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Title: Responses of Folsomia fimetaria (Collembola: Isotomidae) to copper under different soil copper contamination histories in relation to risk assessment

Journal Article · · Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry

The collembolan Folsomia fimetaria L. was exposed in the laboratory to a range of elevated soil copper concentrations under two different contamination histories. These results were compared with the in situ abundance of F. fimetaria in a copper-contaminated field site. In the laboratory studies, an EC10 of 337 mg Cu/kg was observed for soil spiked with copper 1 d before the experiment. Using soil from a field site contaminated with copper more than 70 years previously, no effect was observed at concentrations as great as 2,911 mg Cu/kg. Reproduction was threefold more sensitive than mortality or growth. Differences in copper sensitivity between sexes and between juvenile clutches were also indicated. The abundance of F. fimetaria showed no change with soil copper concentrations during the first year (spring sampling) of in situ observations. During the second year (autumn sampling), a reduced number per area was observed with increasing soil copper concentrations. Both the presence and abundance of other euedaphic collembolans generally exhibited distribution patterns similar to those of F. fimetaria. Thus, the contamination history and the toxicological endpoint were very important for interpreting the outcome of the standard laboratory toxicity test. Laboratory studies to some extent reflected the in situ abundance, but this depended on the contamination history and the field sampling time. Laboratory experiments using new copper-spiked soil provided the lowest effect levels.

Research Organization:
National Environmental Research Inst., Silkeborg (DK)
OSTI ID:
20067668
Journal Information:
Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry, Vol. 19, Issue 5; Other Information: PBD: May 2000; ISSN 0730-7268
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English