Effects Of Insecticide Exposure Research Articles

A novel theta-class glutathione S-transferase gene in Rhopalosiphum padi (L.) (Hemiptera: Aphididae): Identification, recombinant protein expression and function analyses of RpGSTT1

Glutathione S-transferases (GSTs) play a major role in the detoxification of insecticides and the protection against oxidative damage caused by ROS (reactive oxygen species). The bird cherry-oat aphid, Rhopalosiphum padi (L.), is a major crop pest worldwide. Chemical insecticides are currently used to control aphids, but insecticide resistance is an evolutionary issue for aphid control. In this research, we identified and cloned the full-length cDNA of a theta-class GST gene (RpGSTT1) from R. padi, which contains 702 bp open reading frame encoding 233 amino acids. RpGSTT1 was clustered together with theta classe of insect GSTs in the phylogenetic tree. Effect of insecticide exposure on the GST enzyme activity was investigated in vivo. After affinity purification, the recombinant RpGSTT1 protein was able to catalyze the conjugation of 1-chloro-2, 4-dinitrobenzene (CDNB). A disc diffusion assay showed that the RpGSTT1 can increase resistance to cumene hydroperoxide-induced oxidative stress. In addition, the purified recombinant RpGSTT1 protected super-coiled DNA from oxidative damage. By quantitative PCR, The relative expression level of RpGSTT1 in the aphid was highly up-regulated after 12 h exposure to β-cypermethrin, isoprocarb, malathion and sulfoxaflor, respectively. To our knowledge, RpGSTT1 is the first theta class of GST gene reported in bird cherry-oat aphid. Our findings indicate that RpGSTT1 may be involved in insecticide detoxification in R. padi.

Eusocial insect declines: Insecticide impairs sperm and feeding glands in bumblebees

Insecticides are contributing to global insect declines, thereby creating demand to understand the mechanisms underlying reduced fitness. In the eusocial Hymenoptera, inclusive fitness depends on successful mating of male sexuals (drones) and efficient collaborative brood care by female workers. Therefore, sublethal insecticide effects on sperm and glands used in larval feeding (hypopharyngeal glands (HPG)) would provide key mechanisms for population declines in eusocial insects. However, while negative impacts for bumblebee colony fitness have been documented, the effects of insecticide exposure on individual physiology are less well understood. Here, we show that field-realistic concentrations (4.5–40 ng ml−1) of the neonicotinoid insecticide thiamethoxam significantly impair Bombus terrestris sperm and HPGs, thereby providing plausible mechanisms underlying bumblebee population decline. In the laboratory, drones and workers were exposed to five thiamethoxam concentrations (4.5 to 1000 ng ml−1). Then, survival, food consumption, body mass, HPG development, sperm quantity and viability were assessed. At all concentrations, drones were more exposed than workers due to higher food consumption. Increased body mass was observed in drones starting at 20 ng ml−1 and in workers at 100 ng ml−1. Furthermore, environmentally realistic concentrations (4.5–40 ng ml−1) did not significantly affect survival or consumption for either sex. However, thiamethoxam exposure significantly negatively affected both sperm viability and HPG development at all tested concentrations. Therefore, the results indicate a trade-off between survival and fitness components, possibly due to costly detoxification. Since sperm and HPG are corner stones of colony fitness, the data offer plausible mechanisms for bumblebee population declines. To adequately mitigate ongoing biodiversity declines for the eusocial insects, this study suggests it is essential to evaluate the impact of insecticides on fitness parameters of both sexuals and workers.

Insecticide-mediated shift in ecological dominance between two competing species of grain beetles.

Competition is a driving force regulating communities often considered an intermittent phenomenon, difficult to verify and potentially driven by environmental disturbances. Insecticides are agents of environmental disturbance that can potentially change ecological relationships and competitive outcomes, but this subject has seldom been examined. As the co-existing cereal grain beetle species Sitophilus zeamais Motschulsky and Rhyzopertha dominica F. share a common realized niche, directly competing for the same resources, they were used as models in our study. Intraspecific competition experiments were performed with increasing insect densities and insecticide doses in additive and replacement series using various density combinations of both beetle species maintained on insecticide-free or -sprayed grains. Insecticide-mediated release from competitive stress was not observed in our study of intraspecific competition in grain beetles. The insecticide enhanced the effect of insect density, particularly for the maize weevil S. zeamais, further impairing population growth at high densities. Therefore, insecticide susceptibility increased with intraspecific competition favoring insecticide efficacy. However, the effect of insecticide exposure on competitive interaction extends beyond intraspecific competition, affecting interspecific competition as well. Sitophilus zeamais was the dominant species when in interspecific competition prevailing in natural conditions (without insecticide exposure), but the dominance and species prevalence shifted from S. zeamais to R. dominica under insecticide exposure. Therefore, high conspecific densities favored insecticide efficacy, but the strength of the relationship differs with the species. In addition, the insecticide mediated a shift in species dominance and competition outcome indicating that insecticides are relevant mediators of species interaction, potentially influencing community composition and raising management concerns as potential cause of secondary pest outbreaks.

