title: Evaluation of the fungicide manganese-zinc ethylene bis(dithiocarbamate) (mancozeb) for sublethal and acute toxicity to Eisenia fetida (Oligochaeta).
abstract: This article describes the outcome of laboratory experiments to determine the acute and sublethal effects of the fungicide mancozeb on the earthworm Eisenia fetida. Apart from a standardized acute test, young worms, 25 days old, were exposed to mancozeb mixed into a urine-free cattle manure substrate. Five groups of 10 worms each were used per concentration level (0, 8, 44 mg/kg substrate). The following life-history parameters were measured: growth in consecutive weeks over a 6-week period, survival rate, maturation time, cocoon production, hatching success of cocoons, number of hatchlings per cocoon, and incubation time of cocoons over another 4 weeks. The results indicated that mancozeb had no significant detrimental effect on either growth or reproduction of E. fetida at the recommended dose (8 mg/kg) or at an estimated environmental concentration (44 mg/kg). The findings do not support the hypothesis that avoidance response to mancozeb could serve as an indication of toxicity.
authors.affiliation: Department of Zoology, University of Stellenbosch, South Africa.
authors.forename: L A
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Vermeulen
authors.forename: A J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Reinecke
authors.forename: S A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Reinecke
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001522:Behavior, Animal / Q000187:drug effects; D005659:Fungicides, Industrial / Q000633:toxicity*; D006128:Growth / Q000187:drug effects; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D007928:Lethal Dose 50; D008344:Maneb / Q000633:toxicity*; D009835:Oligochaeta / Q000254:growth & development / Q000502:physiology*; D012098:Reproduction / Q000187:drug effects; D015038:Zineb / Q000633:toxicity*
chemical_list: D005659:Fungicides, Industrial; D008344:Maneb; C013099:mancozeb; D015038:Zineb