Pilar Rodriguez

Selective feeding by the aquatic oligochaete Tubifex tubifex (Tubificidae, Clitellata)

The particle size distribution of faecal pellets produced by the tubificid worm Tubifex tubifex in laboratory culture, was measured with a Coulter® Multisizer. The faecal material from worms cultured in a range of sediments was composed of particles with a mean diameter of less than 63 μm, and only a few isolated larger particles were found by microscopic analysis. This suggests that this species actively selects the silt-clay fraction, avoiding larger sand particles. A more detailed analysis of faeces revealed that about 75%, by volume, was composed of particles with a mean diameter < 25μm, and the mode was < 10μm. T. tubifex fed selectively on the organic rich particles of the sediment, and this feeding was independent of particle size. Measurement of the organic content of faeces (measured as % loss on ignition) showed that they had a consistently higher organic content than the sediment, considered as whole sediments or the <63 μm sieved fraction. On the basis of these results, we hypothesise that this species exhibits two levels of selectivity in its feeding behaviour. Thus selection is primarily based on particle size, avoiding the ingestion of sand particles and also, on the preferential selection of particles associated with organic material, within the fine (silt-clay) fraction of the sediment.

A comparison of reproduction, growth and acute toxicity in two populations of Tubifex tubifex (Müller, 1774) from the North American Great Lakes and Northern Spain

Reproduction in Tubifex tubifex is being used as part of a suite of indicators of sediment toxicity in Canada and Spain, and reproduction of T. tubifex is being considered as a component of sediment objectives for environmental regulation and clean-up in the Canadian Great Lakes. The data being used to set these reproductive targets have been developed from a single culture of T. tubifex from Lake Erie. The plasticity of this particular species is well known and before it can be adopted widely as a test organism it is necessary to determine whether a single culture source should be used or if cultures derived from different populations respond similarly. A series of experiments with two cultures, one from Lake Erie the second from a small mountain stream in Northern Spain have shown that the Spanish worms appear to produce fewer cocoons per adult (mean 8.6 S.D. 1.0) than those from Lake Erie (mean 10.4 S.D. 0.3) at 22.5 °C, a standard test temperature. The number of young produced per adult by the Spanish culture is also lower (mean 19.0 S.D. 4.6) than the L. Erie population (mean 30.6 S.D. 2.3), however, the Spanish population has higher reproductions rates at a lower temperature. The Spanish worms also have lower and more variable growth rates than the Canadian population. There also appear to be slight differences in the sensitivities to toxicants, with the Canadian worms having higher LC50s for copper, chromium and cadmium. While there are differences in the responses in the two cultures these are not considered to be sufficient to invalidate the use of either population in a standard bioassay protocol as long as appropriate calibration and validation are undertaken.

The Pollution Biology of Aquatic Oligochaetes

The pollution biology of aquatic oligochaetes / , The pollution biology of aquatic oligochaetes / , مرکز فناوری اطلاعات و اطلاع رسانی کشاورزی

Oligochaetes in southern European groundwater : new records and an overview

This work deals with an overview of the faunal composition and presents a general ecological approach to the groundwater oligochaetes in southern Europe. The species richness is high and similar to that of the superficial waters in the same area. Among the 150 species that we found, about 29 are stygobiont, so the total number of stygobiont species in the area studied has been increased to 58. Ten of these species are tubificids with marine phyletic affinities. A list of the most frequently found species and the relative abundance of the different families and genera collected in the main environments investigated are presented. Although enchytraeids often dominated the fauna, lumbriculids and tubificids exhibit a high level of diversity and comprised the majority of stygobiont and stygophilous taxa found. The discovery of members of the family Parvidrilidae in southern European caves is the first outside of North America. This indicates that the family is widely distributed in the Palearctic region and typical of underground waters. Here, we update the previous evaluation of the knowledge about oligochaetes inhabiting groundwater: 96 species of stygobiont freshwater oligochaetes (sensu stricto) are now known in the world and 81 of them have been recorded from the Palearctic region.

