Spatial distribution and internal metal concentrations of terrestrial arthropods in a moderately contaminated lowland floodplain along the Rhine River.
Soil metal concentrations, inundation characteristics and abundances of 14 arthropod taxa were investigated in a moderately contaminated lowland floodplain along the Rhine River and compared to the hinterland. Internal metal concentrations were determined for the orders of Coleoptera (beetles) and Araneida (spiders) and were related to soil concentrations. The floodplain was characterized by larger arthropod abundance than the hinterland, in spite of recurrent inundations and higher soil metal concentrations. Most arthropod taxa showed increasing abundance with decreasing distance to the river channel and increasing average inundation duration. For Cd, Cu, Pb and Zn, significant relations were found between arthropod concentrations and concentrations in soil. Significant relations were few but positive, indicating that increasing soil concentrations result in increasing body burdens in arthropods. For arthropod-eating vertebrates, these results might imply that larger prey availability in the floodplain coincides with higher metal concentrations in prey, possibly leading to increased exposure to metal contamination.
Schipper
Aafke M
AM
Department of Environmental Science, Institute for Wetland and Water Research, Radboud University Nijmegen, P.O. Box 9010, 6500 GL Nijmegen, The Netherlands. a.schipper@science.ru.nl
Wijnhoven
Sander
S
Leuven
Rob S E W
RS
Ragas
Ad M J
AM
Hendriks
A Jan
AJ
D000818:Animals; D001181:Arthropods / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000502:physiology; D002104:Cadmium / Q000032:analysis; D002857:Chromium / Q000032:analysis; D003300:Copper / Q000032:analysis; D004784:Environmental Monitoring / Q000379:methods*; D007220:Industrial Waste / Q000032:analysis*; D007854:Lead / Q000032:analysis; D019216:Metals, Heavy / Q000032:analysis*; D009426:Netherlands; D009532:Nickel / Q000032:analysis; D011156:Population Density; D045483:Rivers; D012987:Soil / Q000032:analysis; D012989:Soil Pollutants / Q000032:analysis*; D015032:Zinc / Q000032:analysis
D007220:Industrial Waste; D019216:Metals, Heavy; D012987:Soil; D012989:Soil Pollutants; D002104:Cadmium; D002857:Chromium; D007854:Lead; D003300:Copper; D009532:Nickel; D015032:Zinc