Ecological relevance of suborganismal and population responses of terrestrial oligochaeta to the fungicide copper oxychloride

Date
2000-12
Authors
Maboeta, Mark Steve
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University
Abstract
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Copper oxychloride is a fungicide that is extensively used in vineyards in the Western Cape to treat and prevent fungal diseases. It is however not clear what the effects are on soil organisms, which play an important role in soil fertility, in South African soils. There is paucity of data linking results obtained in the laboratory to effects observed in the field, which will only become useful if a clear relation can be demonstrated. The aims of this study were to: ~ Determine the effects of copper oxychloride on field populations of earthworms and simultaneously monitor lysosomal membrane stability, measured as neutral red retention time (NRRT). ~ Validate experimental field studies by doing inventories of earthworm populations in long-term sprayed vineyards. ~ Determine the LC50 of copper oxychloride and simultaneously measuring NRRT, and linking them to the experimental field studies. ~ Conduct bioassays, burrowing activity- and soil-avoidance experiments to investigate their relations to earthworm population responses in the experimental field studies. Earthworms were sampled by hand-sorting in the field tests on treated and untreated field plots in the Western- (October 1998 - July 1999) and Northern Cape (April 1998 - October 1999). Soil samples and worms were analysed for copper contents and coelomocytes of live earthworms were used to conduct the neutral red retention assays. Acute toxicity tests were conducted over a period of 28 days during which the earthworms (Eisenia fetiday were exposed to different concentrations of copper oxychloride. Change in biomass and mortality were measured as endpoints, as well as NRRT. Bioassays, burrowing activity and soil-avoidance were conducted by exposing Aporrectodea caliginosa to grassland- and vineyard soil as well as grassland soil spiked with 60 J.1g.g-1copper in the form of copper oxychloride. Growth and mortality were recorded in the bioassays as well as copper concentrations In earthworm body tissues and substrates used over a period of28 days. Burrowing activity and soil-avoidance were determined by measuring the length of tunnels burrowed by A. caliginosa in soil profiles over a period of 4 days under different exposure regimes. Results from the field tests showed that spraying of copper oxychloride had a negative effect on earthworm populations at the prescribed application rates. NRR T in earthworms from the exposure plots was significantly (p<0.05) lower after just one spraying application. It was concluded that spraying copper oxychloride at prescribed application rates caused a decrease in field populations of earthworms and that NRRT was an early and reliable biomarker since it was indicative of later effects observed at the population level. Results obtained from the field inventory of earthworms in vineyards at Nietvoorbij, Robertson end Worcester confirmed data from the two field studies. The calculated LC50 of 882.78 I1g.g-1 for copper oxychloride and 519.40 I1g.g-1 for copper was ecologically relevant if a safety factor of 10 was applied. NRRT which manifested earlier than effects on biomass change in the acute toxicity tests, were significant when viewed against the background of responses of field populations of earthworms. From the bioassay experiments it was found that A. caliginosa exposed to copper oxychloride spiked soil had significantly (p<0.05) higher weight loss and mortality than those in grassland- and vineyard soil. This indicated that changes in biomass and mortality were indicative of population responses in the field and can be considered as ecologically relevant. Burrowing activity of A. caliginosa was significantly (p<0.05) lower in vineyard and copper oxychloride spiked soil than in grassland soil. Similarly in the soil avoidance experiments it was found that A. caliginosa avoided vineyard- and copper oxychloride contaminated soil. It is therefore concluded that burrowing activity and soil avoidance were ecologically relevant endpoints since they corresponded with population responses in the field. The study thus revealed that the long-term usage of copper oxychloride could have negative effects on earthworm populations. The spraying of copper oxychloride can have important implications on the sustainable use of agricultural soils since earthworms and other soil organisms play such an important role in soil fertility. The use of biomarkers and other ecotoxicological indicators can provide an early warning that soil organisms are under environmental stress.
AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die fungisied koperoksichloried word wyd gebruik in die Wes-Kaap om swamsiektes in wingerde te beheer en te voorkom. Dit is egter nie bekend wat die effek daarvan op Suid Afrikaanse grondbiota, wat 'n belangrike rol speel in grondvrugbaarheid, is nie. Daar is ook 'n tekort aan inligting wat die resultate van laboratoriumondersoeke in verband bring met veldstudies. Die doelstellings van die studie was om: ~ Die effek van koperoksichloried op erdwurmpopulasies in die veld te ondersoek en terselfdertyd membraanstabiliteit, as moontlike biomerker, gemeet as neutraal rooi retensietye (NRRT), te monitor. ~ Die geldigheid van eksperimentele veldstudies te toets deur ook grondanalises te doen in wingerde wat oor langtermyn met koperoksichloried bespuit is. ~ Die LC50 van koperoksichloried vir erdwurms te bepaal en terselfdertyd NRR T te meet asook om dié gegewens in verband te bring met die resultate van seisoenale veldstudies oor die uitwerking op erdwurmpopulasies. ~ Bio-evaluerings ("bioassays"), tonnelaktiwiteit- en vermydingseksperimente te onderneem en die verband tussen die toksiteitstoetse en populasieresponse, soos waargeneem in die veld, te ondersoek. Erdwurms is versamel deur handsortering tydens die veldtoetse in die Wes- (Oktober 1998 - Julie 1999) en Noord-Kaap (April 1998 - Oktober 1999) op kontrole en bespuite persele. Grondmonsters en erdwurms is spektrofotometries geanaliseer om koperinhoude te bepaal. Die selomosiete van lewende wurms is gebruik om NRR T te bepaal. Akute toksisiteitstoetse is uitgevoer oor 'n tydperk van 28 dae waartydens Eisenia fetida blootgestel is aan verskillende koperoksichloried konsentrasies. Veranderinge in biomassa en mortaliteit is bepaal asook NRRT. Bioevaluerings ("bioassays"), tonnelaktiwiteit- en vermydingseksperimente IS uitgevoer deur Aporrectodea caliginosa bloot te stel aan grasveld- en wingerdgrond asook grasveldgrond wat met koperoksichloried gekontamineer is. Groei en mortalitiet is bepaal in die "bioassays" asook koperkonsentrasies in die grond en erdwurm liggaamsweefsels oor 'n tydperk van 28 dae. Tonnelaktiwiteit en grondvermyding is bepaal deur die lengte van tonnels wat deur A. caliginosa gegrawe is te meet oor 'n tydperk van vier dae vir die verskillende blootgestelde groepe. Die resultate het aangedui dat koperoksichloriedbespuiting 'n negatiewe invloed het op erdwurmpopulasies teen die voorgeskrewe toedieningsprogram. NRRT in erdwurms van die blootstellingperseel, was beduidend (p<0.05) laer na 'n enkele bespuiting. Daar is verder bevind dat NRR T 'n betroubare en vroeë biomerker is, aangesien dit 'n aanduiding gegee het van latere effekte wat op populasievlak na vore getree het. Veldopnames in Nietvoorbij, Robertson en Worcester het die geldigheid van data verkry uit die veldstudies ondersteun. Die berekende LC50 van 882.78 ug.g" vir koperoksichloried en 519.40 ug.g" VIr koper was ekologies relevant indien 'n veiligheidsfaktor van 10 toegepas is. NRRT se ekologiese relevansie is bevestig deur dit te vergelyk met response wat in die veldtoetse waargeneem is. Deur bioevalueringseksperimente is bevind dat gewigsverlies en mortaliteit van A. caliginosa beduidend hoër was in koperoksichloried gekontamineerde grond as in die grasveld- (kontrole) en wingerdgronde. Veranderinge in biomassa en mortalitiet was aanduidend van populasieresponse soos waargeneem in die veldstudies en kan dus as ekologies relevante eindpunte beskou word. Tonnelaktiwiteit van A. caliginosa was beduidend (p<0.05) laer in wingerd- en koperoksichloried gekontamineerde grond as in grasveldgrond. Dieselfde is gevind in die grondvermydingstoetse waar A. caliginosa wingerd- en koperoksichloried gekontamineerde grond vermy het. Dit kan dus afgelei dat tonnelaktiwiteit en grondvermyding ook ekologies bruikbare eindpunte is aangesien dit verband hou met populasieresponse soos waargeneem in die veldstudies. Hierdie studie het getoon dat die herhaalde gebruik van koperoksichloried 'n nadelige invloed kan hê op erdwurmbevolkings. In die lig van die belangrike rol wat erdwurms en ander grondorganismes speel in grondvrugbaarheid kan die oormatige gebruik van hierdie fungisied ernstige implikasies inhou vir volhoubare benutting van landbougronde. Die gebruik van biomerkers en ander ekotoksikologiese eindpunte kan egter as vroeë waarskuwingsmetode dien dat die grondorganismes onder omgewingstres verkeer.
Description
Thesis (Ph.D)--Stellenbosch University, 2000.
Keywords
Fungicides -- Environmental aspects, Phytopathogenic microorganisms -- Control -- Environmental aspects, Earthworms -- Effect of pesticides on, Oligochaeta -- Effect of pesticides on, Dissertations -- Zoology
Citation