Is flower scent influencing host plant selection of leaf-galling sawflies (Hymenoptera, Tenthredinidae) on willows?

Though it is known that flower scent not only attracts pollinators but also herbivores, little is known about the importance of flower scent on the distribution of leaf herbivores among individuals within a plant species. In this study we determined the distribution of galls induced by the sawfly Pontania proxima (Serville 1823) (Hymenoptera, Tenthredinidae, Nematinae) on flowering and non-flowering representatives of several clones belonging to Salix fragilis and S. × rubens (Salicaceae). Further, amounts and composition of scent of flowering and non-flowering twigs were compared (dynamic headspace-gas chromatography–mass spectrometry, DHS-GC–MS), and a scent sample collected from flowering twigs of S. fragilis was tested by coupled gas chromatography and electroantennographic detection (GC-EAD) on the antennae of P. proxima females. The results show that the presence of flower catkins on plants led to a higher degree of allocation with galls, but the number of galls differed not between flowering and non-flowering plants. The DHS-GC–MS analyses revealed that the total amount of flower scent emitted per flowering twig is about 90 times higher than the scent emitted by a non-flowering twig. Further, several compounds were emitted only by flowering but not by non-flowering twigs. In the GC-EAD analyses, antennae consistently responded not only to green leaf volatiles, but also to compounds emitted only by the flowers (e.g. 1,4-dimethoxybenzene). These flower scent compounds are suggested to affect the host plant choice by attracting more sawflies from the distance to flowering plants compared to non-flowering plants. The EAD-active compounds emitted from vegetative plant parts are assumed to act as long-distance signals especially when flowers are absent on host plants, e.g. during the oviposition period of the second generation of P. proxima.     

Biomonitoring and environmental specimen banking

The environmental specimen banking program (ESB) of the Federal Republic of Germany implies a collection of specimens from representative areas of Germany, stored under stable conditions for deferred analysis. It is an important part of the ecological assessment program. The ecological concept is presented as the frame of the entire ESB program. It is based on the selection of representative sampling areas and specimens. Standard operating procedures (SOP’s) for sampling and characterization of specimens, as well as sampling designs specific to the areas, are presented as further important parts of the quality assurance system in relation to the correct sampling of specimens.     

Indicators for persistence and long-range transport potential as derived from multicompartment chemistry-transport modelling

Total environmental and compartmental residence times as a measure for persistence as well as indicators for long-range transport potential (LRTP) have been derived from global geo-referenced modelling and LRTP is characterized in two geographic directions for the first time. A dynamic multicompartment chemistry-transport model (MCTM) was used to study the fate of the insecticides DDT and alpha-hexachlorocyclohexane (alpha-HCH) during the first 2 years upon entry. The indicators for LRTP were defined such as to address the tendencies of substance distributions to migrate ('plume displacement', PD) and to spread into remote areas ('spatial spreading', SS). The indicators deliver values as function of time upon entry. With the aim to address the effect of location of entry on environmental fate, scenarios of emission from the territories of seven countries were studied. It was found that the effect of location of entry on the spatial scale of countries (400-4000 km) is significant for the compartmental distribution and the inter-compartmental mass exchange fluxes (e.g., number of atmospheric cycles, 'hops'). Location of entry introduces uncertainties in the order of a factor of 5 for the total environmental residence time, tau(overall), and a factor of 5-20 for PD and SS. For the 2nd year upon entry into the environment, tau(overall)=317-1527 days are predicted for DDT and 101-463 days for alpha-HCH. The influence of location of entry does affect the substance ranking, i.e. we cannot simply state that DDT is more persistent than alpha-HCH, but for one scenario studied, application in China, the opposite is predicted. Precipitation patterns proved to be significant, besides other climate parameters, for atmospheric residence time. Integration of the location of entry in chemicals risk assessments is therefore recommended. In general, persistence and some indicators for LRTP, pertinent to their definition, refer to the fate of a large fraction, e.g., 63% (=1-1/e) or 90%, but not the total substance burden. The choice of this fraction may have the consequence of a normative step which defines the spatial and temporal extensions of a related chemicals risk assessment and may affect substance ranking.     

Non-polar halogenated natural products bioaccumulated in marine samples. I. 2,3,3',4,4',5,5'-Heptachloro-1'-methyl-1,2'-bipyrrole (Q1)

This presentation adds new spectroscopic and analytical data on the natural product Q1 that was recently identified by synthesis as 2,3,3('),4,4('),5,5(')-heptachloro-1(')-methyl-1,2(')-bipyrrole. Solid state magic angle spinning 13C NMR data of Q1 is presented as an option for structural proof. Furthermore, the UV spectrum of neat Q1 (absorption maximum at 223 nm) was recorded and, with NMR spectroscopic data, confirmed a twisted bipyrrole ring system. A quantitative standard of Q1 was prepared which allowed to correct previous concentration estimates relative to the electron capture detector response factor of trans-nonachlor. As a result, the actual Q1 response was only 0.65+/-15% of the response factor of trans-nonachlor. Therefore, actual Q1 levels are about 50% higher than the previous estimates. With this result the highest (corrected) Q1 concentration determined to date in the blubber of marine mammals from Australia is 14 mg/kg lipid. Analysis of Q1 and trans-nonachlor in specimens from the German North Sea coast suggests that harbor seals are more able to metabolize Q1 than harbor porpoises. Finally, we calculated that 79 congeners of Q1 (i.e. lower chlorinated 1(')-methyl-1,2(')-bipyrroles) are theoretically possible and present their structures.     

