Frankliniella intonsa
(Trybom, 1895) a very sensitive
bioindicator
for air and radioactive pollution
Liliana Vasiliu-Oromulu
and
Gabor Jenser
INTRODUCTION
Ø
Pollutants in the form of acid deposits, containing NOx, SO2-4, H+, heavy metals
and suspensions, are not homogeneously distributed in urban areas. They affect
thysanoptera both directly, through breathing, as well as indirectly, through feeding.
We have studied their effects within LIFE05ENV/RO/000106 AIR AWARE;
Ø
Thysanoptera species Frankliniella intonsa and Thrips tabaci were previously
considered to be resistant to air pollution in Copşa Mică, for decade one of the
most polluted industrial cities in Romania until its decay in the early 1990s
(L.Vasiliu-Oromulu, 1973, quotation in W. Kirk in T. Lewis, 1997);
Ø
Metal hyperaccumulation was suggested as a plant defensive strategy. Studies
looked into weather cadmium (Cd) hyperaccumulation protected Thlaspi
caerulescens from leaf feeding damage by thrips Frankliniella occidentalis (R. F.
Jiang, et al., 2005);
Ø
Could radioactive pollution in the surroundings of nuclear power plants lead to
changes in thrips communities or in their body structure?
Ø
Could certain thrips species be considered bioindicators of air or radioactive
pollution?
Figure 1. Copşa Mică
The most polluted industrial cities in Romania
Material and Methods
Ø
The pilot area is represented by three public parks, Ciş
Cişmigiu, Izvor and Unirea,
Unirea, located
in the downtown Bucharest, an area with intense car traffic which
which accounts for 70% of
the local air pollution. Also, the elements of local industrial pollution, such as heavy
metals, SO2, PM 10 and PM 2.5, exceed standard levels as measured by 8 automated
devices and by several mobile automated labs;
Ø
Open Sources GIS data were used in integrating the air quality monitoring results;
Ø
Research methods used in collecting Bucharest data include monitoring,
monitoring, assessment of
exposure and the evaluation of effects in biota;
Ø
The investigations were carried out on a transect from the park edge, more exposed to
air pollution, to the centre, less exposed, on both native and ornamental
ornamental plant species.
During 2006 only to of the three parks (Ci
(Cişşmigiu and Izvor)
Izvor) where in appropriate
conditions to provide data on the numerical density of populations;
populations;
Ø
The thrips fauna was collected from the herbaceous layer, by entomological sweepsweep-net
(30 ø cm) 10 samples/site (one sample = 50 sweeps);
Ø
Thrips were also collected in the surrounding of a nuclear power plant in Limpach,
Limpach,
Switzerland;
The sites-GPS coordinates
Ø
Cişmigiu Park: 44o 26’09.95” N; 26o 05’28.54” E, 73 m. altitude;
Ø
Izvor Park: 44o 25’53.92”N ;26o 05’19.11”; 68 m. altitude;
Ø
Unirea Park: 44o 21’41.38”N; 26o 06’08.56”E, 71m. altitude;
Figure 2. Bucharest, Romania – General map
(after AIRAWARE Programme)
(Pilot zone: Cişmigiu, Izvor, Unirea Parks in red)
Figure 3. Cişmigiu Park
Figure 4. Izvor and Unirea Park
RESULTS AND DISCUSSIONS
Ø
The project was guided by the following priority tasks: defining
bioindicators of air pollution, the biodiversity, the environmental
management plans, a long-term monitoring and reporting system.
Ø The methods of passive biomonitoring and surveying of the biodiversity
changes were used, as they serve best the purpose of the present work.
Ø
The influence of the pollutants on the Thysanoptera insects was visible at
the following levels:
Ø
A. Species richness
B. Ecological indices
C. Morphological changes
D. Influence of the transect
Ø
Ø
Ø
A. Species richness:
Ø
In 2006 the specific structure in the parks was low, 15 species (19.23%
from the total of characteristic praticolous species). The “basic nucleus” of
thrips was represented by 7 species common to both parks: Aeolothrips
intermedius, Anaphothrips obscurus, Frankliniella intonsa, Thrips tabaci
(S.Ord Terebrantia) Haplothrips aculeatus, Haplothrips leucanthemi and H.
niger (S.Ord. Tubulifera);
Ø The Cişmigiu Park had a more balanced thrips community than the Izvor.