Insecticide has asymmetric effects on two tadpole species despite priority effects

Priority effects are defined as asymmetric responses of different species colonizing the same habitat in different sequences and are important in structuring communities, particularly for ephemeral systems that are colonized annually. Amphibians often use ephemeral ponds and have been shown to experience priority effects from interspecific competition. Pesticide exposure can impact amphibian species interactions like competition, and has been linked to declines. We investigated whether insecticide exposure interacted with colonization history to impact priority effects in Bufo americanus and Rana pipiens. We predicted that exposure to the insecticide carbaryl and colonization history would affect tadpole metamorphosis independently and interactively. Our results indicated that Bufo time to metamorphosis experienced priority effects: Bufo introduced early reached metamorphosis sooner when Rana were absent, but Bufo introduced late reached metamorphosis sooner when Rana were also late. Insecticide exposure eliminated differences in Bufo time to metamorphosis due to Rana colonization history. Rana survival and mass at metamorphosis were affected by intraspecific colonization history. Bufo had significantly fewer survivors and Rana had more survivors in insecticide-exposed treatments. Bufo did better when reared without Rana, but Rana was unaffected by Bufo presence. The effects on anuran metamorphosis occurred without any effects on periphyton abundance. We suggest that the effects of insecticide exposure on amphibian metamorphosis are not related to colonization history, although each factor alone can have substantial impacts. These results preliminarily suggest that managing pesticide applications with sensitivity to amphibians may be less complex than implied by traditional food web theory, although more research is needed.

Insecticide residues in cotton soils of Burkina Faso and effects of insecticides on fluctuating asymmetry in honey bees ( Apis mellifera Linnaeus)

Four insecticides (acetamiprid, cypermethrin, endosulfan and profenofos) are used quarterly in the cotton-growing areas of Burkina Faso, West Africa. These insecticides were investigated in soils collected from traditionally cultivated and new cotton areas. Also, the effects of insecticide exposure on the developmental instability of honey bees, Apis mellifera, were explored. In soil samples collected three months after insecticide treatments, endosulfan and profenofos concentrations varied in the range of 10–30 μg kg −1 in the traditionally cultivated zones and 10–80 μg kg −1 in the new cotton zones, indicating a pollution of agricultural lands. However, only profenofos concentrations were significantly higher in the new cotton zone than the traditionally cultivated zones. In addition, the index of fluctuating asymmetry, FA1, in the length of second tarsus ( L HW) was increased for bees when exposed to pesticide treated cotton fields for 82 d, and their FA levels were significantly higher than those in the control colony in an orchard. The other studied traits of bees exposed to insecticides were not significantly different from controls. Our results indicate that FA may be considered as a biomarker reflecting the stress induced by insecticide treatments. However, the relationship between FA and stressors needs further investigations.

Effects of insecticide exposure on movement and population size estimates of predatory ground beetles (Coleoptera: Carabidae)

Estimates of arthropod population size may paradoxically increase following insecticide applications. Research with ground beetles (Coleoptera: Carabidae) suggests that such unusual results reflect increased arthropod movement and capture in traps rather than real changes in population size. However, it is unclear whether direct (hyperactivity) or indirect (prey-mediated) mechanisms produce increased movement. Video tracking of Scarites quadriceps Chaudior indicated that brief exposure to lambda-cyhalothrin or tefluthrin increased total distance moved, maximum velocity and percentage of time moving. Repeated measurements on individual beetles indicated that movement decreased 240 min after initial lambda-cyhalothrin exposure, but increased again following a second exposure, suggesting hyperactivity could lead to increased trap captures in the field. Two field experiments in which ground beetles were collected after lambda-cyhalothrin or permethrin application attempted to detect increases in population size estimates as a result of hyperactivity. Field trials used mark-release-recapture methods in small plots and natural carabid populations in larger plots, but found no significant short-term (<6 day) increases in beetle trap captures. The disagreement between laboratory and field results suggests mechanisms other than hyperactivity may better explain unusual changes in population size estimates. When traps are used as a primary sampling tool, unexpected population-level effects should be interpreted carefully or with additional data less influenced by arthropod activity.

