title: Increased abundance of terrestrial isopod populations in terrestrial ecosystems contaminated with petrochemical wastes.
abstract: Arthropods are integral components of the food chain, and because many reside in close association to the soil and its contaminants, their communities may be sensitive indicators of ecotoxicity. We examined the influence of petrochemical contaminants on the abundance of several taxonomic groups of macroarthropods, with an emphasis on isopods, residing on two reference sites and three petrochemical-contaminated sites at an abandoned oil refinery site in southwestern Oklahoma. Relative densities of surface-dwelling macroarthropod assemblages were significantly greater on contaminated sites than reference sites. Differences in terrestrial isopod populations were particularly remarkable and consistent across study sites, with densities approaching 180-fold greater on contaminated than reference sites. Similarity comparisons indicated that abundances and composition of macroarthropod assemblages sampled on the contaminated sites were more similar to one another than to the communities residing on reference sites. Although preliminary, these initial results support the hypothesis that macroarthropod assemblages, in particular isopods, are sensitive to soil contaminants and could be a valuable approach to evaluating the effects of petrochemical contamination of soils on terrestrial ecosystems.
authors.affiliation: Environmental Toxicology Program, Department of Zoology, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, Oklahoma 74078, USA.
authors.forename: B C
authors.initials: BC
authors.lastname: Faulkner
authors.forename: R L
authors.initials: RL
authors.lastname: Lochmiller
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001181:Arthropods / Q000502:physiology*; D017753:Ecosystem; D004785:Environmental Pollutants; D007220:Industrial Waste; D010578:Petroleum; D011153:Population
chemical_list: D004785:Environmental Pollutants; D007220:Industrial Waste; D010578:Petroleum