This can be explained by the presence of phytophagous and zoophagous
species (Aeolothrips intermedius and Aeolothrips fasciatus) in the intensely
landscaped Cişmigiu Park;
Ø The analysis of the thrips species collected showed that even if several
species were common to both parks, their qualitative and quantitative
representation was different, generating distinct coenosis;
Ø Frankliniella intonsa is one of 7 common species to the parks. According to
our results, this species appears to be a very good bioindicator of pollutants,
from a biodiversity point of view;
B. Ecological indices
Ø
Ø
Ø
Ø
Ø
Ø
The numerical density, an important structural index, as obtained by sweep method,
presented a monthly dynamics varying between 50 - 860 ind/sqm in the Izvor Park
and between 354 – 1,222 ind/sqm in Cişmigiu with a pick in July, one month later
than in other non-urban grassland sites (Knechtel and Vasiliu, 1964);
The species Frankliniella intonsa was dominant in all parks, with a relative
abundance of 54 - 81%. In the Izvor Park this species had a maximal value of
sample frequency of 100% in July, but of only of 20% later in the autumn. In the
Cişmigiu Park this value reached 100% in all summer months, only to decreased to
40% in the autumn ;
The maximal density of Frankliniella intonsa in the Izvor Park had values of only
694 ind/sqm, while in the Cişmigiu Park it reached 970 ind/sqm, both in July. This
can be explained by the high density, during the month of July, of plants species
serving as nutritional support for the Thysanoptera;
The diversity index Shannon-Weaver showed values varying between 1.01 - 2.04
in the Izvor Park, and between 2.81 - 3.0 in Cişmigiu, due a population boom of
Frankliniella intonsa in the later of the two parks. This species apppears to be
resistant and sensitive to air pollution in these urban areas;
The index of the energetic metabolism showed a very high activity of the
Thysanoptera (Vasiliu & 1970). Their reaction to the pollutants is very fast and it
is the result of their intense metabolic activity;
We consider this species to be resistant and sensitive to air pollution in these
urban areas, which makes it a very good bioindicators of the pollutants from the
point of view of ecological indices;
Table 1. The structural and functional indices of the thrips
populations -Izvor Park
June
Aeolothrips intermedius
Frankliniella intonsa
Thrips atratus
Thrips tabaci
Haplothrips aculeatus
Σ
July
Aeolothrips intermedius
Frankliniella intonsa
Thrips tabaci
Haplothrips aculeatus
Haplothrips leucanthemi
Haplothrips niger
Σ
August
Aeolothrips intermedius
Chirothrips manicatus
Frankliniella intonsa
Thrips sp.
Haplothrips aculeatus
Haplothrips niger
Tubulifera larvae
Σ
September
Frankliniella intonsa
Haplothrips aculeatus
Haplothrips niger
Σ
x/sqm
14
94
22
8
2
140
32
694
8
4
18
104
860
2
10
12
2
2
22
2
50
2
8
2
12
s2
9.8
166.8
19.2
1.7
0.2
399.5
H(S)
25.7
726.8
1.2
0.3
3.2
244.3
1123.0
H(S)
0.2
2.0
3.2
0.2
0.2
4.7
0.2
6.5
H(S)
0.2
0.7
0.2
0.7
H(S)
STDEV
3.1
12.9
4.4
1.3
0.4
20.0
1.46
5.1
27.0
1.1
0.5
1.8
15.6
33.5
1.01
0.4
1.4
1.8
0.4
0.4
2.2
0.45
2.5
2.04
0.4
0.8
0.4
0.8
1.25
s'
0.63
2.58
0.88
0.26
0.09
4.00
1.01
5.39
0.22
0.11
0.36
3.13
6.70
0.09
0.28
0.36
0.09
0.09
0.43
0.09
0.51
0.09
0.17
0.09
0.17
CV
224
137
199
163
224
143
Hmax
158
39
137
137
99
150
39
Hmax
224
141
149
224
224
99
224
51
Hmax
224
105
224
70
Hmax
mg.f.w/
sqm
11.20
75.20
17.60
6.40
1.60
112.00
2.32
25.60
555.20
6.40
3.20
14.40
83.20
688.00
2.58
1.60
8.00
9.60
1.60
1.60
17.60
1.6
40.00
2.81
1.60
6.40
1.60
9.60
1.58
mg.d.w./
sqm
1.40
9.40
2.20
0.80
0.20
14.00
3.20
69.40
0.80
0.40
1.80
10.40
86.00
0.20
1.00
1.20
0.20
0.20
2.20
0.2
5.00
0.20
0.80
0.20
1.20
energ.metab.
