Arden R. Gaufin

Hyporheic Communities of Two Montana Rivers

Collections of stream organisms from a domestic water supply system adjacent to the Tobacco River revealed that a detritus-based community exists in subterranean waters circulating through floodplain gravels at least 4.2 meters below and 50 meters laterally from the river channel. Several stone fly species spend their entire nymphal life cycles in underground habitats of the Flathead and Tobacco rivers.

Acute cadmium toxicity studies upon nine species of aquatic insects.

Abstract Continuous-flow bioassays were employed to determine 96-hour median tolerance limits (TLm), for the stonefly, Pteronarcella badia (Hagen) (TLm was 18.0 mg Cd/l) and the mayfly, Ephemerella grandis grandis Eaton (TLm was 28.0 mg Cd/l). Ninety-six hours TLm values for other species of aquatic insects tested were not determined, since these species were relatively insensitive to cadmium. Insects exposed for four days in cadmium-containing water, then placed in tap water, show a linear rate of cadmium loss. This loss may lower or prevent mortality under ideal conditions.

The Effects of Sewage Pollution on the Fish Population of a Midwestern Stream

Abstract Collections of fish were made in Lytle Creek, Clinton County, Ohio, to determine the effect of the partially treated domestic sewage of Wilmington, Ohio, on the fish populations of this stream. The farther the collecting localities were downstream from the plant effluent, the greater were the numbers of species and individuals found. In the septic areas, immediately below the effluent, no fish were observed or collected. Two miles below, in the recovery zone, an average of 1.2 species and 2.2 individuals were taken per collection, with 8 different species represented. Three miles below, also in the recovery zone, 12 species were represented in our collections, with a mean of 1.7 species and 10.8 individuals per collection. In the lower portion of the recovery zone, 4.4 miles below the effluent, 32 species were taken, with a mean of 12.7 species and 197 individuals. In the clean-water zone, 36 species were taken, with a mean of 16.7 species and 294 individuals. No species could be used as indicato...

Isolation and characterization of a glycoprotein from the stonefly, Pteronarcys californica, which binds cadmium

Abstract The present study reports the isolation and characterization of a cadmium-containing glycoprotein from the water-soluble fraction of an aquatic insect. The isolated glycoprotein contained 0·67% cadmium, 62·1% carbohydrate, and 37·2% protein. The glycoprotein appears to be involved in the detoxification of cadmium, because species insensitive to cadmium contain five times the amount of the glycoprotein as do species sensitive to cadmium.

Oxygen consumption of several species of stoneflies (Plecoptera)

Abstract The oxygen consumption rates of various species of stoneflies (Plecoptera) were determined and the effect that various factors have in modifying the metabolic levels of various stonefly species was evaluated. The rate of stonefly oxygen consumption was found to be influenced by such variables as temperature, body size, stage in life cycle, genetic background, and sex of the organism.

Effects of Ten Organic Insecticides on Two Species of Stonefly Naiads

Abstract Two species of stonefly naiads were exposed to the chlorinated hydrocarbons DDT, aldrin, dieldrin, and endrin and to the organic phosphates parathion, malathion, guthion, Dylox, Di-Syston, and Bayer-29493. After the introduction of the pesticide, tests were run for 96 hours with observations made after each 24-hour period. There was a definite increase in mortality for both Pteronarcys californica and Acroneuria pacifica with increasing exposure time. Higher concentrations of insecticides produced higher death rates more rapidly than lower concentrations. There were definite symptoms of poisoning noted during the 4-day bioassays. The symptoms did not vary for the two species of stonefly naiads. Animals displaying tremors or convulsions usually died within 24 hours. Both species could recover from the effects of the poisons if they were removed from the solutions of toxicant before the tremors began. Removal from the test solution after the onset of tremors did not prevent death. With the same ins...

Synergism between dissolved oxygen and cadmium toxicity in five species of aquatic insects

Abstract Continuous-flow bioassays were employed to determine the relationship between dissolved oxygen and cadmium upon five species of aquatic insects, as measured by survival and the amount of cadmium found within the insect. Results indicate the toxicity of cadmium increases as the dissolved oxygen concentration increases. This may be explained by an observed increase in the amount of cadmium found in the insect as the dissolved oxygen concentration increases. Oxygen consumption has been reported to increase as the dissolved oxygen concentration increases ( Petty, 1967 ; Ericksen, 1963 ; Fox et al. , 1937 ). In this study, using a fixed cadmium concentration, the amount of cadmium found in the insect also increased with an increase in the dissolved oxygen. Therefore, cadmium absorption may be coupled to metabolism.

Long-Term Effects of Organic Insecticides on Two Species of Stonefly Naiads

Abstract Two species of stonefly naiads, Acroneuria pacifica Banks and Pteronarcys californica Newport, were exposed to various organic insecticides for a period of thirty days in concentrations at or less than the 4-day TLm concentrations for each species. In general, the concentrations at or near the 4-day TLm concentrations were lethal to 50 per cent of the specimens within 4 to 10 days of continuous exposure. Less concentrated solutions produced toxic symptoms after 10 to 14 days. With some insecticides these symptoms appeared only after 21 days of continuous exposure. Normal molting of the specimens was inhibited in the aquaria at or near the 4-day TLm concentrations. In lesser concentrations molting was not reduced until after 21 to 25 days of exposure, at which time marked reductions in molting rates were observed.

The toxicity of three mercurials to Pteronarcys californica newport, and some possible physiological effects which influence the toxicities

Abstract There is little information available on the toxicity of mercurials to aquatic insects. The information that is available is confined to field observations or medium tolerance limit (TLm) values using only one form of mercury. The TLm values were determined for three different forms of mercury (phenylmercuric-, and methylmercuric-, and mercuric chloride) to the stonefly Pteronarcys californica . The order of toxicity of the three forms was found to be phenylmercuric chloride > methylmercuric chloride > mercuric chloride. The in vivo effect of the three forms of mercury on isolated gylceraldehyde-3-phosphate-dehydrogenase was also measured. Two possible physiological factors involved in determining the toxicity of mercury (or other metals) to aquatic insects may be the catabolic pathways being employed at any period during the year, particularly during periods of molting, and age of the instar.