Biochemical indices were investigated for their potential use as variables of sublethal toxicity in Daphnia (cholinesterase) and Chironomus (cholinesterase and biotransformation enzymes). Parathion, dichlorvos, and aldicarb caused dose-related inhibition of cholinesterase (ChE) in 24-h bioassays with both species. Ratios of Daphnia and Chironomus ChE IC50 values to corresponding immotility EC50...

Among wide spectrum of biomolecules induced by various stress factors low molecular mass protein called metallothionein (MT) is suitable for assessment of the heavy metal environmental pollution. The aim of this work was to determine the metallothionein and total thiols content in larvae of freshwater midges (Chironomus riparius) sampled from laboratory exposure to cadmium(II) ions and from fie...

The effects of fenitrothion exposure on fourth-instar Chimnomus riparius larvae were investigated on biochemical, physiological, and population-level parameters. Biochemical effects were investigated through measurements of acetylcholinesterase and cytosolic superoxide dismutase activities. Water content and dry weight of the larvae were used as physiological parameters, and the emergence rate ...

BACKGROUND One of the central issues in ecology is the question what allows sympatric occurrence of closely related species in the same general area? The non-biting midges Chironomus riparius and C. piger, interbreeding in the laboratory, have been shown to coexist frequently despite of their close relatedness, similar ecology and high morphological similarity. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS ...

The ability of the non-biting midge Chironomus riparius to survive and reproduce in metal polluted lowland rivers facilitates the opportunity to study micro-evolutionary processes in situ. However, due to larval drift, adapted midge populations are subject to regular immigration of non-adapted specimens from clean upstream river reaches. To examine the influence of non-adapted genes in adapted ...

The aim of the present study was to elucidate consistent patterns in chronic polycyclic aromatic compound (PAC) toxicity to soil and sediment inhabiting invertebrates. Therefore we examined our experimental dataset, consisting of twenty-one chronic effect concentrations for two soil invertebrates (Folsomia candida and Enchytraeus cripticus) and two sediment invertebrates (Lumbriculus variegatus...