ml O2/sqm
0.28
1.88
0.44
0.16
0.04
2.80
E%
0.64
13.88
0.16
0.08
0.36
2.08
17.20
E%
0.04
0.20
0.24
0.04
0.04
0.44
0.04
1.00
E%
0.04
0.16
0.04
0.24
E%
A%
10
67
16
6
1
100
62.93
4
81
1
0
2
12
100
39.09
4
20
24
4
4
44
4
100
72.56
17
67
17
100
78.97
C%
20
40
40
40
20
pi log pi
-0.100
-0.116
-0.126
-0.071
-0.026
-0.440
40
100
40
40
60
80
-0.053
-0.075
-0.019
-0.011
-0.035
-0.111
-0.304
20
40
40
40
20
60
20
-0.056
-0.140
-0.149
-0.056
-0.056
-0.157
-0.056
-0.613
20
60
20
-0.130
-0.117
-0.130
-0.377
Table 2. The structural and functional indices of the thrips
populations- Cişmigiu Park
June
Aeolothrips intermedius
Frankliniella intonsa
Anaphothrips obscurus
Limothrips denticornis
Thrips physapus
Haplothrips angusticornis
Haplothrips niger
Σ
July
Aeolothrips fasciatus
Aeolothrips intermedius
Chirothrips molestus
Frankliniella intonsa
Thrips tabaci
Haplothrips aculeatus
Haplothrips leucanthemi
Haplothrips niger
Σ
August
Aeolothrips intermedius
Anaphothrips atroapterus
Frankliniella intonsa
Anaphothrips obscurus
Haplothrips aculeatus
Haplothrips leucanthemi
Haplothrips niger
Σ
Septembrie
Frankliniella intonsa
Thrips tabaci
Haplothrips niger
Σ
x/sqm
2
240
100
4
4
4
2
354
2
4
2
970
10
14
36
184
1222
10
14
258
4
4
14
184
478
18
4
2
24
s2
STDEV
0.2
668.0
43.5
0.3
0.8
0.8
0.2
1069.3
H(S)
0.2
0.3
0.2
7217.5
2.0
2.3
34.8
254.8
11206.7
H(S)
3.0
9.8
339.7
0.8
0.8
4.8
185.8
836.2
H(S)
9.2
0.3
0.2
11.3
H(S)
0.4
25.8
6.6
0.5
0.9
0.9
0.45
32.7
1.16
0.4
0.5
0.4
85.0
1.4
1.5
5.9
16.0
105.9
1.01
1.7
3.1
18.4
0.9
0.9
2.2
13.6
28.9
1.42
3.0
0.5
0.4
3.4
1.04
s'
0.09
5.17
1.32
0.11
0.18
0.18
0.09
6.54
0.09
0.11
0.09
16.99
0.28
0.30
1.18
3.19
21.17
0.35
0.63
3.69
0.18
0.18
0.44
2.73
5.78
0.61
0.11
0.09
0.67
CV
224
108
66
137
224
224
224
92
Hmax
224
137
224
88
141
108
164
87
87
Hmax
173
224
71
224
224
156
74.1
60
Hmax
169
137
224
140
Hmax
mg.f.w./
sqm
1.60
192.00
80.00
3.20
3.20
3.20
1.6
283.20
2..81
1.60
3.20
1.60
776.00
8.00
11.20
28.80
147.20
977.6
3.00
8.00
11.20
206.40
3.20
3.20
11.20
147.2
382.40
2.81
14.40
3.20
1.60
19.20
1.58
mg.d.w/
sqm
0.20
24.00
10.00
0.40
0.40
0.40
0.2
35.40
0.20
0.40
0.20
97.00
1.00
1.40
3.60
18.40
122.2
1.00
1.40
25.80
0.40
0.40
1.40
18.4
47.80
1.80
0.40
0.20
2.40
energ. metab.
