Emergence of Chironomidae (Diptera) from a delta-swamp receiving thermal effluent

Abstract

Chironomid pupal exuviae were collected over an eight-week period from a delta-swamp which receives thermal effluent from a nuclear reactor on the Savannah River Plant, South Carolina, USA. Two sites were sampled using box-type emergence traps. Site 1 was directly in a major thermal plume channel, and site 2 was outside the plume in a stand of stressed bald cypress trees. Sixteen chironomid taxa were collected, of these, species of Chironomus (42%) and Tanytarsus (35%) dominated the warmer site (site 1, maximum temperature 46 °C), whereas Tanypus neopunctipennis comprised > 84 % at site 2 (maximum temperature 43 °C). Emergence substantially increased at both sites after the reactor was shut down and water temperatures returned to ambient (27–28 °C). Tanytarsus sp. 1 and T. neopunctipennis were capable of successfully emerging during water temperature periods of 40–46 °C. The deep organic sediment, characteristic of the delta-swamp apparently served as a refugium for these and other species of midges during high temperature periods. It is suggested that the ability of some taxa to tolerate these elevated temperatures may be a combination of several factors: behavioral and ecological adaptations to utilize available refugia; and physiological adaptations to withstand higher temperatures and low dissolved oxygen concentrations.