Research was conducted at the Mississippi State University Delta Research and Extension Center from 2016 to 2018 to determine the effects of sub-lethal concentrations of paraquat, glyphosate, saflufenacil, and sodium chlorate exposure to rice at late-season growth stages, determine the effects of exposure to sub-lethal concentrations of glyphosate or paraquat on multiple rice cultivars, and characterize the effects of paraquat exposure and Oebalus pugnax feeding on rice grain quality. In the current research, rough rice grain yields were reduced by exposure to sub-lethal concentrations of soybean desiccants 0 to 28 DAH. Rice injury was determined to not be an accurate predictor of rough rice grain yield loss as injury did not exceed 20% with any desiccant, and no injury was observed from glyphosate applications. Rough rice grain yield reductions were reflected in yield component reductions following desiccant exposure. Applications of sub-lethal concentrations of glyphosate or paraquat to rice at 50% heading caused rough rice grain yield decreases ranging from 0 to 20 and 9 to 21 % respectively. Hybrid cultivars were unaffected following glyphosate exposure at 50% heading. In the current research, observations of paraquat exposure or O. pugnax infestation of rice at the soft dough growth stage suggest rice may exhibit severe sensitivity to both events in the form of reduced kernel weight and reductions in rice milling quality. Rough rice grain yield reductions coupled with milling quality reductions and driven by the proximity of rice to corn, cotton, soybean, and sorghum in Mississippi creates the need to exercise caution when applying desiccants.

Off-target herbicide movement onto rice is an annual problem in rice-producing areas within Mississippi. In Mississippi, rice is routinely drill‐seeded in April to early May. Because these dates often coincide with preplant and/or preemergence (PRE) herbicide applications to corn (Zea mays L.), cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.), and soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.], drift onto neighboring rice crops is likely to occur. Although the effects of off-target movement of paraquat on rice may not be visibly apparent, the potential effect on rough rice yield could be detrimental. Field research was conducted at the Delta Research and Extension Center in Stoneville, MS, in 2019, 2020, and 2021 to characterize rice response to exposure to a range of sub-lethal concentrations of paraquat during the vegetative and reproductive growth phases. Other field experiments characterized rice response to exposure to a sub-lethal concentration of paraquat at different stages of reproductive growth. A final field experiment evaluated rice response and barnyardgrass control with labeled herbicides after exposure to a sub-lethal concentration of paraquat.

Resumo: O objetivo deste estudo foi avaliar o efeito sub-letal do sulfato de cobre para a tilápia, na concentração de 0,5 e 2,0 mg.L-1 durante exposição e recuperação e determinar a toxicidade aguda para Ceriodaphnia dubia e para a alga Pseudokirchneriella subcapitata. Foram realizados dois ensaios (ensaios I e II) utilizando jovens de tilápia com peso médio de 38,29 g. Determinou-se neste estudo as concentrações de cobre nas brânquias, fígado e músculo dos animais, foram feitas também análises hematológicas, imunológicas, bioquímicas e histopatológicas durante exposição ao sulfato de cobre e posterior recuperação. Para o teste de toxicidade com C. dubia e P. subcapitata foram utilizadas as mesmas concentrações de sulfato de cobre do ensaio com peixes. Os cladóceros e as algas foram expostos a diluições dessas concentrações durante sete e três dias, respectivamente. Para a C. dubia observou-se a mortalidade e o efeito sobre a reprodução dos mesmos. Já para as algas foi observado o efeito inibitório sobre a taxa de crescimento. A exposição ao cobre no ensaio I e II resultou em acúmulo significativo de cobre nos tecidos analisados, com exceção do músculo. E no período de recuperação os valores de cobre permaneceram altos. O sulfato de cobre não provocou alterações hematológicas. Por outro lado, causou diminuição da capacidade fagocítica dos macrófagos de peixes expostos à concentração de 2,0mg.L-1 de CuSO4 no ensaio I. O