Source: UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, RIVERSIDE submitted to NRP
INCREASED AVAILABILITY OF MERCURY IN SELEENIUM-CONTAMINATED AGRICULTURAL SITES: IMPACT ON PREDATOR-PREY DYNAMICS
Sponsoring Institution
National Institute of Food and Agriculture
Project Status
COMPLETE
Funding Source
NRI COMPETITIVE GRANT
Reporting Frequency
Annual
Accession No.
0196719
Grant No.
2003-35101-13630
Cumulative Award Amt.
(N/A)
Proposal No.
2003-01764
Multistate No.
(N/A)
Project Start Date
Aug 1, 2003
Project End Date
Jul 31, 2005
Grant Year
2003
Program Code
[23.1]- (N/A)
Recipient Organization
UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, RIVERSIDE
(N/A)
RIVERSIDE,CA 92521
Performing Department
ENTOMOLOGY
Non Technical Summary
Selenium and mercury are both significant pollutants in agricultural drainage systems. The long term goal of this study is to test the hypothesis that selenium buffers the effects of mercury, thus allowing insects to attain higher levels of mercury in their bodies before toxic effects manifest.
Animal Health Component
10%
Research Effort Categories
Basic
90%
Applied
10%
Developmental
(N/A)
Classification

Knowledge Area (KA)Subject of Investigation (SOI)Field of Science (FOS)Percent
1333110106020%
1352299113040%
2052410107040%
Knowledge Area
135 - Aquatic and Terrestrial Wildlife; 133 - Pollution Prevention and Mitigation; 205 - Plant Management Systems;

Subject Of Investigation
2299 - Miscellaneous and new crops, general/other; 2410 - Cross-commodity research--multiple crops; 3110 - Insects;

Field Of Science
1060 - Biology (whole systems); 1130 - Entomology and acarology; 1070 - Ecology;
Goals / Objectives
Develop log-dose probit assessments of the toxicity and developmental/survivorship effects of mercury and selenium on a common mosquito and its associated insect predator (a hydrophilid beetle, Tropisternus sp., found in agricultural drainage systems). Document if insect responses to these toxicants are antagonistic, additive, or synergistic. Quantify biotransfer of total Se, Se species, total mercury and inorganic and methyl mercury to the next trophic level, the predator species both in the laboratory and in a controlled field study.
Project Methods
The aquatic system will be tested within the laboratory and then repeated in an outdoor miniature pond system for each of the treatments: control, selenium, mercury, selenium+mercury. To accommodate the need for replication and isolation of insects, the test predator will be a hydrophilid beetle (Tropisternus lateralis nimbatus). Selenium will be quantitatively measured by atomic emission spectroscopy. X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS) will be used to identify the selenium species in our insect samples; analysis will allow examination of the fate and quantity of selenate or selenomethionine in our test insects. Mercury determination will be performed through cold vapor atomic absorption spectroscopy.

Progress 08/01/03 to 07/31/05

Outputs
A series of studies were completed this year, but only one was published in 2005. We examined the history and range of effects of various metals and metalloids on terrestrial insect growth and development. This study was published and is listed below. 2. We also reported the ecological consequences of anthropogenic pollutants on insect development and survival (in press). 3. We examined the biotransfer of the element selenium from a prey insect to a predator (in press). 4. We evaluated the effects of a common metal pollutant, hexavalent chromium, on a ubiquitious detritovore (in press).

Impacts
Reports examining the effects of antropogenic pollutants on insects are relatively rare. These papers are among the first to consolidate all of the available information and summarize key effects on the development, life history, and survival of terrestrial insects. The study examining biotransfer of selenium between tropic levels is the first to show that predator feeding strategy can impact biotransfer rates, and subsequent intoxication of arthropods in the next trophic level. The studies with hexavalent chromium were the first to show the strong negative effects of this common pollutant on insects at the base of the terrestrial food web.

Publications

  • No publications reported this period


Progress 01/01/04 to 12/31/04

Outputs
A series of studies were completed this year. 1. We examined the hostory and range of effects of various metals and metalloids on terrestrial insect growth and development. 2. We reported the ecological consequences of anthropogenic pollutants on insect development and survival. 3. We examined the biotransfer of the element selenium from a prey insect to a predator. 4. We evaluated the effects of a common metal pollutant, hexavalent chromium, on a ubiquitious detritovore.

Impacts
Reports examining the effects of antropogenic pollutants on insects are relatively rare. These papers are among the first to consolidate all of the available information and summarize key effects on the development, life history, and survival of terrestrial insects. The study examining biotransfer of selenium between tropic levels is the first to show that predator feeding strategy can impact biotransfer rates, and subsequent intoxication of arthropods in the next trophic level. The studies with hexavalent chromium were the first to show the strong negative effects of this common pollutant on insects at the base of the terrestrial food web.

Publications

  • Jensen, P. D., M Arias, and J. T. Trumble. 2004. Developmental responses of a terrestrial insect detritivore, Megaselia scalaris (Loew) to four selenium species. Ecotoxicology (in press, to be pub. in Dec 2004 issue).
  • Vickerman, D., J. T Trumble, I. Pickering, G. George, H. Nickols. 2004. Selenium biotransformations in an insect ecosystem: Effects of insects on phytoremediation. Environmental Science & Technology 38: 3581-3586.
  • Trumble, J. T. and P. D. Jensen. 2004. Ovipositional response, developmental effects and toxicity of hexavalent chromium to Megaselia scalaris, a terrestrial detritivore. Archives of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology 46: 372-376.
  • Sorensen, M. A and J. T. and Trumble. 2004. Bioavailability and bioremediation of perchlorate salts. pp 1-15 In: Bodari, Editor, Recent Research Developments in Environmental Biology, Trivandum, India.


Progress 01/01/03 to 12/31/03

Outputs
A series of studies were completed this year. 1. We examined the hostory and range of effects of various metals and metalloids on terrestrial insect growth and development. 2. We reported the ecological consequences of anthropogenic pollutants on insect development and survival. 3. We examined the biotransfer of the element selenium from a prey insect to a predator. 4. We evaluated the effects of a common metal pollutant, hexavalent chromium, on a ubiquitious detritovore.

Impacts
Reports examining the effects of antropogenic pollutants on insects are relatively rare. These papers are among the first to consolidate all of the available information and summarize key effects on the development, life history, and survival of terrestrial insects. The study examining biotransfer of selenium between tropic levels is the first to show that predator feeding strategy can impact biotransfer rates, and subsequent intoxication of arthropods in the next trophic level. The studies with hexavalent chromium were the first to show the strong negative effects of this common pollutant on insects at the base of the terrestrial food web.

Publications

  • Jensen, P. D. and J. T. Trumble. 2003. Ecological consequences of bioavailability of metals and metalloids in insects. Pages 1-17, In: Bondari, K. Editor, Recent Developments in Entomology, Research Signpost, Trivandrum.
  • Trumble, J. T. and D. Vickerman. 2003. Impact of pollution on terrestrial arthropods. In: (J. Capinera, Ed.), Encyclopedia of Entomology. Pp. 170-173. Kluwer Academic Press.
  • Vickerman, D. B. and J.T. Trumble. 2003. Biotransfer of selenium: Effects on an insect predator, Podisus maculiventris. Ecotoxicology 12: 497-504.