ml O2/sqm
0.04
4.80
2.00
0.08
0.08
0.08
0.04
7.08
E%
0.04
0.08
0.04
19.40
0.20
0.28
0.72
3.68
24.44
E%
0.20
0.28
5.16
0.08
0.08
0.28
3.68
9.56
E%
0.36
0.08
0.04
0.48
E%
A%
1
68
28
1
1
1
1
100
41.20
0
0
0
79
1
1
3
15
100
33.78
2
3
54
1
1
3
38
100
50.73
75
17
8
100
65.67
C%
20
100
100
40
20
20
20
pi log pi
-0.013
-0.114
-0.155
-0.022
-0.022
-0.022
-0.013
-0.348
20
60
40
100
40
60
60
100
-0.005
-0.008
-0.005
-0.080
-0.017
-0.022
-0.045
-0.124
-0.305
40
20
100
20
20
20
100
-0.035
-0.045
-0.145
-0.017
-0.017
-0.045
-0.160
-0.429
40
40
20
-0.094
-0.130
-0.090
-0.313
Fig.5. Numerical density/sqm of Thysanoptera populations
860
1000
140
50
12
500
Izvor Park
Cismigiu Park
354
june
1222
july
478
august
24
october
0
C. Morphological changes
The following biological effects of pollutants were found on Frankliniella intonsa:
Ø
-discoloration of various body parts;
Ø
- variations of the body size;
Ø
- individuals with anomalies of the antennae, phenomenon which had not been
encountered in our earlier studies on non-polluted grasslands;
Ø
- numerous individuals of this thrips species collected in the surroundings of the
nuclear power plant in Switzerland also presented anomalies of the antennae similar
to the ones encountered in the Bucharest parks, but with much higher frequency.
We consider this species a very good bioindicator for pollutants from
morphological changes point of view;
Discoloration of various body parts
- Frankliniella intonsa -
photo Daniela Sincu
Anomalies of the antennae
Frankliniella intonsa
photo Anca Paunescu
D. The influence of the transect
Ø
In the Cişmigiu Park Thysanoptera Bagnalliella yuccae Hinds, 1902 was not
found on the ornamental plant Yucca filamentosa at the park edges, the most
polluted areas of studied transect, but it was abundant on the same plant species,
in the central section of the park, which is the least polluted.
Ø
Species richness was the highest in the less polluted area.
Ø
The distance of the main sources of pollution played a very important role in the
distribution of the Thysanoptera;
Ø
Bagnalliella yuccae was proven to be an accuarate bioindicator of pollutants and
will be used in this capacity in future tests;
Ø
Frankliniella intonsa was found in higher numbers on the park edges than in the
middle of the transect;
Possible bioindicators
Ø
In the future, the analysis of heavy metals on Frankliniella
intonsa, Haplothrips niger and Bagnalliella yuccae will be
used to show which species is the most sensitive bioindicator
for certain pollutants.
Bagnalliella yuccae Hinds, 1902
Haplothrips niger (Osborn, 1883)
Conclusion
Ø
Ø
Ø
Ø
Ø
Ø
Ø
The pilot area is represented by three public parks located in downtown Bucharest,
an area highly polluted by car traffic (the Cişmigiu, Izvor and Unirea Parks);
In each park the researches were conducted on a transect from the edge, the most
exposed to air pollution, to the centre, the least exposed;
In the herbaceous layer, the biodiversity of Thysanoptera varies through the
transect. The distance to the main sources of pollution played a very important role
in the distribution of the Thysanoptera, on the ornamental plants (ex: Bagnalliella
yuccae) as well as on native plants (Frankliniella intonsa);
The species richness is generally low in the parks, and its highest values were found
in the less polluted areas;
For the Cişmigiu Park, the monthly dynamics of thrips communities reached pick
values of ecological indices in July, one month later than in natural meadow
environment;
The spatial dynamics reveals that Cişmigiu had the heights biodiversity, which was
due to the abundance of plant species in this intensely landscaped park;
The energetic metabolism analysis for Thysanoptera showed it is a highly active
insect. And it is exactly this characteristic that enables its fast reaction to pollutants;
Conclusions
Ø
Ø
Ø
Ø
The impact of environmental changes is reflected by the taxonomical diversity, the
values of structural and functional indices, as well as by the incidence of abnormal
morphological aspects;
The biological effects of air pollution only on Frankliniella intonsa include high
values of ecological indices, various morphological changes such as discolorations
of body parts, large variations in body size and anomalies on antennae;
The antennal anomalies were very frequent in the natural meadow environment
surrounding the Swiss nuclear power plant, which raises questions on the accepted
level of radioactive pollution around such sites;
Thysanoptera Frankliniella intonsa is the species most resistant to air pollution and
possibly to radioactive pollutants. Its sensitivity turns in into potentially the most
accurate bioindicator among the invertebrate fauna from the herbaceous layer.
Aknowleagments are due to: National Administration of Meteorology,
Environmental Protection Agency of Bucharest, Urban and Metropolitan Centre of
Bucharest, Public Health Institute, Meteo France, my assistants F. Dumitrescu and
S. State;