The effects of a pesticide mixture on aquatic ecosystems differing in trophic status: responses of the macrophyte Myriophyllum spicatum and the periphytic algal community

• Published in: Ecotoxicology and environmental safety Vol. 57; no. 3; pp. 383 - 398
• Main Authors: Wendt-Rasch, L, Van den Brink, P.J, Crum, S.J.H, Woin, P
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: San Diego, CA Elsevier Inc 01-03-2004; Elsevier
• Subjects: Animal, plant and microbial ecology; Applied ecology; Aquatic Ecology; aquatic environment; aquatic plants; aquatic weeds; aquatisch milieu; Aquatische ecologie; Asulam; Biologi; Biological and medical sciences; Biological Sciences; Drug Interactions; Ecology; Ecosystem; Ecotoxicology, biological effects of pollution; Ekologi; Elodea; Environmental Toxicology, Ecotoxicology; Eukaryota - growth & development; final conclusions; Fluazinam; Food Chain; fresh-water microcosms; Freshwater; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; fungicide carbendazim; General aspects; herbicide mixtures; herbicidenmengsels; insecticide dursban(r) 4e; lambda-Cyhalothrin; Lemna; Macrophytes; Magnoliopsida; Metamitron; Microcosms; Milieutoxicologie, ecotoxicologie; model-ecosystems; Myriophyllum spicatum; Natural Sciences; Naturvetenskap; niet-doelorganismen; nontarget effects; nontarget organisms; onbedoelde effecten; onkruiden; Periphyton; Pesticide mixture; pesticide residues; pesticidenresiduen; Pesticides - poisoning; phosphorus release; phytoplankton succession; Population Dynamics; primary producers; pyrethroid insecticides; schadelijke waterplanten; trofische graden; trophic levels; Trophic status; Water Pollutants, Chemical - poisoning; waterplanten; weeds; zooplankton; Pesticide mixture; Macrophytes; Asulam; Fluazinam; Periphyton; Metamitron; lambda-Cyhalothrin; Trophic status; Microcosms; Haloragidaceae; Toxicity; Myriophyllum spicatum; Dicotyledones; Ecosystem; Angiospermae; Biological effect; Aquatic plant; Thallophyta; Ecotoxicology; Plant community; Algae; Microcosm; Pesticides; 1,2,4-Triazin-5-one derivatives; Fungicide; Herbicide; Amidine; Aquatic weed; Triazine derivatives; Environment; Spermatophyta; Carbamate
• ISSN: 0147-6513; 1090-2414
• DOI: 10.1016/j.ecoenv.2003.09.010

The effects of a pesticide mixture (asulam, fluazinam, lambda-cyhalothrin, and metamitron) on aquatic ecosystems were investigated in 20 outdoor aquatic microcosms. Ten of the microcosms simulated mesotrophic aquatic ecosystems dominated by submerged macrophytes (
Elodea). The others simulated eutrophic ecosystems with a high
Lemna surface coverage (
Lemna). This paper describes the fate of the chemicals as well as their effects on the growth of
Myriophyllum spicatum and the periphytic algal community. In the
Elodea-dominated microcosms significant increase in the biomass and alterations of species composition of the periphytic algae were observed, but no effect on
M. spicatum growth could be recorded in response to the treatment. The opposite was found in the
Lemna-dominated microcosms, in which decreased growth of
M. spicatum was observed but no alterations could be found in the periphytic community. In the
Elodea-dominated microcosms the species composition of the periphytic algae diverged from that of the control following treatment with 0.5% spray drift emission of the label-recommended rate (5% for lambda-cyhalothrin), while reduced growth of
M. spicatum in the
Lemna-dominated microcosms was recorded at 2% drift (20% for lambda-cyhalothrin). This study shows that the structure of the ecosystem influences the final effect of pesticide exposure.