Heavy Metal Distribution and Bioaccumulation in Chihuahuan Desert Rough Harvester Ant (Pogonomyrmex Rugosus) Populations

Israel Del Toro; Kevin W. Floyd; Jorge Luis Gardea-Torresdey; David M. Borrok

doi:10.1016/j.envpol.2010.01.024

Heavy Metal Distribution and Bioaccumulation in Chihuahuan Desert Rough Harvester Ant (Pogonomyrmex Rugosus) Populations

Israel Del Toro
, Kevin W. Floyd
, Jorge Luis Gardea-Torresdey
, David M. Borrok

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Abstract

Heavy metal contamination can negatively impact arid ecosystems; however a thorough examination of bioaccumulation patterns has not been completed. We analyzed the distribution of As, Cd, Cu, Pb and Zn in soils, seeds and ant ( Pogonomyrmex rugosus ) populations of the Chihuahuan Desert near El Paso, TX, USA. Concentrations of As, Cd, Cu, and Pb in soils, seeds and ants declined as a function of distance from a now inactive Cu and Pb smelter and all five metals bioaccumulated in the granivorous ants. The average bioaccumulation factors for the metals from seeds to ants ranged from 1.04 x (As) to 8.12 x (Cd). The findings show bioaccumulation trends in linked trophic levels in an arid ecosystem and further investigation should focus on the impacts of heavy metal contamination at the community level.

Original language	American English
Journal	Environmental Pollution
Volume	158
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envpol.2010.01.024
State	Published - May 1 2010

Keywords

Animals
Ants
Arid ecosystems
Bioaccumulation
Bioaccumulation factor
Biochemistry
Bouteloua curtipendula
Cadmium
Chihuahuan Desert
Dasyochola pulchela
Desert Climate
Ecosystems
Environmental Monitoring
Environmental Pollutants
Formicidae
Granivory
Heavy
Heavy metal contamination
Heavy metals
Hymenoptera
Hymenoptera Formicidae
Landforms
Metals
Pogonomyrmex rugosus
Seed
Soil pollution
Soils
Trophic level
United States
Zinc
ant
arsenic
bioavailability
community composition
concentration (composition)
concentration (parameters)
controlled study
copper
desert
ecosystem response
food contamination
grass
hazard assessment
heavy metal
lead
nonhuman
plant seed
pollution effect
smelter
soil acidity
soil moisture
urban area

Disciplines

Geology

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https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envpol.2010.01.024

Cite this

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title = "Heavy Metal Distribution and Bioaccumulation in Chihuahuan Desert Rough Harvester Ant (Pogonomyrmex Rugosus) Populations",

abstract = " Heavy metal contamination can negatively impact arid ecosystems; however a thorough examination of bioaccumulation patterns has not been completed. We analyzed the distribution of As, Cd, Cu, Pb and Zn in soils, seeds and ant ( Pogonomyrmex rugosus ) populations of the Chihuahuan Desert near El Paso, TX, USA. Concentrations of As, Cd, Cu, and Pb in soils, seeds and ants declined as a function of distance from a now inactive Cu and Pb smelter and all five metals bioaccumulated in the granivorous ants. The average bioaccumulation factors for the metals from seeds to ants ranged from 1.04 x (As) to 8.12 x (Cd). The findings show bioaccumulation trends in linked trophic levels in an arid ecosystem and further investigation should focus on the impacts of heavy metal contamination at the community level.",

keywords = "Animals, Ants, Arid ecosystems, Bioaccumulation, Bioaccumulation factor, Biochemistry, Bouteloua curtipendula, Cadmium, Chihuahuan Desert, Dasyochola pulchela, Desert Climate, Ecosystems, Environmental Monitoring, Environmental Pollutants, Formicidae, Granivory, Heavy, Heavy metal contamination, Heavy metals, Hymenoptera, Hymenoptera Formicidae, Landforms, Metals, Pogonomyrmex rugosus, Seed, Soil pollution, Soils, Trophic level, United States, Zinc, ant, arsenic, bioavailability, community composition, concentration (composition), concentration (parameters), controlled study, copper, desert, ecosystem response, food contamination, grass, hazard assessment, heavy metal, lead, nonhuman, plant seed, pollution effect, smelter, soil acidity, soil moisture, urban area",

author = "\{Del Toro\}, Israel and Floyd, \{Kevin W.\} and Gardea-Torresdey, \{Jorge Luis\} and Borrok, \{David M.\}",

year = "2010",

month = may,

day = "1",

doi = "10.1016/j.envpol.2010.01.024",

language = "American English",

volume = "158",

journal = "Environmental Pollution",

issn = "1873-6424",

}

TY - JOUR

T1 - Heavy Metal Distribution and Bioaccumulation in Chihuahuan Desert Rough Harvester Ant (Pogonomyrmex Rugosus) Populations

