Invertebrate Community Metrics from Imidacloprid Mesocosms
Dates
Publication Date
2017-06-30
Start Date
2014-11-18
End Date
2014-11-30
Citation
Nowell, L.H., Moran, P.W., Schmidt, T.S., Norman, J.E., Nakagaki, Naomi, Shoda, M.E., Mahler, B.J., Van Metre, P.C., Stone, W.W., Sandstrom, M.W., and Hladik, M.L., 2017, Pesticides in Weekly Water Samples from the NAWQA Midwest Stream Quality Assessment (2013): U.S. Geological Survey data release, https://doi.org/10.5066/F7Z899M8.
Summary
To investigate the effects of imidacloprid on natural stream communities under controlled conditions, experimental streams were dosed with imidacloprid at concentrations ranging from 0.061 to 220 micrograms per liter (µg/L) for a period of 10 days. Natural stream macroinvertebrate communities were obtained from the Cache La Poudre River (Larimer County, CO) by colonizing trays full of large gravel for 75 days. The trays were added to laboratory experimental streams (mesocosms) at the USGS Fort Collins Science Center in Fort Collins, CO. At the end of 10 days, invertebrate abundance metrics were analyzed in relation to measured imidacloprid concentrations in water from the experimental streams. Declines in total abundance and Ephemeroptera, [...]
Summary
To investigate the effects of imidacloprid on natural stream communities under controlled conditions, experimental streams were dosed with imidacloprid at concentrations ranging from 0.061 to 220 micrograms per liter (µg/L) for a period of 10 days. Natural stream macroinvertebrate communities were obtained from the Cache La Poudre River (Larimer County, CO) by colonizing trays full of large gravel for 75 days. The trays were added to laboratory experimental streams (mesocosms) at the USGS Fort Collins Science Center in Fort Collins, CO. At the end of 10 days, invertebrate abundance metrics were analyzed in relation to measured imidacloprid concentrations in water from the experimental streams. Declines in total abundance and Ephemeroptera, Plecoptera and Tricoptera taxa abundance were observed in the mesocosm communities at concentrations of 1 µg/L and above, and one sensitive species, Baetis tricaudatus, was affected at concentrations as low as 0.060 µg/L.
This experiment accompanied a regional assessment of streams across the Midwestern USA, and was intended to be a range-finding test with exposures that overlap with environmentally relevant concentrations. Results were used to test whether adverse effects on natural invertebrate communities occurred at imidacloprid concentrations seen in Midwestern streams, under controlled conditions.
Preview Image
Artificial streams (mesocosms) at USGS Fort Collins Science Center. Photo by Travis Schmidt, USGS