cobre também causou diminuição da concentração de GSH. Com relação às análises histopatológicas houve alteração nas brânquias e hepatopâncreas em ambos os ensaios. Os resultados do teste ecotoxicológico com C. dubia P. subcapitata mostrou que o sulfato de cobre causou toxicidade aguda para estes organismos. O uso desse produto na aqüicultura pode comprometer o cultivo, uma vez que ocorreram danos a saúde dos peixes ... (Resumo completo, clicar acesso eletrônico abaixo) / Abstract: The copper sulphate is one of the most widely used chemicals for the control of parasites and for the control of phytoplankton in aquaculture. The purpose of this study was to evaluate sublethal effects of concentrations of copper sulphate on tilapia. In addition, ecotoxicity of this compound was determinate for microcrustaceans Ceriodaphnia dubia and the alga Pseudokirchneriella subcapitata. The biomarkers evaluated in this study were copper bioaccumulation in tissues, hematological, immunological, biochemical and histopathological parameters. The copper toxicity for microcrustacean C. dubia, was evaluated with acute tests through mortality. The exposure to copper in the experiments I and II resulted in significant accumulation of copper in the tissues, except for the muscle. In the recovery period, the copper values of remained high in all tissues. The haematological parameters were not affected by the copper sulphate. However, was observed in experiment I a significant change in the phagocytic capacity of macrophages in fish exposed to concentration 2.0 mg CuSO4.L-1. Copper sulphate also caused biochemical changes in both experiments. It was observed that this chemical causes a decrease in the concentration of GSH. The histopathological analysis showed hyperplasia and secondary lamellae fusion in the gills, and necrosis of the hepatopâncreas in both experiments. The tests results with C. dubia and P. subcapitata showed that copper sulphate caused acute toxicity to these organisms. This study showed that copper sulphate has caused chronic toxicity in fish and acute toxicity to algae and microcrustaceans. These results indicate that the pollutant can act at different trophic levels / Orientador: Maria José Tavares Ranzani Paiva / Coorientador: Julio Vicente Lombardi / Banca: José Roberto Ferreira / Banca: Fabiana Pilarski / Banca: Claudinei da Cruz / Banca: Monica Accaui Marcondes de Moura e Mello / Doutor

Made available in DSpace on 2014-06-11T19:30:31Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 2009-07-30Bitstream added on 2014-06-13T20:00:50Z : No. of bitstreams: 1 carvalho_s_dr_jabo.pdf: 1126509 bytes, checksum: 90be894e57593225c9f7e01bebc01c32 (MD5) / Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES) / Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP) / O objetivo deste estudo foi avaliar o efeito sub-letal do sulfato de cobre para a tilápia, na concentração de 0,5 e 2,0 mg.L-1 durante exposição e recuperação e determinar a toxicidade aguda para Ceriodaphnia dubia e para a alga Pseudokirchneriella subcapitata. Foram realizados dois ensaios (ensaios I e II) utilizando jovens de tilápia com peso médio de 38,29 g. Determinou-se neste estudo as concentrações de cobre nas brânquias, fígado e músculo dos animais, foram feitas também análises hematológicas, imunológicas, bioquímicas e histopatológicas durante exposição ao sulfato de cobre e posterior recuperação. Para o teste de toxicidade com C. dubia e P. subcapitata foram utilizadas as mesmas concentrações de sulfato de cobre do ensaio com peixes. Os cladóceros e as algas foram expostos a diluições dessas concentrações durante sete e três dias, respectivamente. Para a C. dubia observou-se a mortalidade e o efeito sobre a reprodução dos mesmos. Já para as algas foi observado o efeito inibitório sobre a taxa de crescimento. A exposição ao cobre no ensaio I e II resultou em acúmulo significativo de cobre nos tecidos analisados, com exceção do músculo. E no período de recuperação os valores de cobre permaneceram altos. O sulfato de cobre não provocou alterações hematológicas. Por outro lado, causou diminuição da capacidade fagocítica dos macrófagos de peixes expostos à concentração de 2,0mg.L-1 de CuSO4 no ensaio I. O cobre também causou diminuição da concentração de GSH. Com relação às análises