Effects of insecticide exposure on feeding inhibition in mayflies and oligochaetes

The present study examined the effects of pulse exposures of the insecticide imidacloprid on the mayfly, Epeorus longinmanus Eaton (Family Heptageniidae), and on an aquatic oligochaete, Lumbriculus variegatus Miller (Family Lumbriculidae). Pulse exposures of imidacloprid are particularly relevant for examination, because this insecticide is relatively soluble (510 mg/L) and is most likely to be at effect concentrations during runoff events. Experiments examined the recovery of organisms after a 24-h pulse exposure to imidacloprid over an environmentally realistic range of concentrations (0, 0.1, 0.5, 1, 5, and 10 microg/L). Effects on feeding were measured by quantifying the algal biomass consumed by mayflies or foodstuffs egested by oligochaetes. Imidacloprid was highly toxic, with low 24-h median lethal concentrations (LC50s) in early mayfly instars (24-h LC50, 2.1 +/- 0.8 microg/L) and larger, later mayfly instars (24-h LC50, 2.1 +/- 0.5 microg/L; 96-h LC50, 0.65 +/- 0.15 microg/L). Short (24-h) pulses of imidacloprid in excess of 1 microg/L caused feeding inhibition, whereas recovery (4 d) varied, depending on the number of days after contaminant exposure. In contrast to mayflies, oligochaetes were relatively insensitive to imidacloprid during the short (24-h) pulse; however, immobility of oligochaetes was observed during a 4-d, continuous-exposure experiment, with 96-h median effective concentrations of 6.2 +/- 1.4 microg/L. Overall, imidacloprid reduced the survivorship, feeding, and egestion of mayflies and oligochaetes at concentrations greater than 0.5 but less than 10 microg/L. Inhibited feeding and egestion indicate physiological and behavioral responses to this insecticide.

Effects of Insecticide Exposure on Feeding Inhibition in Mayflies and Oligochaetes

Effects of Insecticide Exposure on Feeding Inhibition in Mayflies and Oligochaetes

Predator-prey interactions between two amphibian species: effects of insecticide exposure

The presence of environmental contaminants may alter predator-prey interactions among aquatic species by altering activity levels of predators or prey, or by altering predator avoidance behavior. The outcome of a predatory encounter may be dependent upon whether both species are exposed to a contaminant simultaneously, or whether exposure occurs only in one of the species. In a laboratory experiment, I used the insecticide carbaryl to examine predation of southern leopard frog tadpoles (Rana sphenocephala) by adult red-spotted newts (Notophthalmus viridescens) under four conditions: both tadpoles and newts exposed, neither tadpoles nor newts exposed, and either newts or tadpoles only exposed. After one hour, exposed newts consumed half as many tadpoles as non-exposed newts. Carbaryl potentially affected newt activity enough to reduce time spent searching for prey, or may have altered the speed and coordination necessary to capture tadpoles. After six hours, non-exposed and exposed newts consumed similar numbers of tadpoles, most likely indicating recovery from exposure. After 24 h, predation rates were lowest when both newts and tadpoles were simultaneously either exposed or not exposed, and were greatest when newts and tadpoles were not exposed simultaneously. This study suggests that when tadpoles and newts are exposed to a sublethal level of a contaminant simultaneously, that predation rates do not differ from those observed under natural conditions, but exposure of either predator or prey at different times can disrupt predator-prey dynamics.

Declining ring-necked pheasants in the Klamath Basin, California: I. Insecticide exposure

A study of organophosphorus (OP) insecticide exposure was conducted on a declining population of ring-necked pheasants (Phasianus colchicus) associated with agricultural lands at Tule Lake National Wildlife Refuge (TLNWR) during the summers of 1990–92. Findings at TLNWR were compared with a nearby pheasant population at Lower Klamath National Wildlife Refuge (LKNWR) not subjected to intensive farming or OP insecticide applications. Direct toxicity of anticholinesterase (antiChE) compounds (in this case methamidophos) killed 2 young pheasants (91 and 92% brain acetylcholinesterase [AChE] inhibition), but no deaths of adult radio-equipped hens were ascribed to direct insecticide intoxication. However, within 20 days postspray of OP insecticides, 68% (28 of 41) of the adult pheasants collected at TLNWR were exposed to antiChE insecticides, and exhibited brain AChE inhibition of 19–62%, with 15% (6 of 41) showing >55% brain AChE inhibition. The lack of radio-equipped hens dying was unexpected because >50% brain AChE inhibition has been frequently used as a ‘diagnostic tool’ for evaluating cause of death from antiChE insecticides. No young were radio-equipped, so the extent of the effects of insecticide exposure on the survivorship of young was unknown. It is concluded that insecticide exposure was not the major factor impacting the pheasant population (see Grove et al., in press), although some young were acutely intoxicated. However, the loss of insects killed by insecticide use may have contributed to food shortages of young pheasants, indirectly influencing survival.