Global fine-resolution data on springtail abundance and community structure.

Springtails (Collembola) inhabit soils from the Arctic to the Antarctic and comprise an estimated ~32% of all terrestrial arthropods on Earth. Here, we present a global, spatially-explicit database on springtail communities that includes 249,912 occurrences from 44,999 samples and 2,990 sites. These data are mainly raw sample-level records at the species level collected predominantly from private archives of the authors that were quality-controlled and taxonomically-standardised. Despite covering all continents, most of the sample-level data come from the European continent (82.5% of all samples) and represent four habitats: woodlands (57.4%), grasslands (14.0%), agrosystems (13.7%) and scrublands (9.0%). We included sampling by soil layers, and across seasons and years, representing temporal and spatial within-site variation in springtail communities. We also provided data use and sharing guidelines and R code to facilitate the use of the database by other researchers. This data paper describes a static version of the database at the publication date, but the database will be further expanded to include underrepresented regions and linked with trait data.

Biogeographic responses and niche occupancy of microbial communities following long-term land-use change.

Understanding the effects of forest-to-agriculture conversion on microbial diversity has been a major goal in soil ecological studies. However, linking community assembly to the ruling ecological processes at local and regional scales remains challenging. Here, we evaluated bacterial community assembly patterns and the ecological processes governing niche specialization in a gradient of geography, seasonality, and land-use change, totaling 324 soil samples, 43 habitat characteristics (abiotic factors), and 16 metabolic and co-occurrence patterns (biotic factors), in the Brazilian Atlantic Rainforest, a subtropical biome recognized as one the world's largest and most threatened hotspots of biodiversity. Pairwise beta diversities were lower in pastures than in forest and no-till soils. Pasture communities showed a predominantly neutral model, regarding stochastic processes, with moderate dispersion, leading to biotic homogenization. Most no-till and forest microbial communities followed a niche-based model, with low rates of dispersal and weak homogenizing selection, indicating niche specialization or variable selection. Historical and evolutionary contingencies, as represented by soil type, season, and dispersal limitation were the main drivers of microbial assembly and processes at the local scale, markedly correlated with the occurrence of endemic microbes. Our results indicate that the patterns of assembly and their governing processes are dependent on the niche occupancy of the taxa evaluated (generalists or specialists). They are also more correlated with historical and evolutionary contingencies and the interactions among taxa (i.e., co-occurrence patterns) than the land-use change itself.

Ecotoxicological effects of untreated pig manure from diets with or without growth-promoting supplements on Eisenia andrei in subtropical soils.

This study aimed to evaluate the effects of untreated pig manure from diets incorporating growth-promoting supplements (antibiotics and Zn oxide) on the survival and reproduction of Eisenia andrei earthworms. The tested manures were obtained from four different groups of pigs fed with four different diets: CS, a diet based on corn and soymeal; TR, a diet based on corn, soymeal, and ground wheat (15%); CSa, a diet based on corn and soymeal + 100 ppm of doxycycline + 50 ppm of colistin + 2500 ppm of Zn oxide; and TRa, a diet based on corn, soymeal, and ground wheat (15%) + 100 ppm of doxycycline + 50 ppm of colistin + 2500 ppm of Zn oxide. The study used two soils representative of the Southern region of Brazil (Oxisol and Entisol). In general, there were no significant differences between the different manures tested in each soil. However, there were differences in the toxicity manure on E. andrei between the soils, and the magnitude of this effect was dependent on the applied dose. In Oxisol, LC50 values were higher than 80 m3 ha-1, and EC50 varied from 9 to 27 m3 ha-1. In Entisol, the LC50 values were below the lowest dose tested (< 25 m3 ha-1), and EC50 remained around 5 m3 ha-1. It may be possible that the effects observed were attributed to an excess of nitrogen, copper, and zinc, promoted by the addition of the untreated manure and how these factors interacted with soil type.

Role of climatic factors in the toxicity of fipronil toward earthworms in two tropical soils: effects of increased temperature and reduced soil moisture content.

