ecosystems: recent progress and future challenges. J Sea Res 48:157–172

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Young JO (1981) A comparative study of the food niches of lake dwelling triclads and leeches. Hydrobiologia 84:91–102

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Young JO, Reynoldson TB (1965) A quantitative study of the population biology of Dendrocoelum lacteum (Müller). Oikos 15:237–264

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Young JO, Seaby RMH, Martin AJ (1995) Contrasting mortality in young freshwater leeches and triclads. Oecologia 101:317–323

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zubrod JP, Bundschuh M, Schulz R (2010) Effects of subchronic fungicide exposure on the energy processing of Gammarus fossarum (Crustacea; Amphipoda). Ecotoxicol Environ Saf 73:1674–1680

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Zubrod JP, Bundschuh M, Feckler A, Englert D, Schulz R (2011) Ecotoxicological impact of the fungicide tebuconazole on an aquatic decomposer-detritivore system. Environ Toxicol Chem 30:2718–2724

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

The authors thank the Fix-Stiftung, Landau, for financial support of research infrastructure as well as T. Bürgi for assistance in the laboratory. Moreover, we are greatful to G. Gonsior is for the provision of A. aquaticus. The authors acknowledge J. P. Zubrod, B. Leask, and three anonymous reviewers for valuable comments on an earlier draft of this manuscript.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute for Environmental Sciences, University of Koblenz-Landau, Fortstrasse 7, 76829, Landau, Germany

    Mirco Bundschuh, Andreas Appeltauer, André Dabrunz & Ralf Schulz

  2. Eurofins Agroscience GmbH, Eutinger Str. 24., 75223, Niefern-Oeschelbronn, Germany

    Andreas Appeltauer

Authors
  1. Mirco Bundschuh
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Andreas Appeltauer
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. André Dabrunz
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Ralf Schulz
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Mirco Bundschuh.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Bundschuh, M., Appeltauer, A., Dabrunz, A. et al. Combined Effect of Invertebrate Predation and Sublethal Pesticide Exposure on the Behavior and Survival of Asellus aquaticus (Crustacea; Isopoda). Arch Environ Contam Toxicol 63, 77–85 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00244-011-9743-2

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00244-011-9743-2

Keywords

Search

Navigation