Sediment Toxicity Bioassays for Assessment of Contaminated Sites in the Nervion River (Northern Spain). 2. Tubifex tubifex Reproduction Sediment Bioassay

Toxicity assessment based on sediment chronic bioassays with the aquatic worm Tubifex tubifex was performed at ten contaminated sites in the industrial area of Bilbao (Northern Spain). One control and three reference sites were also included. Tubifex bioassay measures both survival and reproduction impairment. These endpoints have been contrasted and discussed in relation to somatic growth and both individual and total biomass of cocoons. Survival was only affected at one site which was heavily contaminated by organic compounds, mainly PAHs. A group of four severely ecotoxic sediments was characterised by a drastic reduction in number and size of cocoons, and adult somatic growth. In other group of sediments, some significant increases were found for these variables. It is suggested that these increases represent an effect of hormesis. An index of reproductive effort was used to integrate the relationship between somatic growth and reproduction. Values of reproductive effort at the test sediments were lower than those at the control sediment, suggesting a conservative strategy of oligochaete worms which consisted in an investment into somatic line (growth) at the expenses of offspring. Rates of food consumption which were estimated from egestion rates, were low at the contaminated sites. This fact could be related to the low production levels found at these sites and may reflect avoidance feeding behaviour of the oligochaete worms within the sediments. At some reference sites, high production could have resulted from high nutritional quality of sediments, or to an hormetic effect due to low concentration of some chemicals. Results are discussed in relation to toxicity data from sediment three-brood bioassay with Daphnia magna Straus performed separately on the same sediments.

Sediment Toxicity Bioassays for Assessment of Contaminated Sites in the Nervion River (Northern Spain). 1. Three-Brood Sediment Chronic Bioassay of Daphnia Magna Straus

The ecotoxicity of sediments from ten contaminated sites of the Nervion river catchment were assessed with the three-brood chronic sediment bioassay of Daphnia magna. Three additional locations were used as reference sites and one site as control for every bioassay. Survival, number and biomass of neonates and final adult biomass were measured as chronic ecotoxicity endpoints. High mortality of daphnids was observed at one site where sediment was heavily contaminated by metals. At the remaining sites only sublethal reproductive responses were observed, including inhibition of maturity and hence of reproduction, brood delay, reduction in number of neonates and lower adult final biomass. Hormetic responses in adult final biomass and number of neonates per brood were observed where toxicant concentrations were low or were not bioavailable. Female fecundity increased with size in the controls but the reproductive effort is lower in daphnids exposed to contaminated sediments. This was interpreted as an auto-conservative strategy of the species.

Monitoring the sensitivity of the oligochaete Tubifex tubifex in laboratory cultures using three toxicants.

Acute toxicity tests were conducted to assess the sensitivity of laboratory cultured Tubifex tubifex (Annelida, Clitellata), as an intralaboratory quality assurance requirement for the test organisms used in sediment chronic bioassays. Worms were exposed to cadmium, copper, and chromium in water-only 96-h tests, in single metal exposure, over a three-year period. The lethal concentration for the x% of the exposed population (LC(x)), the No-Observable-Effect Concentration (NOEC) and the Lowest-Observable-Effect Concentration (LOEC) were estimated. Based on LC(50) values, the rank of toxicity was Cu(+2)>Cd(+2)>Cr(+6). Sensitivity remained relatively constant during the research period and was comparable with the sensitivity of the same culture stock examined more than 10 years ago. This observed consistency in sensitivity indicates that comparisons between different sediment chronic bioassays conducted during the study period, using T. tubifex worms from the same culture stock, was appropriate. It is necessary to control both worm biomass and age for the acute test in order to standardize the test-organism conditions in intralaboratory quality assurance programs.