The aim of this study was to assess the effect of temperature on the toxicity of fipronil toward earthworms (Eisenia andrei) in two Brazilian soils (Entisol and Oxisol) with contrasting textures. In the case of Entisol, the influence of soil moisture content on toxicity was also investigated. Earthworms were exposed for 56 days to soils spiked with increasing concentrations of fipronil (8.95, 19.48, 38.22, 155.61, and 237.81 mg kg-1 for Entisol; 12.99, 27.94, 48.42, 204.67, and 374.29 mg kg-1 for Oxisol) under scenarios with different combinations of temperature (20, 25 and 27 °C) and soil moisture content (60 and 30% of water holding capacity (WHC) for Entisol and 60% WHC for Oxisol). The number of juveniles produced was taken as the endpoint, and a risk assessment was performed based on the hazard quotient (HQ). In Entisol, at 60% WHC the fipronil toxicity decreased at 27 °C compared with the other temperatures tested (EC50 = 52.58, 48.48, and 110 mg kg-1 for 20, 25, and 27 °C, respectively). In the case of Oxisol at 60% WHC, the fipronil toxicity increased at 27 °C compared with other temperatures (EC50 = 277.57, 312.87, and 39.89 mg kg-1 at 20, 25, and 27 °C, respectively). An increase in fipronil toxicity was also observed with a decrease in soil moisture content in Entisol at 27 °C (EC50 = 27.95 and 110 mg kg-1 for 30% and 60% WHC, respectively). The risk of fipronil was only significant at 27 °C in Entisol and Oxisol with water contents of 30% and 60% WHC, respectively, revealing that higher temperatures are able to increase the risk of fipronil toxicity toward earthworms depending on soil type and soil moisture content. The results reported herein show that soil properties associated with climatic shifts could enhance the ecotoxicological effects and risk of fipronil for earthworms, depending on the type of soil.

Can the increase in atmospheric temperature enhance the toxicity and risk of fipronil for collembolans in tropical soils?

We evaluated the toxicity and risk (via toxicity exposure ratio approach - TER) of the insecticide fipronil to collembolan's growth and reproduction in three tropical soils, under increasing atmospheric temperatures. Chronic toxicity tests were performed with Folsomia candida in tropical artificial soil (TAS), oxisol, and entisol spiked with increasing concentrations of fipronil, at three room temperature scenarios: a standard (20 ± 2 °C), a tropical condition (25 ± 2 °C) and a global warming simulation (27 ± 2 °C). Temperatures influenced the fipronil effects on the species reproduction differently between soil types. In TAS and oxisol the highest toxicities (EC50-based) were found at 27 °C (EC50 TAS = 0.81, 0.70, 0.31 mg kg-1; EC50 OXISOL = 0.52, 0.54, 0.40 mg kg-1; at 20, 25, and 27 °C, respectively). In entisol, the toxicity at 27 °C was lower compared to 25 and 20 °C (EC50 ENTISOL = 0.33, 0.24, 0.12 mg kg-1, respectively). Fipronil concentrations also increased the proportion of small juveniles (growth reduction) in all tested soils. However, this effect was greater (EC10-based) at higher temperatures (25 and/or 27 °C), regardless of the soil type. TER approach revealed a significant risk of fipronil in entisol, regardless of the tested temperature, while in other soils the risk was found significant only at the higher temperatures (25 and 27 °C for TAS, and 27 °C for oxisol). These results indicate that exposures to fipronil at high temperatures (e.g., those resulting from climate change) can threaten F. candida populations, depending on the soil type.

Toxicity of fipronil to Folsomia candida in contrasting tropical soils and soil moisture contents: effects on the reproduction and growth.

