Abstract:
Copper can accumulate in agricultural topsoil through the use of Cu-based fungicides, which may harm soil organisms such as earthworms. This study aimed at reviewing the effects of copper on earthworms at different levels of biological organization, and to determine critical values of copper toxicity to earthworms using a meta-analysis and accounting for lethal and sub-lethal effects and different earthworm species and exposure conditions. Endpoints at the sub-individual level were more sensitive than at higher levels of organization. At the individual level, the most sensitive endpoints were reproduction and growth (hatching success, hatchling growth). Hormetic growth was clearly recognized at copper concentrations less than 80 mg kg-1 in dry soil. However, effects at the sub-individual level already occurred at lower concentrations. Considering all the exposure conditions, the calculated weighted means were 113 mg Cu kg-1 dry soil (95% CI -356; 582) for the LC50 (lethal concentration for 50% of the exposed individuals), 94.6 mg Cu kg-1 dry soil (95% CI 14.0; 175) for the EC50 reproduction, and 144 mg Cu kg-1 dry soil (95% CI -12.6; 301) for the EC50 growth or weight change. When accounting for the origin of the soil, earthworms were five times more sensitive to copper (LC50) in natural than in artificial soils. The different factors affecting Cu toxicity to earthworms explain the high variability of these values, making it difficult to derive thresholds. However, considering the potential negative effects of copper on earthworms, attention should be given to the more sustainable use of human-contributed copper in agricultural soils.
摘要:
铜可以通过使用铜基杀菌剂在农业表层土壤中积累,这可能会伤害土壤生物,如蚯蚓。本研究旨在回顾铜对不同生物组织水平的蚯蚓的影响,并通过荟萃分析确定铜对蚯蚓的毒性临界值,并考虑致死和亚致死效应以及不同蚯蚓种类和暴露条件。亚个体层面的终点比组织的更高层更敏感。在个人层面,最敏感的终点是繁殖和生长(孵化成功,孵化生长)。在干燥土壤中,铜浓度低于80mgkg-1时,可以清楚地观察到荷尔蒙的生长。然而,亚个体水平的影响已经在较低浓度下发生。考虑到所有的暴露条件,计算的加权平均值为113mgCukg-1干燥土壤(95%CI-356;582)的LC50(50%的暴露个体的致死浓度),94.6mgCukg-1干土(95%CI14.0;175)用于EC50繁殖,和144mgCukg-1干土(95%CI-12.6;301)的EC50生长或重量变化。当解释土壤的起源时,自然土壤中蚯蚓对铜(LC50)的敏感性是人工土壤的五倍。影响铜对蚯蚓毒性的不同因素解释了这些值的高度变异性,这使得很难得出阈值。然而,考虑到铜对蚯蚓的潜在负面影响,应注意在农业土壤中更可持续地利用人类贡献的铜。