Impact of genetic diversity and inbreeding on the life-history of Chironomus midges over consecutive generations

We report results of a multigenerational experiment with Chironomus riparius. Two strains with a high and a low level of genetic variability were exposed to a low, environmentally relevant TBT concentration of 80 μg Sn kg⁻¹ sediment dw nominally (time weighted mean, based on measured concentrations: 4.5 μg Sn kg⁻¹ sediment dw), and various life history traits as well as genetic diversity were monitored for eleven consecutive generations. While TBT effects are hardly visible in the outbred and genetically diverse strain, the inbred and genetically impoverished strain shows a clearly reduced population growth rate compared to the control. Moreover, the impoverished strain shows an increase in fitness over time. Analyses of variation at five microsatellite loci revealed that the level of genetic variation is strongly reduced in the inbred compared to the outbred strain. Moreover, genetic diversity increases over time in the inbred strain. This finding explains the observed increase in fitness in both inbred lineages (control and TBT exposed). The results document that inbreeding and the level of genetic diversity might be of crucial importance in populations under pollution stress. Furthermore, ecotoxicological bioassays have to consider genetic diversity if results between laboratories should be comparable. Our data provides evidence that genetic diversity strongly contributes to the survival of a population exposed to chemical pollution.     

Comparative toxicity of nine metals to two Malaysian aquatic dipterian larvae with reference to sediment composition

A study was conducted on the effects of sediment type in modifying the toxicity of heavy metals to chironomus and culicoides larvae. Three types of sediment were obtained from three locations within the University Malaysia Terengganu compound and analyzed for sediment type. Based on the analysis, the sediment samples were classified as silt loam, silty–clay loam, and loam. Sediment toxicity tests were conducted following the standard methods of ASTM (2005). Toxicity studies using the three sediment samples were conducted to determine if sediment type affected the toxicity of heavy metals to the two dipterian larvae. The LC₅₀ of the different heavy metals was observed to vary between the three sediment types. In the case of zinc, the LC₅₀ value was observed to be 38.53 mg L^?1 for silt loam, 42.22 mg L^?1 for silty-clay loam and 70.99 mg L^?1 for loam, in the case of Chironomus plumosus. This trend was observed for all nine heavy metals tested, as well as for both dipterian larvae. The data indicate that sediment type plays a role in the manner in which these organisms react to pollutants entering their habitat.