This study assessed the influence of three tropical soil types and soil moisture content on the toxicity and risk of the insecticide fipronil to collembolans Folsomia candida. Chronic toxicity tests were performed in a Tropical Artificial Soil (TAS), an Oxisol and an Entisol spiked with increasing concentrations of fipronil to assess the effects on the reproduction and growth of the species. The soil moisture contents were kept at 60% (standard condition) and 30 or 45% (water restriction) of their water holding capacity (WHC). The toxicity of fipronil on collembolans reproduction was about three times higher in Entisol compared to TAS or Oxisol. Higher toxicities were also found in the drier TAS (EC50 30%WHC = 0.20 vs EC50 60%WHC = 0.70 mg kg-1) and Oxisol (EC50 45%WHC = 0.27 vs EC50 60%WHC = 0.54 mg kg-1), while in Entisol lower impacts were found in the drier samples (EC50 30%WHC = 0.41 vs EC50 60%WHC = 0.24 mg kg-1). For all tested soils, the size of generated collembolans was reduced by the fipronil concentrations, regardless of soil moisture. However, the drier condition increased the effect on the growth in TAS and Entisol for some concentrations. A significant risk of exposure was found in TAS and Oxisol at drier conditions and, for Entisol, regardless of the soil moisture. The toxic effects and risk of fipronil on collembolans were higher in the natural sandy soil. The soil moisture content increase or decrease the toxicity of the insecticide for collembolans, depending on soil type.

Magnesium oxide nanoparticles and their ecotoxicological effect on edaphic organisms in tropical soil.

The demand for food has intensified production in agricultural areas and stimulated the use of nanotechnology to develop new inputs, especially nanoparticle materials. In this new context, predicting the impact of using nanoparticles on non-target organisms becomes a necessary measure. The aim of this study was to evaluate the ecotoxicological potential of magnesium (Mg2+ ) added via magnesium oxide nanoparticles (MgO-NPs), magnesium oxide (MgO), and magnesium nitrate hexahydrate (Mg [NO3 ]2 ·6H2 O) incubated over time in tropical soil on earthworms (Eisenia andrei), springtails (Folsomia candida), and enchytraeids (Enchytraeus crypticus). Tests were conducted using a clay-textured Latossolo Vermelho distrófico (Oxisol), which received increasing doses of Mg2+ (0; 25; 50; 100; 200 and 400 mg kg−1 of soil) from the three sources tested added to the soil. Treated soil was incubated for 120 days in a room with controlled temperature and photoperiod, and the ecotoxicological tests were performed at 0, 60, and 120 days of incubation. Despite having caused reduction in the reproduction of F. candida at the incubation time 0, MgO-NPs showed a low toxic potential against the other species studied, with toxicity only at a higher dose of 50 mg Mg kg−1 when compared to the other sources of Mg2+ applied to the soil (MgO and Mg [NO3 ]2 ·6H2 O). Responses associated with incubation times showed that all magnesium sources tested have lower toxicity over incubation time.

Global data on earthworm abundance, biomass, diversity and corresponding environmental properties.

Earthworms are an important soil taxon as ecosystem engineers, providing a variety of crucial ecosystem functions and services. Little is known about their diversity and distribution at large spatial scales, despite the availability of considerable amounts of local-scale data. Earthworm diversity data, obtained from the primary literature or provided directly by authors, were collated with information on site locations, including coordinates, habitat cover, and soil properties. Datasets were required, at a minimum, to include abundance or biomass of earthworms at a site. Where possible, site-level species lists were included, as well as the abundance and biomass of individual species and ecological groups. This global dataset contains 10,840 sites, with 184 species, from 60 countries and all continents except Antarctica. The data were obtained from 182 published articles, published between 1973 and 2017, and 17 unpublished datasets. Amalgamating data into a single global database will assist researchers in investigating and answering a wide variety of pressing questions, for example, jointly assessing aboveground and belowground biodiversity distributions and drivers of biodiversity change.

Biogeographic Patterns of Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungal Communities Along a Land-Use Intensification Gradient in the Subtropical Atlantic Forest Biome.