histopatológicas houve alteração nas brânquias e hepatopâncreas em ambos os ensaios. Os resultados do teste ecotoxicológico com C. dubia P. subcapitata mostrou que o sulfato de cobre causou toxicidade aguda para estes organismos. O uso desse produto na aqüicultura pode comprometer o cultivo, uma vez que ocorreram danos a saúde dos peixes... / The copper sulphate is one of the most widely used chemicals for the control of parasites and for the control of phytoplankton in aquaculture. The purpose of this study was to evaluate sublethal effects of concentrations of copper sulphate on tilapia. In addition, ecotoxicity of this compound was determinate for microcrustaceans Ceriodaphnia dubia and the alga Pseudokirchneriella subcapitata. The biomarkers evaluated in this study were copper bioaccumulation in tissues, hematological, immunological, biochemical and histopathological parameters. The copper toxicity for microcrustacean C. dubia, was evaluated with acute tests through mortality. The exposure to copper in the experiments I and II resulted in significant accumulation of copper in the tissues, except for the muscle. In the recovery period, the copper values of remained high in all tissues. The haematological parameters were not affected by the copper sulphate. However, was observed in experiment I a significant change in the phagocytic capacity of macrophages in fish exposed to concentration 2.0 mg CuSO4.L-1. Copper sulphate also caused biochemical changes in both experiments. It was observed that this chemical causes a decrease in the concentration of GSH. The histopathological analysis showed hyperplasia and secondary lamellae fusion in the gills, and necrosis of the hepatopâncreas in both experiments. The tests results with C. dubia and P. subcapitata showed that copper sulphate caused acute toxicity to these organisms. This study showed that copper sulphate has caused chronic toxicity in fish and acute toxicity to algae and microcrustaceans. These results indicate that the pollutant can act at different trophic levels

Critical to our understanding of wildlife diseases is the recovery phase, a period during which individuals clear infections and return to normal patterns of behavior and physiology. Most research on effects of white nose syndrome (WNS), an emerging fungal disease in bats, has focused on the pathophysiology of winter mortality and the effects of WNS on hibernating populations. The period immediately following emergence from hibernation has received little attention, but is a critically important time for survivors of the disease. During this time, survivors face significant physical and physiological challenges as they migrate to summer habitats, potentially begin gestation in the case of reproductive females, and begin to recover from wing damage caused by the fungus, which can be extensive and may greatly increase the energetic cost of flight. In this study, I (1) test the hypothesis that free-ranging bats heal from WNS-induced wing damage, (2) determine how WNS-induced wing damage changes skin surface lipid profiles on free-ranging bats, and (3) describe the temporal process of disease recovery in a colony of captive bats, including analyses of body mass, wing damage, pathogen load, skin surface lipid profiles, and histopathological metrics of WNS. I find that bats can quickly heal from wing damage in the wild and appear healthy as early as mid-July in New England. Analysis of skin surface lipids does not reveal any striking differences between bats with wing damage and those without, although there are trends towards lower total surface lipids and increased levels of cutaneous cholesterol in bats with severe wing damage. Finally, I show that within 40 days of emerging from hibernation, bats quickly clear the fungal infection and gain body mass, undergoing rapid healing of wing damage and changes in skin surface lipid composition. Bats depend on their wings for a variety of vital processes including physiological regulation, locomotion and feeding. To fully understand the consequences of WNS and develop actionable management strategies, it is important to consider the long-term effects of this disease. My study helps fill critical knowledge gaps and will aid in the future conservation and management of affected bat species.

