Feeding Inhibition: the Ups and Downs of Sublethal Effects on Grazers and Detritivores

Sublethal impacts are likely the primary mechanism of exposure for the aquatic community in the case of soluble agricultural pesticides. This study examines the effects of pulsed exposures of the common insecticide, imidacloprid, on the feeding and growth of the mayfly Epeorus longimanus, and the oligochaete, Lumbriculus variegatus. Examining the effects of pulsed exposures of imidacloprid is particularly relevant due to the soluble (0.51g/L) nature of this compound. Recovery experiments were conducted by exposing mayflies and oligochaetes to an environmentally realistic range (0, 0.1, 0.5, 1, 5, 10 ppb) of concentrations for a short period. Effects on feeding were measured by quantifying the foodstuffs consumed by mayflies and egested by oligochaetes. In tandem with the feeding experiments, a series of artificial stream experiments were undertaken that demonstrate the changes in growth and abundance of adult mayflies in response to this common insecticide stressor.