Information concerning arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungal geographical distribution in tropical and subtropical soils from the Atlantic Forest (a global hotspot of biodiversity) are scarce and often restricted to the evaluation of richness and abundance of AM fungal species at specific ecosystems or local landscapes. In this study, we hypothesized that AM fungal diversity and community composition in subtropical soils would display fundamental differences in their geographical patterns, shaped by spatial distance and land-use change, at local and regional scales. AM fungal community composition was examined by spore-based taxonomic analysis, using soil trap cultures. Acaulospora koskei and Glomus were found as generalists, regardless of mesoregions and land uses. Other Acaulospora species were also found generalists within mesoregions. Land-use change and intensification did not influence AM fungal composition, partially rejecting our first hypothesis. We then calculated the distance-decay of similarities among pairs of AM fungal communities and the distance-decay relationship within and over mesoregions. We also performed the Mantel test and redundancy analysis to discriminate the main environmental drivers of AM fungal diversity and composition turnover. Overall, we found significant distance-decays for all land uses. We also observed a distance-decay relationship within the mesoregion scale (< 104 km) and these changes were correlated mainly to soil type (not land use), with the secondary influence of both total organic carbon and clay contents. AM fungal species distribution presented significant distance-decays, regardless of land uses, which was indicative of dispersal limitation, a stochastic neutral process. Although, we found evidence that, coupled with dispersal limitation, niche differentiation also played a role in structuring AM fungal communities, driven by long-term historical contingencies, as represented by soil type, resulting from different soil origin and mineralogy across mesoregions.

Soil spiders (Arachnida: Araneae) in native and reforested Araucaria forests

Spiders are part of the soil biodiversity, considered fundamental to the food chain hierarchy, directly and indirectly influencing several services in agricultural and forest ecosystems. The present study aimed to evaluate the biodiversity of soil spider families and identify which soil properties influence their presence, as well as proposing families as potential bioindicators. Native forest (NF) and reforested sites (RF) with Araucaria angustifolia (Bertol.) Kuntze were evaluated in three regions of the state São Paulo, both in the winter and summer. Fifteen soil samples were collected from each forest to evaluate the biological (spiders and microbiological), chemical and physical soil properties, in addition to properties of the litter (dry matter and C, N and S contents). For soil spiders, two sampling methods were used: pitfall traps and soil monoliths. In total, 591 individuals were collected, and distributed in 30 families, of which 306 individuals (22 families) came from pitfall traps and 285 individuals (26 families) from monoliths. Only samples obtained by the monolith method revealed seasonal differences in the mean density and richness of spiders between NF and RF. Canonical discriminant analysis showed the separation of these forests of Araucaria. Principal Component Analysis demonstrated the correlation of a number of spider families with certain soil properties (organic carbon, basal respiration, metabolic quotient, litter carbon, total porosity, bulk density and soil moisture). We identified 10 families (Anapidae, Corinnidae, Dipluridae, Hahniidae, Linyphiidae, Lycosidae, Nemesiidae, Palpimanidae, Salticidae, Scytodidae) that contributed most to separating native forest from the replanted forest, indicating the possibility of the spiders being used as bioindicators.

Effect of temperature on the toxicity of imidacloprid to Eisenia andrei and Folsomia candida in tropical soils.

The influence of temperature on the chronic toxicity and risk of imidacloprid to soil non-target species was assessed in tropical soils. Earthworms Eisenia andrei and collembolans Folsomia candida were exposed to a tropical artificial soil (TAS) and two natural tropical soils from Brazil (Entisol and Oxisol) with increasing concentrations of imidacloprid under atmospheric temperatures of 20, 25 and 28 °C. The effect of temperature on the reproduction of both species was assessed through the number of juveniles and earthworm's growth, and the risk associated was estimated through the Toxicity-Exposure Ratio (TER). Toxicity of imidacloprid increased with temperature in all tested soils, being generally lower in TAS soil (EC50s of 1.48, 0.66 and 0.40 mg kg-1 for E. andrei and 0.3, 0.2 and 0.06 mg kg-1 for F. candida at 20, 25 and 28 °C, respectively) compared to Entisol (EC50s of 0.19, 0.03 and 0.14 mg kg-1 for E. andrei and 0.04, 0.02, 0.01 mg kg-1 for F. candida at 20, 25 and 28 °C, respectively) and Oxisol (EC50s of 0.21, 0.07, 0.06 mg kg-1 for E. andrei and 0.16, 0.09, 0.06 mg kg-1 for F. candida at 20, 25 and 28 °C, respectively) within each temperature for both species. These values indicate that properties of TAS may not be representative of natural/local soils to adequately estimate the toxicity of pesticides to non-target soil species. At higher temperatures, the variability of imidacloprid toxicity between soils was lower, which suggests that the influence of soil properties on imidacloprid toxicity was overshadowed by temperature. TER values revealed that risk is also greater at higher temperatures. Data reported enforce the need for the inclusion of more realistic conditions in single-species tests in prospective risk assessment of pesticides to avoid underestimation of risk to non-target species.