Seed companies have developed novel weed control technologies to combat herbicide-resistant (HR) weeds based on the use of new genetically-modified (GM) crop cultivars and auxin herbicide formulations. These herbicides can variably affect the growth and yield of susceptible cotton even at low concentrations depending on growth stage at exposure. As such, research was conducted in each of two locations in Mississippi in 2014, 2015, and 2016 to determine the cotton growth stage most susceptible to injury and yield effects from simulated misapplications of sub-lethal 2,4-D or dicamba concentrations. Results indicate that generally a decrease in yield partitioned on lower nodes and inner positions was accompanied by a compensatory increase in yield partitioned on vegetative branches and aborted terminals. However, the magnitude of these yield effects differed based on growth stage at exposure and based on which herbicide was used.

A perda de polinizadores no mundo todo, especialmente abelhas, tem sido atribuída, entre outros fatores, à intensificação do uso de inseticidas em agro ecossistemas. A nova classe química de inseticidas, os neonicotinóides, tem sido o principal alvo de investigações, sobretudo em decorrência de sua ação sistêmica que transloca a substância ativa pela planta e atinge o pólen e néctar como resíduos. Dessa forma, o presente estudo teve como objetivo verificar os efeitos do neonicotinóide tiametoxam em abelhas sociais e avaliar a possibilidade da espécie Scaptotrigona aff. depilis ser utilizada como bioindicadora de contaminação ambiental por inseticidas. Para tanto, (i) operárias forrageiras de Bombus terrestris audax, Apis mellifera e Scaptotrigona bipunctata foram submetidas à exposição contínua de alimento contaminado; (ii) operárias de Scaptotrigona aff. depilis foram expostas ao inseticida, durante o estágio larval, através do alimento e; (iii) operárias forrageiras de Scaptotrigona aff. depilis foram coletadas no meliponário da Universidade de São Paulo e arredores, e submetidas a análises químicas, para a checagem de contaminação pelos neonicotinóides tiametoxam e/ ou imidacloprido. (i) Dentre as três espécies de abelhas sociais adultas, B. terrestris audax mostrou ser a mais sensível à ação de tiametoxam, seguida de S. bipunctata e A. mellifera, verificados através do decréscimo no consumo de alimento e da longevidade. Nesse sentido, os efeitos subletais não foram influenciados pelo tamanho do corpo dos indivíduos. (ii) As operárias de Scaptotrigona aff. depilis, quando expostas a doses do inseticida em fase larval, apresentaram desenvolvimento tardio e originaram indivíduos menores e assimétricos. Tanto em abelhas adultas como em imaturas, os efeitos subletais foram evidenciados nos indivíduos expostos às maiores doses de tiametoxam nos experimentos (39.37 e 98.43µg de substância ativa/kg de xarope em adultos, ou 0.044 e 4.375ng de substância ativa/larva). (iii) A detecção de tiametoxam e imidacloprido em operárias forrageiras de Scaptotrigona aff. depilis permitiu considerar essa espécie como bioindicadora de contaminação. Nesse estudo, a mortalidade não foi parâmetro conclusivo quanto aos potenciais efeitos adversos de tiametoxam para as abelhas. O potencial de Scaptotrigona aff. depilis como espécie bioindicadora é uma importante etapa para avaliar a contaminação ambiental por neonicotinóides em abelhas sem ferrão, podendo ser utilizada em políticas públicas. / Pollinator losses all over the world, especially bees disappearing, have been attributed, among others, to the intensification of insecticide use on crops. The new chemical class of insecticides, the neonicotinoids, has been the main target of investigation, mainly due to its systemic action, which translocates the active substance for the plant and to reach the pollen and nectar as residues. Thus, this study evaluated the effects of thiamethoxam neonicotinoid on bees and the possibility of the use of Scaptotrigona aff. depilis species as bioindicator of environmental contamination by insecticides. For this, (i) Bombus terrestris audax, Apis mellifera and Scaptotrigona bipunctata forager workers were induced to continue exposure of contaminated food; (ii) Scaptotrigona aff. depilis workers were exposed to the insecticide, during its larval phase, through the larval food and; (iii) Scaptotrigona aff. depilis forager workers were collected from University of São Paulo meliponary and surroundings and analyzed, in order to check for contamination by thiamethoxam and/ or imidacloprid neonicotinoids. (i) Among the three social bee species, B. terrestris audax showed to be more sensible to the thiamethoxam action, followed by S. bipunctata and A. mellifera, verified through decreasing food consumption and longevity. Thus, the sub lethal effects were not influenced by individual body size. (ii) Scaptotrigona aff. depilis workers, when exposed to insecticide doses on larval food, caused individuals with developmental delay and were smaller and asymmetric. Both adult bees and in immature, the sub lethal effects of thiamethoxam were evidenced on individuals exposed to the highest doses in the experiments. (iii) The detection of thiamethoxam and imidacloprid in Scaptotrigona aff. depilis forager workers allowed to consider this species as bioindicator of environmental contamination. In this study, the mortality was not a conclusive parameter as to the potential adverse effects of thiamethoxam for the bees. The potential of Scaptotrigona aff. depilis species as bioindicator is an important step to assess environmental contamination by neonicotinoids on stingless bees, may be used for public policy.