Toxicity of Santander Bay sediments to the euryhaline freshwater oligochaete Limnodrilus hoffmeisteri

The freshwater euryhaline oligochaete Limnodrilus hoffmeisteri was selected for use in bioassays with polluted sediment from Santander Bay. It is easy to culture; is tolerant of low to moderate, up to 15‰, salinity; and is common in oligohaline conditions in European and North American estuaries. Worms were collected from an estuarine population and kept in unpolluted sediment for between 2 and 4 weeks, under laboratory conditions, at 7–8.5‰ salinity and 22.5 °C. Sediment from different sites in Santander Bay were sieved through 250 μm mesh and adjusted to a salinity of approx. 7‰ prior to the bioassays, either by adding sea water or dechlorinated tap water to the overlying water. High levels of ammonia in some sediment, which may confound results in ecotoxicity bioassays, were reduced by oxidation of the sediments in shallow trays. Sediment bioassays were performed with sexually mature Limnodrilus hoffmeisteri worms in 250-ml beakers, with a 1:3 ratio of sediment:water and 4 worms per baker. Endpoints in the 14-day bioassay were % mortality, adult final biomass, % adults that have shown resorption of the clitellum, number of cocoons, and burrowing behaviour. It was possible to rank the sites according to their toxicity using both mortality rates and sublethal effects. The control site had the following values for the endpoints: 5% mortality, ( \(\overline{x}\pm {\rm sd}\)) 2.40 ± 1.52 cocoons per beaker and 1.271 ± 0.470 mg dw adult final biomass. The most toxic sediment resulted in 65% mortality, resorption of the clitellum in 67% of the adults, no production of cocoons and a low final biomass (\(\overline{x}\pm {\rm sd}\)=0.681 ± 0.489 mg dw per adult). A second site had high mortality (60%) and no reproduction, although resorption of the clitellum did not occur in surviving animals. The remaining sites showed similar mortality (35–42%), and at only one of them was low reproduction observed (0.8 ± 0.447 cocoons per beaker). Behavioural effects, measured as length of galleries in a fixed area of the test-vessel at the end of the bioassay, were significant compared with control at only one site. Multivariate analysis showed the mortality gradient to be the strongest, with a second unassociated gradient representing clitellum resorption. The mortality gradient was associated with Cu and Zn concentration, and PAH and Pb possibly with resorption.

A preliminary review of the taxonomic characters used for the systematics of the genus Trichodrilus Claparède (Oligochaeta, Lumbriculidae)

The taxonomic characters of the 34 known species of the genus Trichodrilus Claparède, 1862 are discussed as a basis for a systematic revision of the genus. Some additions to the species descriptions are made subsequent to examination of type collections. Trichodrilus campoyi Rodriguez, 1988, originally described as a subspecies of T. strandi Hrabě, 1936, is emended to specific rank. Trichodrilus icenorum Beddard, 1920 is regarded as a synonym of T. allobrogum Claparède, 1862. The extension of pharyngeal glands is demonstrated to be a fixed or a variable character depending on the species. Presence or absence of posterior lateral blood vessels or pattern of anterior blood vessels are not well documented for a significant proportion of the species and these characters need to be tested for environmentally induced variation. Taxonomic value of structural traits is strengthened against characters related to size. Thus, a key to the species of the genus is provided, emphasising such structural characters.

Biodiversity of groundwater oligochaetes from a karst unit in northern Iberian Peninsula: ranking subterranean sites for conservation management

The present study suggests that the Santa Eufemia-Ereñozar karst unit in northern Iberian Peninsula is a biodiversity hotspot for groundwater oligochaetes, due to (1) the presence of a high number of stygobiotic species (corresponding to 18% of the total stygobionts known in southern Europe); (2) the comparatively high number of oligochaete species collected (corresponding to 35% of the total epigean and hypogean oligochaete species in the region); and (3) the presence of 5 species endemic to the region. A list of the oligochaete taxa found in the karst unit is presented and a conservation ranking of the cavities in the karst is proposed based on the application of four biodiversity indices (Species richness, Rarity, Vulnerability and Complementarity) to the oligochaete taxa. Vulnerability was evaluated for the first time for groundwater oligochaete taxa and it provided a useful tool to assess the protection status of oligochaetes in karstic systems. Groundwater conservation management strategies could incorporate biodiversity data from the present study.