Ecotoxicological effects of swine manure on Folsomia candida in subtropical soils.

The production model used in Brazilian pig farms promotes a concentration of animals in small territorial extensions, causing difficulty in disposing of the manure generated, since the economically viable alternative is to use this as an agricultural fertilizer. The objective was to evaluate the effect of swine manure doses on the biological and behavioral parameters in Folsomia candida by ecotoxicological tests. An Ultisol, Oxisol and Tropical Artificial Soil (TAS) were contaminated with 0, 25, 50, 75 and 100 m3 ha-1 of swine manure, to which springtails were exposed for evaluation of mortality, and the doses 0, 10, 15, 20 and 25 m3 ha-1 of swine manure to evaluated reproduction and avoidance. Lethality was observed in all doses as well as all soils, indicating toxicity of the manure. In the reproduction tests dose since 10 m3 ha-1 caused a reduction of juveniles in all soils. Avoidance behavior was observed in all doses of the Oxisol treatments and at 20 and 25 m3 ha-1 in Ultisol treatments. However, in TAS occurred not avoidance response of F. candida. We conclude that the swine manure was toxic to F. candida and the toxicity is dependent on the soil characteristics and the manure concentrations applied.

Increasing level of liquid pig manure reduces Eisenia andrei and Enchytraeus crypticus reproduction in subtropical soils.

Wastes generated in pig production are widely used as agricultural fertilizers. Nevertheless, such form of disposal supplies large amounts of waste in soils annually and can cause environmental pollution. The ecological risk of this practice to soil organisms has received little attention. Ecotoxicological tests are used to evaluate the toxicity of contaminants added to the soil biota. The aimed to evaluate the effect of liquid pig manure (LPM) on the reproduction of Eisenia andrei and Enchytraeus crypticus when applied in natural soils. LPM doses caused effects on earthworm reproduction in both soils, with EC50 of 112 and 150 m3 ha-1 in the Entisol and Nitosol, respectively. On enchytraeids, LPM had bigger effects, leading to EC50 of 17.7 and 45.0 m3 ha-1 in the Entisol and Nitosol, respectively. The results emphasize the importance to consider the ecological risks of LPM of conducting studies with natural soils and edaphic fauna as indicators.

Different diets with and without inclusion of antimicrobial additives alter the toxicity of swine manure to springtails and earthworms? / Diferentes dietas com e sem inclusão de aditivos antimicrobianos alteram a toxicidade do esterco de suíno para colêmbolos e minhocas?

The objective of this study was to measure the impact on part of soil fauna of application of non-stabilized (fresh) manure from post-weaning pigs fed diets, formulated with or without the use of dual-purpose wheat (15% inclusion), and with or without the use of antimicrobial growth-promoting additives (100 mg kg-1 doxycycline + 50 mg kg-1 colistin + 250 mg kg-1 Zn oxide). Two species of edaphic organisms were evaluated, the springtails Folsomia candida and the earthworms Eisenia andrei, using ecotoxicological avoidance behavior tests. The treatments were swine manure from: RR: Reference Ration; WR: Wheat Reference; RA: Reference Ration + Antimicrobial Additives; WA: Wheat Reference + Antimicrobial Additives. The doses of waste used for treatments were as follows: 0 (control), 5, 10, 20, 30, 40, 65 and 100 m³ ha-1 for the springtails, and 0 (control), 5, 10, 20, 30, 40 and 65 m³ ha-1 for the earthworms, applied in the Oxisol. The experimental design was completely randomized with four replicates. The use of non-stabilized swine manure did not affect the avoidance behavior of F. candida at any dose, regardless of the use of antimicrobial additives or wheat. For E. andrei, there was avoidance behavior at all treatments and doses used. These avoidance behaviors were related to the sensitivity of each species of soil organism. The avoidance behavior for earthworms was related to the doses of non-stabilized swine manure in soil and not to the various diets and/or the use of growth-promoting additives

