Ultra-low activities of a common radioisotope for permission-free tracking of a drosophilid fly in its natural habitat.
Knowledge of a species' ecology, including its movement in time and space, is key for many questions in biology and conservation. While numerous tools for tracking larger animals are available, millimetre-sized insects are averse to standard tracking and labelling procedures. Here, we evaluated the applicability of ultra-low, permission-exempt activities of the metastable isomer of the radionuclide Technetium-99 for labelling and field detection of the mountain fly Drosophila nigrosparsa. We demonstrate that an activity of less than 10 MBq is sufficient to label dozens of flies and detect single individuals using standard radiation protection monitors. The methodology presented here is applicable to many small-sized, low-mobility animals as well as independent from light and weather conditions and visual contact with the target organism.
Molecular Ecology Group, Institute of Ecology, University of Innsbruck, Technikerstrasse 25, 6020 Innsbruck, Austria.
Wolfgang
W
Arthofer
Department of Nuclear Medicine, Medical University of Innsbruck, Anichstrasse 35, 6020 Innsbruck, Austria.
Clemens
C
Decristoforo
Molecular Ecology Group, Institute of Ecology, University of Innsbruck, Technikerstrasse 25, 6020 Innsbruck, Austria.
Birgit C
BC
Schlick-Steiner
Molecular Ecology Group, Institute of Ecology, University of Innsbruck, Technikerstrasse 25, 6020 Innsbruck, Austria.
Florian M
FM
Steiner
D000818:Animals; D004330:Drosophila / Q000502:physiology*; D017753:Ecosystem; D005260:Female; D007553:Isotope Labeling / Q000379:methods; D008297:Male; D011868:Radioisotopes / Q000737:chemistry*; D013667:Technetium / Q000737:chemistry
D011868:Radioisotopes; C000615519:Technetium-99; D013667:Technetium