Baseline survey of concentrations of toxaphene congeners in fish from European waters

The European Union project "Investigation into the monitoring, analysis and toxicity of toxaphene"(MATT) began in 1997 involving participants from the Netherlands, Ireland, Norway and Germany. Concentration information, analytical methodology and statistical interpretation of 207 samples covering 23 different fish species from European waters are presented for three toxaphene indicator congeners: CHBs 26, 50 and 62 (CHB = chlorobornane). Concentrations for the Sigma3CHBs were more elevated in fish from more northern latitudes, such as the Barents and Norwegian Sea, compared to fish from Irish, Dutch and German waters. Concentrations were lowest in shellfish and in fish species having low lipid content and were highest in medium/high lipid species. Females from a number of fish species were shown to contain significantly higher concentrations than those observed in male fish. Overall no samples were shown to exceed existing German MRL legislation, with only one Greenland halibut sample shown to exceed Canadian TDI recommendations.     

Analysis of groundwater contamination using concentration-time series recorded during an integral pumping test: bias introduced by strong concentration gradients within the plume

When only few monitoring wells are available to assess the extent and level of groundwater contamination, inversion of concentration breakthrough curves acquired during an integral pumping test can be used as an alternative quantification method. The idea is to use concentration-time series recorded during integral pumping tests through an inversion technique to estimate contaminant mass fluxes crossing a control plane. In this paper, we examine how a longitudinal concentration gradient along a contaminant plume length scale affects the estimated inversed-concentration distribution and its associated mass flux. The analytically inversed-concentration distribution at the imaginary control plane (ICP) is compared to a numerically generated concentration distribution, treating the latter one as a "real contaminant plume" characterized by the presence of a longitudinal concentration gradient. It is found that the analytically inversed-concentration can lead to overestimation or underestimation of concentration distribution values depending on the transport time period and dispersivity values. At lower dispersivity values, with shorter transport time periods, the analytically inversed-concentration distribution overestimates the "real" concentration distribution. A better fit of the estimated concentration distribution to the "real" one is observed when the transport time period increases, i.e. when the advective front has already crossed the ICP. However, for higher dispersivity values, underestimation of the real concentration distribution is observed. Deviation of the inversed-concentration distribution from the "real" one is assessed for a site-specific concentration gradient term. A concentration gradient adjusted contaminant mass flux is thus formulated to evaluate groundwater contamination levels at a given time period through an ICP. This concentration gradient ratio can indicate whether the ICP is well positioned to evaluate accurately contaminant mass fluxes which are representative of groundwater contamination levels.     

Effects of time-averaging climate parameters on predicted multicompartmental fate of pesticides and POPs

With the aim to investigate the justification of time-averaging of climate parameters in multicompartment modelling the effects of various climate parameters and different modes of entry on the predicted substances' total environmental burdens and the compartmental fractions were studied. A simple, non-steady state zero-dimensional (box) mass-balance model of intercompartmental mass exchange which comprises four compartments was used for this purpose. Each two runs were performed, one temporally unresolved (time-averaged conditions) and a time-resolved (hourly or higher) control run. In many cases significant discrepancies are predicted, depending on the substance and on the parameter. We find discrepancies exceeding 10% relative to the control run and up to an order of magnitude for prediction of the total environmental burden from neglecting seasonalities of the soil and ocean temperatures and the hydroxyl radical concentration in the atmosphere and diurnalities of atmospheric mixing depth and the hydroxyl radical concentration in the atmosphere. Under some conditions it was indicated that substance sensitivity could be explained by the magnitude of the sink terms in the compartment(s) with parameters varying. In general, however, any key for understanding substance sensitivity seems not be linked in an easy manner to the properties of the substance, to the fractions of its burden or to the sink terms in either of the compartments with parameters varying. Averaging of diurnal variability was found to cause errors of total environmental residence time of different sign for different substances. The effects of time-averaging of several parameters are in general not additive but synergistic as well as compensatory effects occur. An implication of these findings is that the ranking of substances according to persistence is sensitive to time resolution on the scale of hours to months. As a conclusion it is recommended to use high temporal resolution in multi-media modelling.     

Chlorinated hydrocarbons in sediments of the Elbe River and the Elbe Estuary

Eight sediment samples collected between Hamburg and Cuxhaven were analysed for organic micropollutants. Using three different methods the following compounds were determined: α-HCH, γ-HCH, HCB, PCB, DDT-family, pentachlorobenzene and octachlorostyrene.     

Vorlesungs- und Seminarprojekt ‘Globale Zukunftsfragen’

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