A perda de polinizadores no mundo todo, especialmente abelhas, tem sido atribuída, entre outros fatores, à intensificação do uso de inseticidas em agro ecossistemas. A nova classe química de inseticidas, os neonicotinóides, tem sido o principal alvo de investigações, sobretudo em decorrência de sua ação sistêmica que transloca a substância ativa pela planta e atinge o pólen e néctar como resíduos. Dessa forma, o presente estudo teve como objetivo verificar os efeitos do neonicotinóide tiametoxam em abelhas sociais e avaliar a possibilidade da espécie Scaptotrigona aff. depilis ser utilizada como bioindicadora de contaminação ambiental por inseticidas. Para tanto, (i) operárias forrageiras de Bombus terrestris audax, Apis mellifera e Scaptotrigona bipunctata foram submetidas à exposição contínua de alimento contaminado; (ii) operárias de Scaptotrigona aff. depilis foram expostas ao inseticida, durante o estágio larval, através do alimento e; (iii) operárias forrageiras de Scaptotrigona aff. depilis foram coletadas no meliponário da Universidade de São Paulo e arredores, e submetidas a análises químicas, para a checagem de contaminação pelos neonicotinóides tiametoxam e/ ou imidacloprido. (i) Dentre as três espécies de abelhas sociais adultas, B. terrestris audax mostrou ser a mais sensível à ação de tiametoxam, seguida de S. bipunctata e A. mellifera, verificados através do decréscimo no consumo de alimento e da longevidade. Nesse sentido, os efeitos subletais não foram influenciados pelo tamanho do corpo dos indivíduos. (ii) As operárias de Scaptotrigona aff. depilis, quando expostas a doses do inseticida em fase larval, apresentaram desenvolvimento tardio e originaram indivíduos menores e assimétricos. Tanto em abelhas adultas como em imaturas, os efeitos subletais foram evidenciados nos indivíduos expostos às maiores doses de tiametoxam nos experimentos (39.37 e 98.43µg de substância ativa/kg de xarope em adultos, ou 0.044 e 4.375ng de substância ativa/larva). (iii) A detecção de tiametoxam e imidacloprido em operárias forrageiras de Scaptotrigona aff. depilis permitiu considerar essa espécie como bioindicadora de contaminação. Nesse estudo, a mortalidade não foi parâmetro conclusivo quanto aos potenciais efeitos adversos de tiametoxam para as abelhas. O potencial de Scaptotrigona aff. depilis como espécie bioindicadora é uma importante etapa para avaliar a contaminação ambiental por neonicotinóides em abelhas sem ferrão, podendo ser utilizada em políticas públicas. / Pollinator losses all over the world, especially bees disappearing, have been attributed, among others, to the intensification of insecticide use on crops. The new chemical class of insecticides, the neonicotinoids, has been the main target of investigation, mainly due to its systemic action, which translocates the active substance for the plant and to reach the pollen and nectar as residues. Thus, this study evaluated the effects of thiamethoxam neonicotinoid on bees and the possibility of the use of Scaptotrigona aff. depilis species as bioindicator of environmental contamination by insecticides. For this, (i) Bombus terrestris audax, Apis mellifera and Scaptotrigona bipunctata forager workers were induced to continue exposure of contaminated food; (ii) Scaptotrigona aff. depilis workers were exposed to the insecticide, during its larval phase, through the larval food and; (iii) Scaptotrigona aff. depilis forager workers were collected from University of São Paulo meliponary and surroundings and analyzed, in order to check for contamination by thiamethoxam and/ or imidacloprid neonicotinoids. (i) Among the three social bee species, B. terrestris audax showed to be more sensible to the thiamethoxam action, followed by S. bipunctata and A. mellifera, verified through decreasing food consumption and longevity. Thus, the sub lethal effects were not influenced by individual body size. (ii) Scaptotrigona