AU - Del Toro, Israel

AU - Floyd, Kevin W.

AU - Gardea-Torresdey, Jorge Luis

AU - Borrok, David M.

PY - 2010/5/1

Y1 - 2010/5/1

N2 - Heavy metal contamination can negatively impact arid ecosystems; however a thorough examination of bioaccumulation patterns has not been completed. We analyzed the distribution of As, Cd, Cu, Pb and Zn in soils, seeds and ant ( Pogonomyrmex rugosus ) populations of the Chihuahuan Desert near El Paso, TX, USA. Concentrations of As, Cd, Cu, and Pb in soils, seeds and ants declined as a function of distance from a now inactive Cu and Pb smelter and all five metals bioaccumulated in the granivorous ants. The average bioaccumulation factors for the metals from seeds to ants ranged from 1.04 x (As) to 8.12 x (Cd). The findings show bioaccumulation trends in linked trophic levels in an arid ecosystem and further investigation should focus on the impacts of heavy metal contamination at the community level.

AB - Heavy metal contamination can negatively impact arid ecosystems; however a thorough examination of bioaccumulation patterns has not been completed. We analyzed the distribution of As, Cd, Cu, Pb and Zn in soils, seeds and ant ( Pogonomyrmex rugosus ) populations of the Chihuahuan Desert near El Paso, TX, USA. Concentrations of As, Cd, Cu, and Pb in soils, seeds and ants declined as a function of distance from a now inactive Cu and Pb smelter and all five metals bioaccumulated in the granivorous ants. The average bioaccumulation factors for the metals from seeds to ants ranged from 1.04 x (As) to 8.12 x (Cd). The findings show bioaccumulation trends in linked trophic levels in an arid ecosystem and further investigation should focus on the impacts of heavy metal contamination at the community level.

KW - Animals

KW - Ants

KW - Arid ecosystems

KW - Bioaccumulation

KW - Bioaccumulation factor

KW - Biochemistry

KW - Bouteloua curtipendula

KW - Cadmium

KW - Chihuahuan Desert

KW - Dasyochola pulchela

KW - Desert Climate

KW - Ecosystems

KW - Environmental Monitoring

KW - Environmental Pollutants

KW - Formicidae

KW - Granivory

KW - Heavy

KW - Heavy metal contamination

KW - Heavy metals

KW - Hymenoptera

KW - Hymenoptera Formicidae

KW - Landforms

KW - Metals

KW - Pogonomyrmex rugosus

KW - Seed

KW - Soil pollution

KW - Soils

KW - Trophic level

KW - United States

KW - Zinc

KW - ant

KW - arsenic

KW - bioavailability

KW - community composition

KW - concentration (composition)

KW - concentration (parameters)

KW - controlled study

KW - copper

KW - desert

KW - ecosystem response

KW - food contamination

KW - grass

KW - hazard assessment

KW - heavy metal

KW - lead

KW - nonhuman

KW - plant seed

KW - pollution effect

KW - smelter

KW - soil acidity

KW - soil moisture

KW - urban area

UR - https://scholarsmine.mst.edu/geosci_geo_peteng_facwork/457

UR - https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envpol.2010.01.024

U2 - 10.1016/j.envpol.2010.01.024

DO - 10.1016/j.envpol.2010.01.024

M3 - Article

C2 - 20189272

SN - 1873-6424

VL - 158

JO - Environmental Pollution

JF - Environmental Pollution

ER -

Heavy Metal Distribution and Bioaccumulation in Chihuahuan Desert Rough Harvester Ant (Pogonomyrmex Rugosus) Populations

Abstract

Keywords

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