O estudo foi realizado com objetivo de mensurar o impacto sobre parte da fauna do solo de aplicações de dejetos sem estabilização (frescos), provenientes de suínos na fase de creche arraçoados com diferentes dietas, formuladas com ou sem o uso do trigo de duplo propósito (15% de inclusão), e com ou sem o uso de aditivos antimicrobianos promotores de crescimento (100 mg kg-1 de doxiciclina + 50 mg kg-1de colistina + 250 mg kg-1 de óxido de Zn). Foram avaliadas duas espécies de organismos edáficos, colêmbolos Folsomia candida e minhocas Eisenia andrei, com o uso de ensaios ecotoxicológicos de comportamento de fuga. Os tratamentos foram dejetos de suínos provenientes de: RR: Ração Referência; WR: Trigo Referência; RA: Ração Referência + Aditivos Antimicrobianos; WA: Trigo Referência + Aditivos Antimicrobianos. As doses de dejetos utilizadas para os tratamentos foram: 0 (controle), 5, 10, 20, 30, 40, 65 e 100 m³ ha-1 para os colêmbolos, e 0 (controle), 5, 10, 20, 30, 40 e 65 m³ ha-1 para as minhocas, aplicadas em Latossolo Vermelho distrófico. O delineamento experimental foi inteiramente casualizado com quatro réplicas. A utilização de dejetos de suínos não estabilizados não afetou a fuga de F. candida em nenhuma das doses, independente do uso ou não de aditivos antimicrobianos ou de trigo. Já para E. andrei o comportamento foi inverso e houve fuga em todos os tratamentos e doses utilizados. Os comportamentos de fuga foram relacionados à sensibilidade de cada espécie de organismo edáfico. O comportamento de fuga para minhocas foi relacionado com as doses dos dejetos de suínos não estabilizados no solo e não às várias dietas e/ou ao uso dos aditivos promotores de crescimento

Impacts on reproduction of Enchytraeus crypticus in fertilized soils with chicken litter treated with synthetic and natural insecticide.

Poultry litter is used as a fertilizer due to the high concentration of nutrients. However, this material receives application of medicines, whether they are used to treat animals or the litter itself. Thus, the objective was to evaluate if the application in soils of poultry litter doses treated with two insecticides (cypermethrin and cinnamon oil) used to control of the Alphitobius diaperinus, affect the reproduction of Enchytraeus crypticus, and the insecticides effects over time, trough of ecotoxicological tests using soils with different textural classes an Entisol and an Oxisol. In the Oxisol the application of poultry litter stimulated the E. crypticus reproduction regardless of the insecticide and the collection time. In Entisol the poultry litter showed a toxicity at 10 t ha-1 when treated with cypermethrin and at 30 t ha-1 with cinnamon oil. Entisol results show that cypermethrin affects non-target edaphic organisms soon after spraying, but over time has reduced toxicity unlike cinnamon oil.

Toxicity of imidacloprid to collembolans in two tropical soils under different soil moisture.

Shifts in precipitation regimes due to the predicted climate changes can alter the water content in tropical soils and, consequently, may influence the toxicity of pesticides to soil fauna. This study assessed the influence of soil moisture content on the toxicity of the insecticide imidacloprid to the collembolans Folsomia candida in two tropical soils and evaluated the risk of this active ingredient for this species in the soils tested through the toxicity exposure ratio approach. Acute and chronic toxicity tests with F. candida were performed using an Entisol and an Oxisol. The soils were spiked with increasing imidacloprid concentrations while simulating normal water availability (60% of the water holding capacity [WHC]) and water restriction (30 or 45% WHC) for the tests. In the Oxisol, the reduction of soil moisture content significantly increased the toxic effects of imidacloprid on F. candida's survival (LC50 at 45% WHC = 23.8 vs. LC50 at 60% WHC >64 mg kg-1) and reproduction (effective concentration causing reductions in species reproduction of 50% [EC50] at 45% WHC = 0.32 vs. EC50 at 60% WHC = 2.83 mg kg-1), but in the Entisol no clear influence of the soil moisture on the toxicity of imidacloprid for collembolans was found. A significant risk for F. candida was observed in the Oxisol only when in water restriction, whereas in the Entisol it occurred regardless of soil moisture, suggesting that the imidacloprid hazard and risk for F. candida may be increased if soil moisture decreases due to climate changes, depending on the soil type.