aff. depilis workers, when exposed to insecticide doses on larval food, caused individuals with developmental delay and were smaller and asymmetric. Both adult bees and in immature, the sub lethal effects of thiamethoxam were evidenced on individuals exposed to the highest doses in the experiments. (iii) The detection of thiamethoxam and imidacloprid in Scaptotrigona aff. depilis forager workers allowed to consider this species as bioindicator of environmental contamination. In this study, the mortality was not a conclusive parameter as to the potential adverse effects of thiamethoxam for the bees. The potential of Scaptotrigona aff. depilis species as bioindicator is an important step to assess environmental contamination by neonicotinoids on stingless bees, may be used for public policy.

New Zealand provides an excellent example of the effect of exotic predators on native reptile populations. Prior to human arrival, reptiles evolved in the absence of mammalian predators but are now sympatric with 11 introduced mammalian predators. New Zealand’s reptile populations have declined over the past millennium because they have few defensive behaviours against this new predator guild. However, relatively few studies have investigated the effects of introduced mammalian predators on skinks. In this thesis, I studied the life history of several skink species and the long-term demographic changes in these species to evaluate population trends. I evaluated the effectiveness of mammalian predator control in the Rotoiti Nature Recovery Project (RNRP) for restoring skink populations and I investigated the potential sub-lethal effects of mammalian predators on skinks. Finally, I tested whether two skink species had developed behaviours to avoid the scent of introduced rats or hedgehogs. I estimated size at sexual maturity, birthing season and habitat preferences for speckled skinks (Oligosoma infrapunctatum) in the Nelson Lakes area. My research shows that skink populations are declining both inside and outside of the RNRP. The largest declines are seen in the rarer species and even within the predator-controlled area of the RNRP the speckled skink is nearing extirpation. In addition, the proportion of female northern grass skinks (O. polychroma) and larger individuals of both sexes has decreased since 1970; suggesting females and larger individuals are more vulnerable to predation. An investigation of three fitness surrogates (body condition, parasite load and prevalence of caudal autotomy) showed that for both northern grass and glossy brown skinks (O. zelandicum), body condition was significantly lower in populations with mammalian predators than without. This has serious conservation implications because it shows that lizard populations may not only be in decline from direct predation, but also additional stresses associated with predation that may lead to reduced reproductive output. Neither parasite load, nor the prevalence of caudal autotomy, appears to be good indicators of fitness for northern grass or glossy brown skinks. I found no evidence of substantial avoidance behaviours in glossy brown and northern grass skinks to either rat or hedgehog odour. Two hypotheses are suggested to explain this. Firstly, there may not have been enough time for these species to evolve avoidance behaviours, and secondly, there may be insufficient selection pressure due to the high efficiency of the alien predators, or because rats and hedgehogs are active foragers and thus scent gives the prey limited information on immediate predation pressure. This lack of evidence for the evolution of antipredator behaviour, in addition to reduced body condition and population decline in areas with mammalian predators present, highlights the importance of intensive mammalian predator control for the continued survival of skink species on mainland New Zealand.

No description available.