Sensitivity of characteristic riverine insects, the caddisfly Cyrnus trimaculatus and the mayfly Ephoron virgo, to copper and diazinon

• Published in: Environmental pollution (1987) Vol. 109; no. 2; pp. 177 - 182
• Main Authors: van der Geest, H.G, Greve, G.D, Kroon, A, Kuijl, S, Kraak, M.H.S, Admiraal, W
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford Elsevier Ltd 01.01.2000; Elsevier
• Subjects: Animal, plant and microbial ecology; Applied ecology; Biological and medical sciences; Copper; Cyrnus trimaculatus; Diazinon; Ecotoxicology, biological effects of pollution; Effects of pollution and side effects of pesticides on protozoa and invertebrates; Ephoron virgo; Europe; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Polycentropodidae; Polymitarcyidae; Sensitivity ranking; Ephoron virgo; Sensitivity ranking; Copper; Cyrnus trimaculatus; Diazinon; Bioassay; Insecticide; Ecotoxicology; Ephemeroptera; Insecta; Trichoptera; Interspecific comparison; Pesticides; Risk analysis; Heavy metal; Freshwater environment; Pollutant; Lethal dose 50; Sensitivity resistance; Test; Arthropoda; Organophosphorus compounds; Stream; Models; Invertebrata
• ISSN: 0269-7491; 1873-6424
• DOI: 10.1016/S0269-7491(99)00269-9

“Capsule”: This study reports effects of two model toxicants on indigenous insect species from large European rivers. This study reports the effects of two model toxicants, copper and diazinon, on two characteristic riverine insect species, the caddisfly Cyrnus trimaculatus and the mayfly Ephoron virgo. It was demonstrated that these species are very sensitive to both compounds in comparison with aquatic insects traditionally used in ecotoxicity tests. For diazinon, the 96-h LC 50 value of Cyrnus trimaculatus (1.1 μg/l) is lower than for any other insect species known from the literature and for copper it was demonstrated that Ephoron virgo is among the most sensitive aquatic insect species. The observed low LC 50 values stress the importance of using these indigenous species in assessing the risk of environmental contaminants in large European rivers and in defining conditions for ecological recovery.