Accessing the subterranean ant fauna (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) in native and modified subtropical landscapes in the Neotropics / Avaliação da mirmecofauna subterrânea (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) em paisagens nativas e modificadas na região subtropical do Neotrópico

Abstract: Several studies have characterized and delimited subterranean ant assemblages. Soil extraction, one of the methods employed to access this fauna, employs the removal of monoliths. One of the most widely used methods for the extraction of soil sampling is called TSBF (developed by the Tropical Soil Biology and Fertility Programme). This method provides relevant data about the species associated with the soil. In the present study we characterized assemblages of subterranean ants using the TSBF method in different subtropical areas of the Neotropics. We considered two sampling designs in different localities. The first design resulted in 315 TSBF samples obtained from layers at distinct depths. The second design resulted in 270 TSBF samples and 270 epigaeic pitfall trap samples. This material was used to delimit the species that occur exclusively in the subterranean stratum (TSBF) and that are not found on the soil surface. A total of 281 species were recorded. Of these, 57 can be considered subterranean, based on their occurrence in subterranean strata. We also verified that the highest occurrence of ants was in the first 10 cm of soil depth. Due to the importance of using methods that efficiently extract the subterranean ant fauna in studies, we suggest the TSBF method should be used to sample ants or to associate this method with epigaeic pitfall traps to delimit strictly subterranean assemblages in specific community stratification studies.

Resumo: Vários estudos têm caracterizado e delimitado assembleias de formigas subterrâneas. A extração de solo, um dos métodos utilizados para amostragem dessa fala, implica na remoção de monólitos. Um dos métodos mais utilizados na extração de monólitos é chamado TSBF (desenvolvido pelo Programa Tropical Soil Biology and Fertility). Esse método fornece dados extremamente relevantes sobre as espécies associadas ao solo. No presente estudo, nós caracterizamos as assembleias de formigas subterrâneas usando o método TSBF em diferentes áreas subtropicais do Neotrópico. Utilizamos dois delineamentos amostrais distintos. O primeiro delineamento resultou em 315 amostras de TSBF obtidas a partir da estratificação do solo. O segundo resultou em 270 amostras de TSBF mais 270 provenientes de armadilhas pitfall epigeicas. Esse material foi utilizado para delimitar espécies que ocorrem exclusivamente no estrato subterrâneo (TSBF) e não são encontradas na superfície do solo. Registramos um total de 281 espécies. Destas, 57 podem ser consideradas subterrâneas (baseado na ocorrência no respectivo estrato). Também verificamos que a maior ocorrência de formigas se deu nos primeiros 10 cm de profundidade. Devido à importância do uso de métodos que coletem eficientemente formigas subterrâneas, sugerimos o uso do método TSBF em estudos de estratificação de comunidades ou sua associação a armadilhas do tipo pitfall epigeica para delimitar assembleias estritamente subterrâneas.

Eprinomectin antiparasitic affects survival, reproduction and behavior of Folsomia candida biomarker, and its toxicity depends on the type of soil.

The objective of this study was to evaluate the toxicity of the antiparasitic agent eprinomectin in two subtropical soils, using ecotoxicological lethality, reproduction and avoidance behavior tests with springtails (Folsomia candida). Eprinomectin concentrations were 0 (control), 0.5, 1, 2, 4, 8, 12, 16 and 20 mg kg-1 of dry soil combined with either Entisol or Oxisol soils. Statistically significant toxic effects of eprinomectin on springtails were observed in both soils. Eprinomectin was lethal starting at 8 mg kg-1 of dry soil in Entisol, and 20 mg kg-1 of dry soil in Oxisol, with effects less than 50% at lethal concentrations. Reductions in the reproduction rate of the springtails were also observed starting at 8 mg kg-1 of dry soil in Entisol, and 0.5 mg kg-1 of dry soil in Oxisol. ECrepr50 value calculated for Entisol was 4.38 ±â€¯0.62 mg kg-1 of dry soil; for Oxisol the ECrepr50 was above the highest tested concentration. For avoidance behavior, the effect occurred from 0.5 mg kg-1 of dry soil for both soils. In Entisol, all concentrations caused avoidance of more than 95%, and in Oxisol the ECavoi50 value was 1.33 ±â€¯0.83 mg kg-1 of dry soil. We conclude that eprinomectin affected survival, reproduction and caused avoidance behavior of F. candida in both soils. The toxic effects were greater as the concentration in the soils increased. The effects in Oxisol were less intense than those in Entisol with respect to the affected springtails. This discrepancy may be attributed to the different physicochemical characteristics of the soils that determine the retention capacity for eprinomectin; in particular, there are greater contents of clay, organic matter and cation exchange capacity in Oxisol.

