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Effects of metsulfuron methyl and cypermethrin exposure on freshwater model ecosystems

Wendt-Rasch, Lina LU ; Pirzadeh, Pardis LU and Woin, Per LU (2003) In Aquatic Toxicology 63(3). p.243-256
Abstract
The aim of this study was to investigate the short-term (2 weeks) effects of the herbicide metsulfuron methyl alone and in combination with the insecticide cypermethrin in freshwater enclosures (80 1). We used a factorial design with four levels of herbicide (0, 1, 5, 20 mug/1) and two levels of insecticide (0 and 0.05 mug/1). The root growth of the macrophyte species Elodea canadensis and Myriophyllum spicatum decreased following exposure to the lowest concentration of metsulfuron methyl tested. Metsulfuron methyl exposure resulted in a decreased pH in the aquatic enclosure at the lowest concentration tested, which is most likely a further indication of decreased macrophyte primary production. The biomass of periphytic algae growing on... (More)
The aim of this study was to investigate the short-term (2 weeks) effects of the herbicide metsulfuron methyl alone and in combination with the insecticide cypermethrin in freshwater enclosures (80 1). We used a factorial design with four levels of herbicide (0, 1, 5, 20 mug/1) and two levels of insecticide (0 and 0.05 mug/1). The root growth of the macrophyte species Elodea canadensis and Myriophyllum spicatum decreased following exposure to the lowest concentration of metsulfuron methyl tested. Metsulfuron methyl exposure resulted in a decreased pH in the aquatic enclosure at the lowest concentration tested, which is most likely a further indication of decreased macrophyte primary production. The biomass of periphytic algae growing on the leaves of M. spicatum increased in the enclosures exposed to metsulfuron methyl. The species composition of the periphytic algae differed significantly from the controls in the enclosures exposed to 20 mug/1 of the herbicide. The increased biomass of periphytic algae on the leaves of the macrophytes is probably an indirect effect of the herbicide exposure. The exposure to metsulfuron methyl possibly induced a leakage of nutrients from the macrophyte leaves, which promoted an increased algal growth. The exposure to metsulfuron methyl did not alter the biomass or the species composition of the phytoplankton community. The zooplankton communities in the enclosures were dominated by rotifers, which were not affected by the exposure to cypermethrin. However, a cypermethrin exposure of 0.05 mug/1 initially decreased the abundance of copepod nauplii. Ten days after exposure, the abundance of nauplii was significantly higher in the insecticide-exposed enclosures compared with the non-exposed enclosures. This might be an indication of a sub-lethal stress response, which either increased the number of offspring produced or induced an increased hatching of copepod resting stages. No combined effects of the herbicide and insecticide exposure, either direct or indirect, were observed in the enclosure study. Significant effects on the macrophytes were observed following exposure to 1 mug metsulfuron methyl per litre in the enclosure study. Furthermore, a single species laboratory assay indicated that the shoot elongation of E canadensis decreased following exposure to greater than or equal to 0. 1 mug metsulfuron methyl per litre. These concentrations are well within the range of expected environmental concentrations, thus this study shows that aquatic ecosystems, in particular those which are macrophyte-dominated, may be affected by metsulfuron methyl at concentrations that may well occur in water bodies adjacent to agricultural land. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved. (Less)
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author
; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
in
Aquatic Toxicology
volume
63
issue
3
pages
243 - 256
publisher
Elsevier
external identifiers
  • pmid:12711414
  • wos:000182765800004
  • scopus:0037426621
ISSN
1879-1514
DOI
10.1016/S0166-445X(02)00183-2
language
English
LU publication?
yes
additional info
The information about affiliations in this record was updated in December 2015. The record was previously connected to the following departments: Chemical Ecology/Ecotoxicology (Closed 2011) (011006020)
id
2af70cfe-3834-4133-9475-640d5956562a (old id 135938)
date added to LUP
2016-04-01 12:19:23
date last changed
2022-03-28 23:18:51
@article{2af70cfe-3834-4133-9475-640d5956562a,
  abstract     = {{The aim of this study was to investigate the short-term (2 weeks) effects of the herbicide metsulfuron methyl alone and in combination with the insecticide cypermethrin in freshwater enclosures (80 1). We used a factorial design with four levels of herbicide (0, 1, 5, 20 mug/1) and two levels of insecticide (0 and 0.05 mug/1). The root growth of the macrophyte species Elodea canadensis and Myriophyllum spicatum decreased following exposure to the lowest concentration of metsulfuron methyl tested. Metsulfuron methyl exposure resulted in a decreased pH in the aquatic enclosure at the lowest concentration tested, which is most likely a further indication of decreased macrophyte primary production. The biomass of periphytic algae growing on the leaves of M. spicatum increased in the enclosures exposed to metsulfuron methyl. The species composition of the periphytic algae differed significantly from the controls in the enclosures exposed to 20 mug/1 of the herbicide. The increased biomass of periphytic algae on the leaves of the macrophytes is probably an indirect effect of the herbicide exposure. The exposure to metsulfuron methyl possibly induced a leakage of nutrients from the macrophyte leaves, which promoted an increased algal growth. The exposure to metsulfuron methyl did not alter the biomass or the species composition of the phytoplankton community. The zooplankton communities in the enclosures were dominated by rotifers, which were not affected by the exposure to cypermethrin. However, a cypermethrin exposure of 0.05 mug/1 initially decreased the abundance of copepod nauplii. Ten days after exposure, the abundance of nauplii was significantly higher in the insecticide-exposed enclosures compared with the non-exposed enclosures. This might be an indication of a sub-lethal stress response, which either increased the number of offspring produced or induced an increased hatching of copepod resting stages. No combined effects of the herbicide and insecticide exposure, either direct or indirect, were observed in the enclosure study. Significant effects on the macrophytes were observed following exposure to 1 mug metsulfuron methyl per litre in the enclosure study. Furthermore, a single species laboratory assay indicated that the shoot elongation of E canadensis decreased following exposure to greater than or equal to 0. 1 mug metsulfuron methyl per litre. These concentrations are well within the range of expected environmental concentrations, thus this study shows that aquatic ecosystems, in particular those which are macrophyte-dominated, may be affected by metsulfuron methyl at concentrations that may well occur in water bodies adjacent to agricultural land. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.}},
  author       = {{Wendt-Rasch, Lina and Pirzadeh, Pardis and Woin, Per}},
  issn         = {{1879-1514}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{3}},
  pages        = {{243--256}},
  publisher    = {{Elsevier}},
  series       = {{Aquatic Toxicology}},
  title        = {{Effects of metsulfuron methyl and cypermethrin exposure on freshwater model ecosystems}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/S0166-445X(02)00183-2}},
  doi          = {{10.1016/S0166-445X(02)00183-2}},
  volume       = {{63}},
  year         = {{2003}},
}