Quality standards for urban waste composts: The need for biological effect data.

The recently approved European Union (EU) Circular Economy Package intends to boost the production of fertilizing products, such as composts obtained from urban wastes (UWC) and the harmonization of their quality standards (certification), to avoid market rejection. UWC quality assessment frameworks in Europe, including the Portuguese and EU latest proposal on regulation of UWC production/commercialization are mostly based on physical-chemical and agronomical characterization. These do not provide any insight on the fraction of contaminant/mixture of contaminants bioavailable for non-target organisms, nor the existence of potential antagonistic and/or synergistic effects on them. The main objective of the present work if to evaluate the effects of UWC application on crop soils using seven standard ecotoxicological tests. Five UWC, two derived from source-separated organic wastes and three from mixed urban wastes were selected and tested using a battery of ISO guideline assays with plants and soil invertebrates. The tested doses intended to simulate over-use and repeated application scenarios, common practices among farmers. The results showed that the highest toxicity was observed for the UWC originated from source-separated organic wastes, when using concentrations slightly above the maximum annual doses. Excepting for this UWC, all the derived NOEC (No Observed Effect Concentration) were equal or higher than the maximum annual doses. The UWC toxicity for the tested species increased as follows: T. aestivum < L. sativa < E. crypticus < F. candida < E. andrei. UWC salinity, rather than the content of potentially toxic elements (PTEs), could explain the negative effects observed, considering that the composts are all equally stabilized. These results reinforce the need to include data from biological susceptibility of the receptors at risk on the existing regulation, to obtain a more realistic view of the potential risks and to adapt the UWC application practices, ultimately boosting the confidence of target-consumers.

Fish exposed to water contaminated with eprinomectin show inhibition of the activities of AChE and Na+/K+-ATPase in the brain, and changes in natural behavior.

The objective of this study was to evaluate whether antiparasitic eprinomectin may be an environmental contaminant in water compartment in low concentrations, negatively affecting neurotransmission and, consequently, the natural behavior of the jundiá (Rhamdia quelen). Fish were randomly allocated in tanks and exposed for 24 and 48 h to eprinomectin concentrations in water [0.0 (Control), 1.124 (T1), 1.809 (T2) and 3.976 (T3) µg L-1], followed by 48 h of recovery in eprinomectin-free water, in order to evaluate the behavioral parameters, levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in the brain, as well as cerebral enzymatic activities of acetylcholinesterase (AChE) and of the sodium-potassium ATPase pump (Na+/K+-ATPase). Especially at the two highest concentrations of eprinomectin (T2 and T3), the fish showed alterations in natural behavior, particularly hyperlocomotion and longer time on the surface. Furthermore, at these same concentrations, cerebral ROS levels increased and cerebral AChE activity decreased. At the highest concentration (T3) cerebral Na+/K+-ATPase activity was reduced. Increased ROS and impairment of AChE and Na+/K+-ATPase enzymes in the brain may have contributed directly to behavioral changes, due to neuronal damage and synapse impairment. Even after 48 h in water without eprinomectin, behavioral changes and neurotoxic effects were observed in fish, suggesting residual effects of the antiparasitic. In conclusion, eprinomectin even in low concentrations may be a hazardous environmental contaminant for aquatic organisms, as it causes brain damage and affects the natural behavior of fish.